List of Ten Critically Endangered Species of Birds in India
Ten species of birds seen in India have been tagged critically endangered by the International Union for Conversation of Nature (IUCN) for 2015. The list of endangered birds includes Great Siberian Crane, Indian Bustard, White backed Vulture and Red-headed Vulture, Forest Owlet, Spoon Billed Sandpiper,White Bellied Heron etc. The main reasons behind the decline in the population of these birds include loss, modification, fragmentation and degradation of habitat, environmental contaminants, poaching and land use changes.
1. Great Indian Bustard
The Great Indian Bustard is a most endangered species of bird found only in India and adjoining region. Bustard is one of the largest flying species of bird with weight up to 15 kg and about 1 m tall from the ground. The largest land bird habitat in the scrub, tall grass, semi-arid grasslands and semi desert regions of Rajasthan. Due to heavily hunting and habitat loss, the bird is disappearing from the many regions of India. It’s state bird of Rajasthan. There is a wildlife sanctuary called Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary at Solapur, Maharashtra.
2. Red Headed Vulture-
The Red-headed Vulture is also known as Indian Black Vulture or King Vulture is one of the species of Old World vultures found in the Indian Subcontinent. Due to the use of Diclofenac in veterinary medicine population of this species declined drastically in recent years. Indian Vulture,Slender-billed Vulture and White rumped Vulture are the few more species of vultures found in India and falls in the category of critically endangered species of birds.
3. Forest Owlet
Forest Owlet is the highly endangered species of the typical owls family and endemic to forests of central India. Small Forest Owlet was considered extinct but later rediscovered and small number population make this species critically endangered in India. Melghat Tiger Reserve, Taloda Forest Range and forest area of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are best place to found this small jungle owl. Forest Owlet is the state bird of Maharashtra.
Image source: www.kolkatabirds.com
4. Spoon Billed Sandpiper
Spoon Billed Sandpiper is the world’s most threatened bird species and fall in the category of critically endangered in India too. Extremely small population, habitat loss and loss of breeding grounds takes spoon-billed sandpiper chicks on the verge of extinction. Main grounds in India are Sundervan delta and neighbouring countries.
5. Jerdon’s Courser-
The nocturnal bird,Jerdon’s Courser is most threatened and enigmatic birds of India, Specially endemic to southern Andhra Pradesh. Jerdon’s Courser is listed as critically endangered bird. It was about to be declared as extinct but again appeared but remains critically endangered due to habitat loss. This bird usually found in Godaveri river valley,Sri Lankamalleshwara Sanctuary and in the Eastern Ghats forest range.
6. Bengal Florican
The Bengal Florican is the rare species of bustard family and native to Indian Subcontinent only. Bengal Florican is one of the most threatened species and almost extinct at other place of world, less than 1,000 only young Bengal Floricans are disturbed in the Indian Subcontinent. It’s the world’s rarest bustard but Poaching and land conversion for agriculture took its habitat and tagged it as endangered species.
7. White Bellied Heron
The Great White-bellied Heron also known as Imperial Heron is a large heron found in the foothills of Great Himalaya to the eastern Himalayas ranges. The tall dark and grey heron is large species with longest neck and no black stripes on the neck. Disappearance of wetlands,poaching and and habitat destruction are the major concern for heron.
8. Himalayan Quail
The amazing and beautiful Himalayan quail belongs to pheasant family and located only at western Himalayas of Uttarakhand and north-west region of India. Himalayan Quail is one of very critically endangered species of Indian birds. Destruction of habitat put it on the verge of extinction. The built of Quail is medium-sized and flies to the close area only.
9. Sociable Lapwing
Sociable Lapwing is a migratory bird from open grassland of Kazakhstan and found only in the north-west region of India. The medium sized lapwing is very attractive with longish black legs,dark belly and a short black bill. Habitat destruction is the main reason of for this species to put in the list of endangered birds.
10. Siberian Crane
The stunning Siberian White Cranes are migratory birds and visit India during the winters season. Beautiful Siberian Cranes are among one of the most endangered species of birds in the world. In the last few years population of the migratory Siberian cranes have decreased slightly and fall under the threat of extinction.
Image source: siberiantimes.com
