Checklist <strong>of</strong> <strong>birds</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> <strong>Wetlands</strong>P.P.N. Raj et al.Figure 1. Map <strong>of</strong> <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> marshvisitors. 40 species were fully aquatic, while 10 werepartly dependent on wetlands. Among <strong>the</strong>se species,<strong>the</strong> most numerous <strong>in</strong> our records <strong>in</strong>cluded Little Grebe(ca.700) and Black-w<strong>in</strong>ged Stilt (ca.150). In a studyconducted dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> year 2000, 836 Black-w<strong>in</strong>ged Stiltsand 834 Cattle Egrets were recorded (J. Subramanianpers. obs.). The <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> marshlands also <strong>in</strong>cludetwo Near Threatened bird species such as Spot-billedPelican Pelecanus philippensis and Black-headed IbisThreskiornis melanocephalus. Dur<strong>in</strong>g our surveys wefound one Spot-billed Pelican <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> wetlands; however,The H<strong>in</strong>du released a report on 06 February 2007 withsight<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>of</strong> nearly 200 <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pallikaranai</strong>marshes. We could observe nearly 70 Black-headedIbis, ano<strong>the</strong>r Near Threatened species dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> survey.The diversity <strong>of</strong> avifauna that occur <strong>in</strong> large numbershere calls for conservation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> wetlandsand prevention from fur<strong>the</strong>r degradation so that itsusta<strong>in</strong>s as wetland for posterity <strong>of</strong>fer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> metropolismany ecological services. Conservation <strong>of</strong> such urbanwetlands is essential to susta<strong>in</strong> migratory bird populations,as it is probably an abode dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir migratory route,serv<strong>in</strong>g a vital role <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> conservation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se species.Unfortunately, <strong>the</strong>re is no laws till date to protect urbanwetlands <strong>in</strong> particular, and we highlight here <strong>the</strong> urgentneed for a policy to conserve urban wetlands and relatedecosystems.Bibby, C.J., N.D. Burgess & D.A. Hill (1993). Bird CensusTechniques. Academic Press Limited, London, 257pp.BirdLife International (2001). Threatened Birds <strong>of</strong> Asia: TheBird Life International Red Data Book. Cambridge, UK,864pp. http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/global_species_programme/whats_new.html, downloadedon 16.11.2009.Care Earth (2002). Conservation <strong>of</strong> Urban <strong>Wetlands</strong> – <strong>Pallikaranai</strong>Marsh. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, 31pp.Grimmet, R., C. Inskipp & T. Inskipp (2000). Pocket Guideto <strong>the</strong> Birds <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Indian Subcont<strong>in</strong>ent. Oxford UniversityPress, New York, 384pp.Jo<strong>in</strong>t Committee Report (2003). Threats to <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> wetlandand need for its immediate remedial measures. Jo<strong>in</strong>tCommittee, M<strong>in</strong>istry <strong>of</strong> Environment and Forest, Government<strong>of</strong> India, New Delhi.Patnaik, D.C. & P. Srihari (2004). <strong>Wetlands</strong> - A developmentparadox: The dilemma <strong>of</strong> South Chennai, India. Availableat SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=591861 or doi:10.2139/ssrn.591861The H<strong>in</strong>du (2006). The marshland gone waste (report byJ Vencatesan). http:// www.<strong>the</strong>h<strong>in</strong>du.com/<strong>the</strong>h<strong>in</strong>du/pp/2006/07/01/stories/006070100040100.htm.ReferenceAzeez P.A., S. Bhupathy, J. Ranj<strong>in</strong>i, R. Dhanya & P.P.N.Raj (2007). Management Plan for <strong>the</strong> Eco-restoration <strong>of</strong><strong>Pallikaranai</strong> Reserve Forest. Salim Ali Centre for Ornithologyand Natural History, Coimbatore, 62pp.Journal <strong>of</strong> Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | July 2010 | 2(8): 1114-11181115
Checklist <strong>of</strong> <strong>birds</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> <strong>Wetlands</strong>P.P.N. Raj et al.Appendix 1. Bird species recorded <strong>in</strong> and around <strong>Pallikaranai</strong> MarshCommon name Scientific name Habitat Status1 Little Grebe * # Tachybaptus ruficollis A BR2 Little Cormorant * #^ Phalacrocorax niger A BR3 Great Cormorant #^ Phalacrocorax carbo A BR4 Spot-billed Duck # Anas poecilorhyncha A BR5 Grey Heron * #^ Ardea c<strong>in</strong>erea A WV6 Purple Heron * #^ Ardea purpurea A BR7 Cattle Egret * #^ Bubulcus ibis D BR8 Great Egret #^ Casmerodius albus A BR9 Intermediate Egret * #^ Mesophoyx <strong>in</strong>termedia A BR10 Little Egret * #^ Egretta garzetta A BR11 Indian Pond Heron * #^ Ardeola grayii A BR12 Black-crowned Night Heron * # Nycticorax nycticorax A BR13 Black Bittern # Dupetor flavicollis A BR14 C<strong>in</strong>namon Bittern # Ixobrychus c<strong>in</strong>namomeus A BR15 Yellow Bittern # Ixobrychus s<strong>in</strong>ensis A WV16 Spot-billed Pelican * Pelecanus philippensis A BR17 Asian Openbill #^ Anastomus oscitans A BR18 Woolly-necked Stork # Ciconia episcopus A BR19 Glossy Ibis * # Plegadis falc<strong>in</strong>ellus A WV20 Black-headed Ibis * # Threskiornis melanocephalus A BR21 Black Kite #^ Milvus migrans O BR22 Black-shouldered Kite * #^ Elanus caeruleus O WV23 Brahm<strong>in</strong>y Kite #^ Haliastur <strong>in</strong>dus O BR24 Pallid Harrier # Circus macrourus O WV25 Pied Harrier # Circus melanoleucos O WV26 Eurasian Marsh Harrier * # Circus aerug<strong>in</strong>osus D WV27 Shikra * #^ Accipiter badius O BR28 Common Kestrel # Falco t<strong>in</strong>nunculus O WV29 Common Moorhen * #^ Gall<strong>in</strong>ula chloropus A BR30 Purple Swamphen #^ Porphyrio porphyrio A BR31 Coot * #^ Fulica atra A BR32 Eurasian Thick-knee #^ Burh<strong>in</strong>us oedicnemus A BR33 Great Thick-knee # Burh<strong>in</strong>us recurvirostris A BR34 Red-necked Phalarope # Phalaropus lobatus A BR35 Pheasant-tailed Jacana * #^ Hydrophasianus chirurgus A BR36 Red-wattled Lapw<strong>in</strong>g * #^ Vanellus <strong>in</strong>dicus D BR37 Yellow-wattled Lapw<strong>in</strong>g * #^ Vanellus malabaricus D BR38 Black-w<strong>in</strong>ged Stilt * # Himantopus himantopus A BR39 Wood Sandpiper # Tr<strong>in</strong>ga glareola A WV40 Marsh Sandpiper * # Tr<strong>in</strong>ga stagnatilis A WV41 Oriental Prat<strong>in</strong>cole # Glareola maldivarum A WV42 Black-tailed Godwit # Limosa limosa A WV43 White-breasted Waterhen * #^ Amaurornis phoenicurus A BR44 Watercock #^ Gallicrex c<strong>in</strong>erea A WV1116Journal <strong>of</strong> Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | July 2010 | 2(8): 1114-1118