India home to 18% of world’s raptors
India is home to 106 species of raptors, popularly known as ‘birds of prey,’ says a recent publication by the Zoological Survey of India.
The publication reveals that more than 18 per cent of the 572 species of raptors spread all over the world can be found in India alone.
“The presence of raptors in the wild serves as a barometer for ecological health. They play an important ecological role by keeping the balance, especially by controlling the population of rodents and other small mammals,” ZSI director K. Venkataraman told The Hindu
There are primarily two kinds of raptors — diurnal (day flying) and nocturnal (night flying). Out of the 333 species of diurnal birds of prey found in the world, 101 species can be found in the Indo-Malayan region. India’s bio-geographical regions support 69 species of kites, vultures, eagles, harriers, hawks, buzzards and falcons in different habitats.
“Of these 59 per cent are resident; 16 per cent are migratory; five per cent vagrant; and 19 per cent both resident and migratory. In addition, India has 32 species of owls and, being nocturnal, are less studied,” the book Raptors of India said.
Among these raptors, the Indian White-backed Vulture, the Long Billed Vulture, the Slender Billed Vulture, the Red headed Vulture and the Forest Owlet are in the ‘critically endangered’ category, and the Egyptian Vulture and the Saker are in the ‘endangered’ list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) ‘Red List.’
Some of the interesting and lesser-known species of raptors include Andaman Serpent Eagle and Great Nicobar Serpent Eagle which can only be found in the Andaman and the Great Nicobar islands respectively.
Other birds of prey like Amur Falcon, Buffy Fish Owl, Great Spotted Eagle and Chinese Sparrowhawk are also included in the book.
