Roopak Goswami
Shillong, Dec 22: On a bright spring morning, April 21, 2024, three bird enthusiasts— Jyotirmay Baishya, Manas Kumar Kalita and Rocky Ranjan Srivastava—embarked on a journey through the scenic Mawkdok Dympep Valley on their way to Sohra, better known as Cherrapunji. Little did they know their trip would mark a significant rediscovery in Meghalaya’s birding records.
At around 11 a.m., the group reached Khatarshnong Laitkroh, perched at 1,780 meters above sea level, where a lively flock of small birds caught their attention. Amidst the flurry of wings and chirps, they spotted and photographed a group of ten Black-throated Parrotbills (Suthora nipalensis), a species they instantly recognized due to its distinctive appearance. These tiny, restless birds were feeding on bamboo seeds and seeding bushes alongside Green-tailed Sunbirds (Aethopyga nipalensis) and Whiskered Yuhinas (Yuhina flavicollis) in the subtropical broadleaf forest.
The observation lasted only five minutes before the flock disappeared downhill, but it was enough to confirm their identity. The birds displayed the characteristic grey cheeks and breast of the poliotis subspecies, endemic to much of Northeast India, excluding Mizoram and southern Manipur.
“It was spotted and photographed after a long time,” Jyotirmay Baishya said. The observation has been reported in the Indian Bird’s Journal.
“Ebird is a citizen-based scientific bird monitoring platform, which stated that ours is the first record. However, there are some historical records from Khasi hills as we have gone through old literature and journals” he said.
“We went there for bird watching and got this rare sighting ” he added.
A Historical Context
The sighting was remarkable not just for the moment’s thrill but also for its historical significance. Although this species had been documented in Meghalaya in the past, modern records were conspicuously absent. The type locality for the poliotis subspecies, as described by Edward Blyth in 1851, is Cherrapunji in the Khasi Hills. Once known as the “Grey-breasted Parrotbill,” ornithologists like Stuart Baker later listed it in checklists and collected by pioneers such as Walter Koelz in the mid-20th century.
However, recent decades have seen no documented sightings of the Black-throated Parrotbill in Meghalaya, either in eBird or other accessible databases. This absence likely reflects the impact of habitat destruction and hunting, coupled with limited ornithological surveys in the region.
“The lack of recent sightings of this species in Meghalaya is probably due to habitat destruction and hunting. However, with increased birdwatching and conservation awareness in the region, there is hope that species known to occur but lacking recent records will continue to be discovered, thereby offering hope for their recovery. This region has faced substantial habitat destruction from agriculture, mining, and timber extraction. This highlights the critical need for intensified conservation efforts to preserve the region’s rich biodiversity” the authors state in the journal.
“We are sure that Meghalaya still has lots of places that need conservation and protection of biodiversity. As well as protecting habitats for the avian fauna” Jyotirmay added.
