Threatened Birds of Manipur
As per IUCN Red List of threatened species, 2014

R.K. Birjit Singh *

The Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea :: Pix - Wikipedia / Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society Volume 18 (Henrik Grönvold (1858–1940))

The first Red Data book bird was published by the International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP) in 2000 and Threatened Birds of the world by Birdlife International. Birdlife International is the official data and information provider of the states of the avian species to the IUCN. It is the official IUCN Red List Authority for birds and in this capacity coordinates the categorization and documentation of all bird species in the IUCN Red List. The Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) under Bombay Natural History (BNHS) is the official Red List Authority and data provider of the Indian sub-continent to the Birdlife International/ IUCN and in the same line Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), Manipur Chapter is the official Red List Authority and data provider of Manipur state to BNHS.

There are about 10,000 species of birds globally. Out of these 1,313 bird species are threatened with extinction which is 13% of the total global species. In a more simple way one in every hundred bird species of the world is threatened with extinction as per Birdlife International assessment using the criteria of IUCN.

India has a rich avian diversity of 1,314 species which is more or less the same number of globally threatened species in its 2.4% of the world's geographical area and is host to 7% of the global biodiversity. The geographical area of Manipur state is merely 0.67% or less than 1% of the geographical area of the country but supports more than 746 species of birds which is 56.77% of all bird species of India. But this little known state and paradise of the birds and its rolling blue mountain forest ranges home to this beautiful bird species is the most threatened forest of the world as reported by Conservation International.

Abundance of species diversity and population does not immunize a species from extinction as in the case of Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius), the most abundant bird on the surface of the earth was declared extinct in 1914 due to selective hunting. Martha, thought to be the world's last passenger pigeon, died on September 1, 1914, at the Cincinnati Zoo of United States of America.

More alarming and grave situation in Manipur is that most of the child carries a catapult and men carry gun at the hills and Village Protection Force (VDF) personals are appointed on exchange of migratory wild ducks in some areas of the valley. The coming season is the good time for enjoying the meat of the migratory waterbirds wintering in Loktak Lake by the local people in and around the lake. Although the number is drastically reduced and even some of them are included in the "Threatened" category of Red List of IUCN, it is still available in our flooding local wind vendors in and around Moirang, Kumbi etc.

As the AMADA and CADA are in switch off mode, the young minds are determined to enjoy the petty flesh of these migratory and resident birds. It becomes a trademark of "Owners Pride and Neighbours Envy". "Come on Yaar, they have paat uchek and huisa". They are popular as much as that of Chinese "Peking Duck" served at the various restaurants of Sanghai and Beijing. Secretly and silently a number of young customers are flocking around the local wine vendor where roasted Paat Uchek are available. Most of the time these birds are made available only to those recognized and trusted customers.

This is not a mere exaggeration but ground reality. Even some of our Minister and MLA's keep migratory ducks and waterbirds in captivity like keeping chicken in the cage of Python in a zoo.

The forest of the north-eastern region is the lungs of the country the way as Amazon Basin is the green lungs of the earth. At the same time the north eastern region has got higher rate of forest clearing and deforestation than the global average. Manipur tops in deforestation rate in the north-east and on the entire country by clearing 190 sq.km of forest area in a short span of less than two years( 2011-12;FSI) followed by Nagaland. If there is no forest, there will be no bird to sing and if there is no bird and it will be hard for forest to regenerate again and is to be followed by simultaneous flood and drought syndrome.

In view of this pathetic condition and state of environment of Manipur the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) has been conducting survey and research on threatened birds of Manipur for the last seven years in congruent with the Red List of IUCN to evolve a holistic approach for better conservation and awareness of these majestic species of nature before it is too late. The findings of the research work on threatened birds of Manipur have been reproduced here.

No. of Threatened Bird Species of Manipur.

Sl. No	Category	India	Manipur
1.	Critically Endangered (CR)	17	04
2.	Endangered (EN)	18	08
3.	Vulnerable (VU)	54	15
4.	Near Threatened	81	23
5.	Data Deficient (DD)	03	00
	Total	173	50

1. Extinct(EX): Not seen at least for 50 years
2. Extinct in wild (EW): Extinct in the Wild means that these species are known only to survive in human care.
3. Critically Endangered(CR): High risk of extinction
4. Endangered(EN): Likely to be extinct
5. Vulnerable(VU): Risk of extinction
6. Near Threatened(NT): Close to vulnerable
7. Least Concern (LC): Not qualify any of the above
8. Data Deficient (DF): No information available

IUCN Red List of Birds – BirdLife list of Threatened Birds of Manipur(updated by IBCN till 2nd October September ,2014)

Critically Endangered (CR)

1    Pink-headed Duck    Rhodonessa caryophyllacea    CR    
2    Baer's Pochard    Aythya baeri    CR    
3    White-rumped Vulture    Gyps bengalensis    CR    
4    Red-headed Vulture    Sarcogyps calvus    CR    

    Endangered(EN)                 

1    Oriental Stork    Ciconia boyciana    EN    
2    Greater Adjutant    Leptoptilos dubius    EN    
3    White-winged Duck    Cairina scutulata    EN    
4    Manipur Bush-quail    Perdicula manipurensis    EN    
5    Green Peafowl    Pavo muticus    EN    
6    Masked Finfoot    Heliopais personatus    EN    
7    Black-bellied Tern    Sterna acuticauda    EN    
8    Yellow-breasted Bunting    Emberiza aureola    EN    

    Vulnerable(VU)                 

1    Lesser Adjutant    Leptoptilos javanicus    VU    
2    Greater Spotted Eagle    Aquila clanga    VU    
3    Pallas's Fish-eagle    Haliaeetus leucoryphus    VU    
4    Blyth's Tragopan    Tragopan blythii    VU    
5    Sarus Crane    Grus antigone    VU    
6    Hooded Crane    Grus monacha    VU    
7    Wood Snipe    Gallinago nemoricola    VU    
8    Pale-capped Pigeon    Columba punicea    VU    
9    Dark-rumped Swift    Apus acuticauda    VU    
10    Rufous-necked Hornbill    Aceros nipalensis    VU    
11    Great Slaty Woodpecker    Mulleripicus pulverulentus    VU    
12    Grey-sided Thrush    Turdus feae    VU    
13    Slender-billed Babbler    Turdoides longirostris    VU    
14    Tawny-breasted Wren-babbler    Spelaeornis longicaudatus    VU    
15    Beautiful Nuthatch    Sitta formosa    VU    

    Near Threatened(NT)                 

1    Spot-billed Pelican    Pelecanus philippensis    NT    
2    Oriental Darter    Anhinga melanogaster    NT    
3    Painted Stork    Mycteria leucocephala    NT    
4    Black-necked Stork    Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus    NT    
5    Ferruginous Duck    Aythya nyroca    NT    
6    Himalayan Griffon    Gyps himalayensis    NT    Uplisted from LC
7    Pallid Harrier    Circus macrourus    NT    
8    Japanese Quail    Coturnix japonica    NT    
9    Hume's Pheasant    Syrmaticus humiae    NT    
10    River Lapwing    Vanellus duvaucelii    NT    
11    Black-tailed Godwit    Limosa limosa    NT    
12    River Tern    Sterna aurantia    NT    
13    Ashy-headed Green-pigeon    Treron phayrei    NT    Uplisted from LC
14    Grey-headed Parakeet    Psittacula finschii    NT    
15    Blossom-headed Parakeet    Psittacula roseata    NT    
16    Blyth's Kingfisher    Alcedo hercules    NT    
17    Great Pied Hornbill    Buceros bicornis    NT    
18    Yellow-rumped Honeyguide    Indicator xanthonotus    NT    
19    Nilgiri Flycatcher    Eumyias albicaudatus    NT    
20    Giant Babax    Babax waddelli    NT    
21    Chestnut-backed Laughing thrush    Garrulax nuchalis    NT    
22    Long-tailed (Naga) Wren-babbler    Spelaeornis chocolatinus    NT    
23    Rufous-rumped Grassbird    Graminicola bengalensis    NT    

    Data Deficient(DD)                 

    00    00             

                     Summary of number of threatened species as per IUCN categories                 

    CR- Critically Endangered    04        
    EN- Endangered    08        
    VU- Vulnerable    15        
    NT- Near Threatened    23        
    DD- Data Deficient    00        
    Total    50        

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* R.K. Birjit Singh wrote this article for e-pao.net
The Author is State Coordinator , IBCN, Manipur and can be contacted at bsningthemcha(at)gmail(dot)com
This article was posted on October 06, 2014.

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