Raptors of IISER-Tirupati
Raptor - “bird of prey,” the word Raptor originated from the Latin word “rapere” – to snatch, grab, take away`. From big eagles to small urban raptors like Shikra, pounding, grabbing and snatching are very common actions. It’s a delight watching any raptor in action.
Since 2017, IISER bird watching club has recorded more than 200 species of birds in and around the campus. Diverse habitats around the campus attract different raptors, and these sightings keep the bird watchers on their toes.
2019-20 is an exciting year for the birdwatching club at IISER. Some interesting raptors have been recorded around the campus, taking the total count of raptor species around the campus to 20. Out of the approximate 69 diurnal raptors found in India, 30% (20 species) are recorded in and around IISER Tirupati alone.
Here are the diurnal raptors recorded from IISER Tirupati campus,
Accipiters & Harriers: Shikra, Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier
Accipiters are small raptors in the size of hawks. Shikras, are found in dense urban areas and also distributed in forested habitats. Harriers can be termed as diurnal hawks that prefer open habitats including grasslands and marshlands.
Buzzards & Kestrels: White-eyed Buzzard, Oriental-honey Buzzard, Common Kestrel
Buzzards are medium-sized raptors and can be found in open habitats like grasslands and scrub jungles. However, Oriental honey buzzards are an exception; they are widely spread in all habitats, opportunistically raiding beehives (https://youtu.be/iMcLk04Q0w0).
Kites: Brahminy Kite, Black-winged Kite, Black Kite
Kites are the widely spread birds of prey and found almost everywhere across the country. From heavily populated urban areas like Delhi to rural areas in Rajasthan, kites can be found around garbage dumps, canals and cultivation plots. Brahminy Kite is termed as Garuda, the vahana of lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology, and very familiar to residents and visitors in Tirupati.
Eagles: Changeable Hawk-eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Booted Eagle, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Indian Spotted Eagle, Black Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle
From Aquila eagles (old world eagles) to snake eagles, a total of nine eagle species are recorded around IISER Campus. The forested cliffs, lakes, agricultural plots, and scrublands around the campus attract a variety of eagles. This year, White-bellied Sea Eagle, widely distributed in coasts and inland waterways of the country surprised our birdwatching club with regular visits to the lake next to the IISER campus.
Like the Changeable-hawk eagle and Bonelli’s eagle, the Black Eagle, a forest raptor peeks out occasionally from the ridgeline of Seshachalam hills just opposite to IISER Campus. The Indian & Greater spotted eagles, and the booted eagle scan for rodents, frogs, and other small prey, mainly around the edge of the forest at foothills and cultivation lands behind the campus. The Short-toed snake eagle is a regular in scrubland and dried marshland, keeping a check on the serpents in the IISER vicinity.
Falcons: Red-necked Falcon, Peregrine Falcon
Falcons and Kestrels fall under the same group of birds of prey. Kestrels are smaller and widely found in open habitats like grasslands. Falcons are slightly larger birds of prey, and unlike other raptors that rely on strength and stealth to bring down their prey, falcons rely on speed and maneuverability. Peregrine falcon, the fasted in the animal kingdom, can reach up to 290 Km/h when bringing down their prey (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovocT91G1ww).
The birding club at IISER-Tirupati strongly believes that the habitat in and around the IISER campus holds more surprises. With some unconfirmed sightings, Crested Goshawk a forest raptor, is playing hide and seek with our birdwatchers. Also, except barn owl, no other large owls are recorded from the campus. I hope to share more news on some nocturnal birds soon…..
Till then… Happy birding!
A collage of raptor images recorded from IISER-Tirupati can be downloaded here
Image contributors: Harsha Kumar, Senan, Vinay KL & Raja Bandi