314
Table 18.3 (continued)
Sl. no.
Name of the species
Scientifi c name
Status
Abundance
at Pong Dam
Family: Glareolidae
117
Oriental pratincole
Glareola maldivarum
LC
1
118
Little pratincole
Glareola lactea
LC
5
Family: Laridae
119
Common gull
Larus canus
LC
1
120
Caspian gull
Larus cachinnans
LC
2
121
Lesser black-backed gull
Larus fuscus
LC
?
122
Pallas’s gull
Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
LC
3
123
Brown-headed gull
Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus
LC
3
124
Black-headed gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
LC
4
125
Slender-billed gull
Chroicocephalus genei
LC
1
126
Little gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
LC
1
127
Gull-billed tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
LC
3
128
River tern
Sterna aurantia
NT
5
129
Little tern
Sterna albifrons
LC
2
130
Black-bellied tern
Sterna acuticauda
EN
2
131
Whiskered tern
Chlidonias hybridus
LC
3
Family: Rynchopidae
132
Indian skimmer
Rynchops albicollis
VU
2
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Halcyonidae
133
White-throated kingfi sher
Halcyon smyrnensis
LC
3
Family: Alcedinidae
134
Common kingfi sher
Alcedo atthis
LC
2
Family: Cerylidae
135
Crested kingfi sher
Megaceryle lugubris
LC
2
136
Pied kingfi sher
Ceryle rudis
LC
3
LC least concern, NT near threatened, VU vulnerable, EN , endangered, CR critically endangered, and ? occurrence of
the species is doubtful
(Fig. 18.2 ). Only 7.88 % species including
thousands of geese and ducks (namely, barheaded goose Anser indicus , northern shoveler
Anas clypeata , northern pintail Anas acuta , common teal Anas crecca , common pochard Aythya
ferina and tufted duck Aythya fuligula ) and some
Neoaves (namely, little cormorant Phalacrocorax
niger , great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo ,
common coot Fulica atra , little pratincole
Glareola lactea and river tern Sterna aurantia )
were abundant. Large fl ocks of wintering barheaded goose are the major attraction for most
ornithologists/birdwatchers (Fig. 18.3a, b ) since
this is one of the most abundant and graceful
species of Pong wetland. However, in recent years,
the population of this species has declined as
compared to the previous years. A rare species
of goose, namely, greater white-fronted goose
Anser albifrons , was also observed (Fig. 18.4 ).
Some species such as common pochard Aythya
ferina (Fig. 18.5 ) and great cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo (Fig. 18.6 ) were seen in
large fl ocks. Slender-billed gull Chroicocephalus
genei is an occasional winter visitor at this wetland. Only a few individuals were seen in different morphs (Fig. 18.7a, b ). This wetland is also
preferred by a number of waders most probably
due to availability of large mud fl ats. About 12
species of both migratory and resident lapwings
and plovers have been reported from the area.
Red-wattled lapwing Vanellus indicus is a common resident, while northern lapwing Vanellus
A. Kumar and R. Paliwal
Table 18.3 (continued)
Sl. no.
Name of the species
Scientifi c name
Status
Abundance
at Pong Dam
Family: Glareolidae
117
Oriental pratincole
Glareola maldivarum
LC
1
118
Little pratincole
Glareola lactea
LC
5
Family: Laridae
119
Common gull
Larus canus
LC
1
120
Caspian gull
Larus cachinnans
LC
2
121
Lesser black-backed gull
Larus fuscus
LC
?
122
Pallas’s gull
Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus
LC
3
123
Brown-headed gull
Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus
LC
3
124
Black-headed gull
Chroicocephalus ridibundus
LC
4
125
Slender-billed gull
Chroicocephalus genei
LC
1
126
Little gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
LC
1
127
Gull-billed tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
LC
3
128
River tern
Sterna aurantia
NT
5
129
Little tern
Sterna albifrons
LC
2
130
Black-bellied tern
Sterna acuticauda
EN
2
131
Whiskered tern
Chlidonias hybridus
LC
3
Family: Rynchopidae
132
Indian skimmer
Rynchops albicollis
VU
2
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Halcyonidae
133
White-throated kingfi sher
Halcyon smyrnensis
LC
3
Family: Alcedinidae
134
Common kingfi sher
Alcedo atthis
LC
2
Family: Cerylidae
135
Crested kingfi sher
Megaceryle lugubris
LC
2
136
Pied kingfi sher
Ceryle rudis
LC
3
LC least concern, NT near threatened, VU vulnerable, EN , endangered, CR critically endangered, and ? occurrence of
the species is doubtful
(Fig. 18.2 ). Only 7.88 % species including
thousands of geese and ducks (namely, barheaded goose Anser indicus , northern shoveler
Anas clypeata , northern pintail Anas acuta , common teal Anas crecca , common pochard Aythya
ferina and tufted duck Aythya fuligula ) and some
Neoaves (namely, little cormorant Phalacrocorax
niger , great cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo ,
common coot Fulica atra , little pratincole
Glareola lactea and river tern Sterna aurantia )
were abundant. Large fl ocks of wintering barheaded goose are the major attraction for most
ornithologists/birdwatchers (Fig. 18.3a, b ) since
this is one of the most abundant and graceful
species of Pong wetland. However, in recent years,
the population of this species has declined as
compared to the previous years. A rare species
of goose, namely, greater white-fronted goose
Anser albifrons , was also observed (Fig. 18.4 ).
Some species such as common pochard Aythya
ferina (Fig. 18.5 ) and great cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo (Fig. 18.6 ) were seen in
large fl ocks. Slender-billed gull Chroicocephalus
genei is an occasional winter visitor at this wetland. Only a few individuals were seen in different morphs (Fig. 18.7a, b ). This wetland is also
preferred by a number of waders most probably
due to availability of large mud fl ats. About 12
species of both migratory and resident lapwings
and plovers have been reported from the area.
Red-wattled lapwing Vanellus indicus is a common resident, while northern lapwing Vanellus
A. Kumar and R. Paliwal