From Mongolia to Malabar: rare bird Isabelline shrike spotted in Kannur

 

ABDUL LATHEEF NAHA, 

MALAPPURAM, The Hindu, 3/2/2026

Birdwatchers in Kannur have sighted an Isabelline shrike, a rare migratory bird believed to have arrived from the Mongolian region during the winter season. This marks the first recorded sighting of the species in Malabar and only the second in Kerala.

The bird was spotted a few days ago at Katampally in Kannur by a team led by Jayan Thomas and Afsar Nayakan.

Recorded only once

The identification took several days, as the Isabelline shrike closely resembles the more commonly seen Brown shrike and had been recorded only once earlier in the State.

District Police Chief (Kannur City) Nidhin Raj and senior birder C. Mohan were among the bird enthusiasts who joined the team in observing the rare visitor.

“We took multiple photographs of the bird and shared them with experts across the country. While many initially identified it as a Brown shrike, our doubts persisted,” said Dr. Thomas.

“We then consulted Graham Walbridge, a British birder and field ornithologist renowned for his expertise in migrant birds and rarities, who confirmed that it was indeed an Isabelline shrike, a rare sight in South India.”

An ophthalmologist by profession, Dr. Thomas said the sighting was a moment of great excitement. “The bird migration season is one of nature’s great wonders and a source of pure joy for birders like me,” he said.

Migrates to Pakistan

Characterised by its sandy-brown plumage, partial eye mask and reddish tail, the Isabelline shrike breeds in Mongolia and China and migrates to north India, Pakistan and Africa during winter.

“It rarely reaches South India. We have been observing the bird for several days and expect it to continue its journey to Africa before returning to Mongolia,” Dr. Thomas said.

The bird derives its name ‘shrike’ from its loud, shrieking call and is also known as the ‘butcher bird’ for its habit of impaling prey on fences or barbed wire.

“We were thrilled to watch it foraging on a caterpillar. It also feeds on large insects, small birds and rodents,” said Dr. Thomas. The term ‘Isabelline’ is believed to originate from Queen Isabella of Spain, referring to an off-white or sandy-brown colour.

The team pointed out that the Katampally wetlands provide an ideal feeding habitat for migratory birds.

“Preserving this wetland is crucial for maintaining the ecological balance,” Dr. Thomas said.

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Survey adds 24 species to Munnar fauna

 

THE HINDU BUREAU, 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, January 19, 2025

A faunal survey in the Munnar Wildlife Division has led to the addition of 24 new species of birds, butterflies, and odonates to its checklist.

The exercise, undertaken by the Forest department in association with the Travancore Nature History Society, simultaneously surveyed the Mathikettan Shola National Park (MSNP), Pambadum Shola National Park (PSNP), Anamudi Shola National Park (ANP), Kurinjimala Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS), Eravikulam National Park (ENP), and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (CWLS) from January 8 to 12. The area, lying between 500 and 2,800 metres in elevation, was surveyed by 21 teams comprising 78 delegates.

A total of 217 species of birds were documented, including 11 new species, thereby increasing the bird population in the Munnar Wildlife Division to 258. The additions include the Brown Hawk Owl, Barred Buttonquail, Spotted Owlet, Mottled Wood Owl, Baya Weaver, Red Munia (Red Avadavat), Richard’s Pipit, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Golden-Headed Cisticola, Large Grey Babbler, and Chestnut-Bellied Nuthatch.

Other notable species spotted included the Nilgiri Wood Pigeon, Mountain Imperial Pigeon, Great Eared Nightjar, Steppe Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Montagu’s Harrier, Eurasian Sparrow Hawk, Lesser Fish Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Indian Eagle Owl, Spot-bellied Eagle Owl, Indian Grey Hornbill, and Blue-eared Kingfisher.

The MSNP recorded 84 species, PSNP recorded 72, ANP 53, KWLS 68, ENP 115, and CWLS 173 species.

Munnar continues to be home to several species of butterflies with 166 species recorded, including eight new records, bringing the checklist to 246 species. The highest number of butterflies was recorded at Chinnar with 148 species, followed by Eravikulam (79 species), and Mathikettan Shola (57 species).

Endemic butterflies such as the Red-disc Bushbrown, Palni Bush-Brown, Palni Fritillary, Palni four-ring, Nilgiri four-ring, Nilgiri Clouded Yellow, and Nilgiri Tiger were observed. Grass Jewel, the smallest butterfly in the State, was abundant at Chinnar. The largest Indian butterfly, the Southern Birdwing, was also recorded in most of the camps.

As many as 33 species were observed, despite the cold weather prevailing in the region. With an addition of five new records, the total number of odonates in Munnar has increased to 58 species.

Five relatively common odonates of lower elevations, which were previously unrecorded in Munnar, were also reported in this survey. These include Cratilla lineata calverti (Forster, 1903), Macrodiplax cora (Kaup in Brauer, 1867), Palpopleura sexmaculata (Fabricius, 1787), Tholymis tillarga (Fabricius, 1798), and Lestes elatus Hagen in Selys, 1862.

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Bird survey points to rise in temperature in Pathanamthitta

The Hindu, January 21, 2015
PATHANAMTHITTA

The sighting of a bluethroat, a flock of glossy ibis, and a dozen Asian openbill in Pathanamthitta during the Asian Waterbird Survey of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) is indicative of the increasing atmospheric temperature in the region. These birds are normally found in dry wetlands with high atmospheric temperature.

The survey was conducted jointly by the WWF-India, Kerala chapter and the Social Forestry wing of the Forests and Wildlife Department at five locations — Thonnallur, near Pandalam; Karingalipuncha; Aranmula-Nalkalikkal wetlands; Pampa river at Aranmula; and Othera-Thiruvamanapuram wetlands — on Saturday, A.K. Sivakumar, project coordinator, said.

The survey found the Aranmula wetlands, which come under the disputed private airport project site, a very good waterbird habitat with more than 1,000 birds belongs to 22 species.

The maximum count was from Karingalipuncha with around 1,200 birds belongs to 33 species. The birders counted nearly 800 birds belonging to 39 species in the Thonnallur fields.

Mr. Sivakumar said around 600 birds were counted in the Othera-Thiruvamanapuram wetlands. Migratory birds such as common sandpiper, little-ringed plover, Pacific golden plover, green sandpiper, whiskered tern, glossy ibis, and black-winged stilts were reported from these areas.

River degradation

The sighting of an increased number of black kites in the Pampa at Aranmula indicated increased pollution owing to dumping of poultry waste. The sighting of whiskered terns, generally found in stagnant waters such as paddy fields, was also reported from the river, indicating the degradation of its ecosystem.

The census revealed a steady total bird count in the district. It highlighted the need to protect the wetlands for the existence of these birds and thereby, the agricultural sector and sustainable socio-economic status, he Mr. Sivakumar said.

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Bird conservation plans for districts in Kerala

KOCHI, November 26, 2013

Bird conservation plans will be prepared for each district of the State under the aegis of the Kerala Forest Department.

A meeting of the bird enthusiasts, convened by the Social Forestry wing of the Department at Kochi on Monday, also chalked out a plan to include NGOs and citizen groups in the conservation programmes.

The district plans would be ready by mid- December. Survey of commonly found birds will be held with the support of residents associations and schools. Initial surveys will identify places which have bird populations. Water bird surveys will be held in January followed by a heronry survey during July-August.

A monthly survey for pelagic birds has also been proposed, according to the organisers. The Assistant Conservators of Forests (Social Forestry) will coordinate the activities, the organisers said.

The Forest department proposes to build citizen support for the conservation drive and to develop a network of trained bird conservationists. Organisations and institutions would be encouraged to take up conservation programmes and issues related bird-human conflicts especially the problems faced by the farmers will also be addressed, the organisers said.

K. Babu, Minister for Excise, inaugurated the workshop.

K. Sukumaran, former judge of the High Court of Kerala; B.S. Corrie, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry); P.O. Nameer, head, Wildlife Division of the Kerala Agricultural University; Winston Suting, Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry); and ornithologist Vishnu Das were among those who spoke.

The Hindu, 26/11/2013

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/bird-conservation-plans-for-districts/article5392223.ece

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Migratory birds turn their back on lakes

IGNATIUS PEREIRA

A recent bird survey of the Ashtamudi and Sasthamcotta lakes in Kollam district reveals a drastic fall in the arrival of migratory birds at these waterbodies.
The survey, conducted by the Travancore Natural History Society and the Kottayam Nature Society, also reveals an increased presence of resident and endemic birds along polluted areas of these lakes.
Both the lakes are Ramsar sites. The brackish Ashtamudi is the second-largest water body, and Sasthamcotta Lake the biggest freshwater lake in the State.

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

The survey shows an alarming drop even in the presence of cormorants. During previous surveys, hundreds of cormorants could be seen at the lakes.
One of the disturbing findings of the survey is that the Brahminy kite ( Haliastur indus ), which largely feeds on fish and crabs, has started depending on poultry waste dumped in Ashtamudi Lake for food. Every day, large quantities of waste are dumped at various points along the lake by poultry shops.
Travancore Natural History Society coordinator H. Charan said the switchover to poultry waste by the Brahminy kites could bring about several changes in the birds, including genetic, and this needed to be taken up for detailed studies. It was no secret that a substantial quantity of chicken purchased by poultry shops from outside the State was injected with hormones, he said.
On Sasthamcotta Lake, 411 birds from 19 species were spotted. Of those, there were only three species of migratory birds, and their strength was 243.
The birds spotted at the lake during the survey include whistling teals, darters, pond herons, purple moorhens, and a lone marsh harrier.
On Ashtamudi Lake, owing to dumping of poultry waste 210 black kites and 160 Brahminy kites were spotted during the survey. The only species of migratory birds spotted were the whiskered terns (71) and common sand pipers (6). Other birds seen on the lake during the survey include large egrets, open bill storks, white ibis and grey herons.

The Hindu 13/2/2012

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Bird survey spots a ‘newcomer'

K.S. Sudhi
KOCHI,  
The Hindu,February 15, 2011 

Grey-necked bunting, a dry area bird, has been spotted from the shola forests of south Kerala. The bird, usually found in normal plains, was spotted at an altitude of 1,200 metres at Athirumala in Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary recently. Researchers said the bird was very rare in southern Kerala. Its presence was first recorded in Kannur in 2006.

The bird was spotted in a survey conducted in Neyyar and Peppara, the southernmost wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala. This was the 66 {+t} {+h} survey conducted in Kerala, said P.O. Nameer, who led the survey. Three vulnerable species including Broad-tailed Grassbird, White-bellied Shortwing and Nilgiri Wood Pigeon were recorded during the survey. However, four others, Wayanad Laughing-thrush, Great-eared Nightjar, Blue-bearded Bee-eater and Great Black Woodpecker, were conspicuous by its absence.

Even though these species could not be spotted during the survey, other birds which occupied the same niche were identified. Of the16 species endemic to Western Ghats, 14 were recorded, Dr. Nameer said.

Blanford's Laughing-thrush, Nilgiri Pipit, Great Pied Hornbill, Darter, Lesser Fish-Eagle and Nilgiri Flycatcher are some of the near threatened species, according to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature Guidelines, that could be spotted during the survey.

Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, Grey-headed Bulbul, Oriental-Dwarf Kingfisher, Black-capped Kingfisher and Black Baza were also spotted. Ceylon Frogmouth was reported from many mid and low altitude sites in the sanctuaries.

The survey team consisted of S. Kalesh of the Travancore Nature History Society and J. Praveen of the Kerala Birder.

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