Endemics of the Western Ghats - Tropical Birding...South India: Western Ghats Endemics January 12-19, 2019 4) Eravikulam National Park. We spent a morning in this mountainous national

SouthIndia:WesternGhatsEndemics January12-19,2019

TOUR SUMMARY

The riches of the Indian Subcontinent are well known. There is remarkable diversity, from

the deserts of the west, to the Himalayas of the north, to the Nilgiri mountains of the southwest.

The latter was the focus of this short trip that immediately preceded our Sri Lanka set-departure

tour. The Western Ghats are the richest part of India for endemic birds, and this short trip was

focused on seeing as many of these as possible. We were quite successful, locating 33 Indian

endemic birds, most of which are only found in the Western Ghats, and some of which are highly

local even within that zone. This endemic tally neatly matched that of Sri Lanka, where we found

all of the island’s 33 endemic birds. So those who did both trips went home with 66 endemic birds,

a good total for a 3-week trip anywhere in the world.

Beyond the endemic birds, southern India offers the kaleidoscopic cultural riches that are

typical of India: bustling towns, mountainside temples, elaborately decorated trucks, women in

beautiful saris, delicious food, and so on. One thing that is nice about the south, Kerala in

particular, is that while offering a typically rich Indian experience, it is much more organized and

relaxed than other parts of India, which can be intimidating for a first-time visitor. South India also

has stunning scenery. Although the Himalayas spring to mind when you think of towering Indian

SOUTH INDIA Endemics of the Western Ghats

A Tropical Birding Set Departure

January 12-19, 2019

Guides: Ken Behrens and

Keith Barnes

Report and photos by Ken Behrens


mountains, the southern mountains are impressive in their own right, shooting from sea level to

well over 8000 feet (2400m). There are vast tea estates and pockets of shola cloud forest on the

mountains, lush lowland rainforests in the western lowlands, and savannah-like dry forests in the

rain shadow to the north and east of the mountains.

South India is unheralded as a mammal-watching destination, but is also excellent on that

score. Although our itinerary didn’t particularly focus on mammals, we recorded 22 species. These

included two sightings of Asian Wild Dog, a frustrating Sloth Bear that unfortunately disappeared

before we could see it well, Blackbuck, and the endangered endemic Nilgiri Tahr. In combination

with the Sri Lanka trip, we saw an impressive 37 species of mammals.

The mammalian highlight was two lengthy Dhole sightings in Mudulmalai National Park.

This trip can be taken as a stand-alone trip or as a pre-tour extension along with the Sri

Lanka set-departure tour. It has broad appeal, and should be enjoyable for a keen birder in search

of endemics, to a general naturalist with an interest in mammals, or to a travelling birder looking

for an easy introduction to the birds of the subcontinent.


TOP 5 TOUR SIGHTINGS / EXPERIENCES Chosen by Ken Behrens

1) Asian Wild Dog (Dhole). This good-looking canine is widespread in Asia, but is not

particularly common or easy-to-see anywhere. So we counted ourselves very lucky when we

found a whole pack of dogs headed to their sleeping area late one afternoon. We were able to

watch them for almost an hour using the scope, observing them settling in as it became dark. At

that point, Dhole was already firmly the #1 sighting of the trip. Things became ridiculous when we

stumbled onto a different pack of dogs in the national park the next morning. This sighting wasn’t

as long, but was at close range – they crossed right in front of our van!


2) Woodpeckers. Few places on Earth have as

many cool woodpeckers as southern India.

Woodpeckers are always crowd favorites on tour,

so seeing 11 species in just 8 days was a treat. We

saw four species of flameback, all of which are

spectacular, including the scarce Common

Flameback and the “Malabar” Greater Flameback

which is a likely future split. White-bellied

Woodpecker was much desired by one participant,

and after a lot of searching, we eventually had

multiple excellent views of this huge woodpecker,

which is one of the largest species on Earth. On

the other end of the size spectrum, we found the

diminutive Brown-capped Wodpecker and the small and odd Heart-spotted Woodpecker, which

seems almost more like an aberrant nuthatch than a normal woodpecker.

Common Flameback

Black-rumped Flameback White-bellied Woodpecker


3) Indian Food. In my book, Indian food is the best on Earth, and south India has the best food of

any portion of the country. We ate like maharajas throughout this tour. There weren’t any bad

meals, in any of our comfortable lodges, whether simple camps or opulent Hill Station resorts.

One south Indian specialty and group favorite was dosa, a delicious crispy fried rice flour bread,

served with coconut chutney and potato curry (photo below). Another highlight was the

spectacular array of pickles at our Mudulmalai camp. The best of the bunch was a delicately

spiced bamboo shoot pickle that was tasty enough to eat on its own! Keith and Ken are both

passionate about cooking and eating, and greatly enjoyed analyzing our tasty meals and

planning future cooking projects of our own. By the end of the trip, the participants were

suggesting that we start a birds-and-cuisine travelling cooking show!


4) Eravikulam National Park. We spent a

morning in this mountainous national park

near the Hill Station town of Munnar. The

weather was perfect, and there were few

visitors, both excellent luck, as this place can

be cold and rainy and crowded with visitors,

sometimes on the same day! Once we had

taken the national park bus to the top parking

area, things started with a bang at the

informal feeding station behind the teashop.

There we spotted Painted Bush-Quail, Palani

Laughingthrush, White-bellied Sholakili, and

best of all a Nilgiri Thrush, one of the rarest of

the Western Ghats endemics. Striking into

the grasslands on top of the mountain, we

quickly spotted many Nilgiri Tahr (photo below), an endemic, endangered, and quite handsome

member of the goat family. Our second grassland target was the Nilgiri Pipit, and it proved

much more elusive. Eventually Keith spotted one right next to the path, and we enjoyed views

at just over arm’s length, making the passing tourists wonder what on earth we were looking at!

With the targets all found, we

were able to enjoy sweeping

views of tea estates, shola forest,

and seemingly endless hazy hills.

The morning ended in a patch of

forest near the headquarters

with an incredibly

accommodating flock that

contained Indian Yellow Tit and

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.


5) Nightjars. During this short,

sweet tour, we had point-blank

views of four species of nightjars,

and heard a fifth. These are

always wonderful birds to see,

with the mystique that all

nocturnal creatures posess, plus

a hefty dose of almost reptilian

weirdness!

Indian (top), Jerdon’s (middle),

and Savanna (bottom) Nightjars.


ITINERARY January 12-13 Thattekdad / Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary January 14 Thattekad to Munnar January 15 Munnar January 16 Munnar to Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary to Ooty January 17 Ooty to Mudumalai National Park January 18 Mudumalai National Park January 19 Mudumalai to Coimbatore. Flight to Colombo, Sri Lanka

A typical tea estate and shola forest landscape in the mountains of the Western Ghats.


PHOTO GALLERY Follows trip chronology

We started the trip at Thattekad, where the rich lowland forest supports a bounty of endemic birds.

These endemics include the likes of Gray-fronted Green-Pigeon (left) and White-cheeked Barbet (right).


Big, bold, noisy flocking species of Thattekad: Rufous Treepie (left) and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (right).


Two flycatchers, which rub shoulders in south India in the winter: the endemic White-bellied Blue Flycatcher

(left) and the long-distance migrant Asian Brown Flycatcher (right).

We had “walk-away” views of a Black-backed Dwarf Kingfisher.


We “cheated” and saw our Sri Lanka Frogmouth before arriving in its namesake country!


The skies were full of swifts our first morning, including Himalayan Swiftlet (left)

and White-rumped Spinetail (right).

The Drongo-Cuckoos in south India are supposed to be Square-tailed,

though this one certainly had a strongly forked tail!


Malabar Trogon (left) and “Malabar” Greater Flameback (right).

Crested Serpent-Eagle is a striking raptor in flight.


Gray Junglefowl (left) is perhaps the best-looking “chicken” in the world. Little Spiderhunter (right) is scarce.

The “Tiger-faced” subspecies of Orange-headed Thrush is always a treat to see.


River Tern is fairly common on the river that forms the southern boundary of Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary.

We had exceptionally good perched views of the Vernal Hanging Parrot, which is usually seen in flight.


Striking for the mountains, we saw the distinctively-shaped Black Eagle along the way.

On our first afternoon in Munnar, we had Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher (left) and Nilgiri Flycatcher (right).


A couple birds from our excellent morning in Eravikulam NP: Indian Blackbird (left) and Hill Swallow (right).

We had superb views of a small covey of Painted Bush-Quail.


The highly localized endemic Nilgiri Pipit (left) and more widespread Indian Giant Squirrel (right).

Nilgiri Thrush was perhaps the rarest of the 30+ endemics that we saw on this tour.


Nilgiri Langur is a striking beast that is endemic to the Western Ghats.


The Malabar Whistling-Thrush may be the world’s best-looking whistling-thrush.


Bonnet Macaque has a funky hairdo, a dour face, and is quite common in southern India.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, on the border between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is an expansive and wild place.


One of the avian features of the mountains is multiple endemic laughingthrushes. We saw two of them: Palani

(above) and Nilgiri (below)Laughinthrushes. The former was in Munnar, and the latter in Ooty.


The Blue-capped Rock-Thrush winters in small numbers in the Western Ghats.

Nilgiri Sholakili can be very elusive, but we had wonderful views near Ooty, in the northern mountains.


The dry woodland and grassland of Mudulmalai were a major change of scene after the moist mountains.

The woodpecker sightings continued with the likes of this White-naped Woodpecker.

Mudulmalai is shrike paradise. Shown here are Long-tailed (left) and Bay-backed (right) shrikes.


Streak-throated Woodpecker… yet another cool woodpecker.

Indian Pitta (left) and Spotted Owlet (right).


Mudulmalai starlings: Rosy (above), Chestnut-tailed (below left), and Brahminy (below right).


Mudulmalai is raptor paradise. Red-headed Vulture (left) and Indian Spotted Eagle (right).

Malabar Parakeet is found in both wet and dry lowland forest in the Western Ghats.


South-western Langur, one of three langur species seen on this trip.


BIRD LIST Taxonomy and nomenclature follow The eBird-Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World v2018 (including updates through August 2018).

ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae Lesser Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna javanica

GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus E Red Spurfowl Galloperdix spadicea Jungle Bush-Quail Perdicula asiatica E Painted Bush-Quail Perdicula erythrorhyncha Gray Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus E Gray Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii

PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis

COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae Rock Pigeon Columba livia

E / Vu Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon Columba elphinstonii Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis E Gray-fronted Green-Pigeon Treron affinis Yellow-footed Pigeon Treron phoenicopterus Green Imperial-Pigeon Ducula aenea

CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo Surniculus dicruroides Common Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx varius Indian Cuckoo Cuculus micropterus H

CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Podargidae SSE Sri Lanka Frogmouth Batrachostomus moniliger

CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Caprimulgidae Great Eared-Nightjar Lyncornis macrotis H

SSE Jungle Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus SSE Jerdon's Nightjar Caprimulgus atripennis

Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus Savanna Nightjar Caprimulgus affinis

CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Apodidae


White-rumped Needletail Zoonavena sylvatica Brown-backed Needletail Hirundapus giganteus

SSE Indian Swiftlet Aerodramus unicolor Blyth's Swift Apus leuconyx Little Swift Apus affinis Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis

CAPRIMULGIFORMES: Hemiprocnidae Crested Treeswift Hemiprocne coronata

GRUIFORMES: Rallidae White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae Yellow-wattled Lapwing Vanellus malabaricus Red-wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Jacanidae Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidius indicus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Turnicidae Barred Buttonquail Turnix suscitator Small Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus

CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida

Nt River Tern Sterna aurantia

CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus Black Stork Ciconia nigra

SULIFORMES: Anhingidae Nt Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster G

SULIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae Little Cormorant Microcarbo niger Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo G Indian Cormorant Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

PELECANIFORMES: Pelecanidae Nt Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis

PELECANIFORMES: Ardeidae Purple Heron Ardea purpurea Great Egret Ardea alba Intermediate Egret Ardea intermedia Little Egret Egretta garzetta Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii


Striated Heron Butorides striata Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

ACCIPITRIFORMES: Accipitridae Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes

CE Red-headed Vulture Sarcogyps calvus CE White-rumped Vulture Gyps bengalensis Crested Serpent-Eagle Spilornis cheela Crested Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus cirrhatus

SSE Legge's Hawk-Eagle Nisaetus kelaarti Rufous-bellied Eagle Lophotriorchis kienerii Black Eagle Ictinaetus malaiensis Indian Spotted Eagle Clanga hastata Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

Nt Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus Crested Goshawk Accipiter trivirgatus Shikra Accipiter badius Black Kite Milvus migrans Brahminy Kite Haliastur indus

STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae Indian Scops-Owl Otus bakkamoena Oriental Scops-Owl Otus sunia H

Essp Jungle Owlet Glaucidium radiatum Spotted Owlet Athene brama Brown Boobook Ninox scutulata H

TROGONIFORMES: Trogonidae SSE Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus

BUCEROTIFORMES: Upupidae Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops

BUCEROTIFORMES: Bucerotidae Nt Great Hornbill Buceros bicornis E Malabar Gray Hornbill Ocyceros griseus

SSE / Nt Malabar Pied-Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus

CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Black-backed Dwarf-Kingfisher Ceyx erithaca Stork-billed Kingfisher Pelargopsis capensis White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae Green Bee-eater Merops orientalis


Blue-tailed Bee-eater Merops philippinus Chestnut-headed Bee-eater Merops leschenaulti

CORACIIFORMES: Coraciidae Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis

PICIFORMES: Megalaimidae E Malabar Barbet Psilopogon malabaricus Coppersmith Barbet Psilopogon haemacephalus Brown-headed Barbet Psilopogon zeylanicus E White-cheeked Barbet Psilopogon viridis

PICIFORMES: Picidae Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente Brown-capped Woodpecker Yungipicus nanus Yellow-crowned Woodpecker Leiopicus mahrattensis

Essp Greater Flameback Chrysocolaptes guttacristatus White-naped Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes festivus Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus

Essp Common Flameback Dinopium javanense Black-rumped Flameback Dinopium benghalense Lesser Yellownape Picus chlorolophus Streak-throated Woodpecker Picus xanthopygaeus White-bellied Woodpecker Dryocopus javensis

FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus

PSITTACIFORMES: Psittaculidae Plum-headed Parakeet Psittacula cyanocephala E Malabar Parakeet Psittacula columboides Vernal Hanging-Parrot Loriculus vernalis

PASSERIFORMES: Pittidae Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura

PASSERIFORMES: Vangidae E Malabar Woodshrike Tephrodornis sylvicola Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike Hemipus picatus

PASSERIFORMES: Artamidae Ashy Woodswallow Artamus fuscus

PASSERIFORMES: Aegithinidae Common Iora Aegithina tiphia

PASSERIFORMES: Campephagidae White-bellied Minivet Pericrocotus erythropygius


Small Minivet Pericrocotus cinnamomeus SSE Orange Minivet Pericrocotus flammeus

Large Cuckooshrike Coracina macei H Black-headed Cuckooshrike Lalage melanoptera

PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus Bay-backed Shrike Lanius vittatus Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

PASSERIFORMES: Oriolidae Indian Golden Oriole Oriolus kundoo Black-naped Oriole Oriolus chinensis Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus

PASSERIFORMES: Dicruridae Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus

PASSERIFORMES: Rhipiduridae E Spot-breasted Fantail Rhipidura albogularis White-browed Fantail Rhipidura aureola

PASSERIFORMES: Monarchidae Black-naped Monarch Hypothymis azurea Indian Paradise-Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi

PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae Rufous Treepie Dendrocitta vagabunda E White-bellied Treepie Dendrocitta leucogastra House Crow Corvus splendens Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos

PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae SSE Jerdon's Bushlark Mirafra affinis E Malabar Lark Galerida malabarica

PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae Dusky Crag-Martin Ptyonoprogne concolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

SSE Hill Swallow Hirundo domicola Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica

PASSERIFORMES: Stenostiridae Essp Gray-headed Canary-Flycatcher Culicicapa ceylonensis

PASSERIFORMES: Paridae


Cinereous Tit Parus cinereus E Indian Yellow Tit Machlolophus aplonotus

PASSERIFORMES: Sittidae Indian Nuthatch Sitta castanea Velvet-fronted Nuthatch Sitta frontalis

PASSERIFORMES: Pycnonotidae E / Nt Gray-headed Bulbul Brachypodius priocephalus

E Flame-throated Bulbul Rubigula gularis Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer Red-whiskered Bulbul Pycnonotus jocosus

SSE White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus SSE Yellow-browed Bulbul Iole indica SSE Square-tailed Bulbul Hypsipetes ganeesa

PASSERIFORMES: Phylloscopidae E / Nt Tytler's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus tytleri

Tickell's Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus affinis Green Warbler Phylloscopus nitidus Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides Large-billed Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus magnirostris

PASSERIFORMES: Acrocephalidae Thick-billed Warbler Arundinax aedon Booted Warbler Iduna caligata Sykes's Warbler Iduna rama Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus G

PASSERIFORMES: Cisticolidae Common Tailorbird Orthotomus sutorius Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica Plain Prinia Prinia inornata

PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae Hume's Whitethroat Sylvia althaea Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

PASSERIFORMES: Paradoxornithidae Yellow-eyed Babbler Chrysomma sinense

PASSERIFORMES: Zosteropidae Oriental White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus

PASSERIFORMES: Timaliidae SSE Dark-fronted Babbler Rhopocichla atriceps HE Indian Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus horsfieldii


PASSERIFORMES: Pellorneidae Puff-throated Babbler Pellorneum ruficeps H

PASSERIFORMES: Leiothrichidae Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala E Rufous Babbler Turdoides subrufa Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata

SSE Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis E / En Nilgiri Laughingthrush Montecincla cachinnans E / Nt Palani Laughingthrush Montecincla fairbanki

PASSERIFORMES: Irenidae Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella

PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa dauurica Brown-breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui Indian Robin Copsychus fulicatus Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychus saularis

E / En Nilgiri Sholakili Sholicola major E / En White-bellied Sholakili Sholicola albiventris

E White-bellied Blue Flycatcher Cyornis pallidipes Blue-throated (Blue) Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides Tickell's Blue Flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae E Nilgiri Flycatcher Eumyias albicaudatus Verditer Flycatcher Eumyias thalassinus E Malabar Whistling-Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii E Black-and-orange Flycatcher Ficedula nigrorufa Blue-capped Rock-Thrush Monticola cinclorhyncha Blue Rock-Thrush Monticola solitarius Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata

PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae E Nilgiri Thrush Zoothera neilgherriensis Orange-headed Thrush Geokichla citrina Pied Thrush Geokichla wardii

SSE Indian Blackbird Turdus simillimus

PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae SSE Southern Hill Myna Gracula indica

Rosy Starling Pastor roseus Brahminy Starling Sturnia pagodarum Chestnut-tailed Starling Sturnia malabarica E Malabar Starling Sturnia blythii Common Myna Acridotheres tristis Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus


PASSERIFORMES: Chloropseidae SSE Jerdon's Leafbird Chloropsis jerdoni

Golden-fronted Leafbird Chloropsis aurifrons

PASSERIFORMES: Dicaeidae Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile Pale-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum erythrorhynchos E Nilgiri Flowerpecker Dicaeum concolor

PASSERIFORMES: Nectariniidae SSE Purple-rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica E Crimson-backed Sunbird Leptocoma minima Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus

SSE Long-billed (Loten's) Sunbird Cinnyris lotenius Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra

PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae Forest Wagtail Dendronanthus indicus NL Gray Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Western Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava White-browed Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Paddyfield Pipit Anthus rufulus

E / Vu Nilgiri Pipit Anthus nilghiriensis Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis

PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus

PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae House Sparrow Passer domesticus Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Gymnornis xanthocollis

PASSERIFORMES: Estrildidae Indian Silverbill Euodice malabarica

Bold/E=Endemic G=Guide-onlyEssp=EndemicSubspecies H=Heard-onlySSE=EndemictosouthernIndiansubcontinent NL=notseenbyguide


MAMMAL LIST

Taxonomy and nomenclature follow Indian Mammals by Vivek Menon (2014).

Asian Elephant Elephas maximus indicus E Bonnet Macaque Macaca radiata E South-western Langur Semnopithecus hypoleucos

SSE South-eastern Langur Semnopithecus priam E Nilgiri Langur Trachypithecus johnii Indian Hare Lepus nigricollis Common Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum

E / Vu Nilgiri Striped Squirrel Funambulus sublineatus E Western Ghats Striped Squirrel Funambulus tristriatus E Indian Giant Squirrel Ratufa indica E Indian Gray Mongoose Herpestes edwardsii

SSE Stripe-necked Mongoose Herpestes vitticollis Asian Wild Dog / Dhole Cuon alpinus Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus G Wild Boar Sus scrofa Chital Axis axis Northern Red (Indian) Muntjac Muntiacus vaginalis Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra Sambar Rusa unicolor Gaur Bos gaurus

E / En Nilgiri Tahr Nilgiritragus hylocrius Indian Flying Fox Pteropus giganteus

Bold/E=Endemic G=Guide-only

SSE=EndemictosouthernIndiansubcontinent


REPTILE LIST

AGAMID LIZARDS IGUANIDAE Green Garden Lizard Calotes calotes AGAMID LIZARDS AGAMIDAE E Southern Flying Lizard Draco dussumieri Common Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor SKINKS SCINCIDAE Common Skink Mabuya Carinata lankae COLUBRID SNAKES COLUBRIDAE Indian Rat Snake Ptyas mucosa CHAMELEONS CHAMAELEONIDAE Indian Chameleon Chamaeleo zeylanicus

Bold/E=Endemic

Flame-throated Bulbul, a very handsome Western Ghats endemic.

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Endemics of the Western Ghats - Tropical Birding...South India: Western Ghats Endemics January 12-19, 2019 4) Eravikulam National Park. We spent a morning in this mountainous national