Photo Credits: SUNDAY. PAGE 3. ANCHOR
Goa is blessed with large stretches of the unique mangrove forests which predominantly dot the Mandovi-Zuari estuarine zones. These dense, almost impenetrable, forests have a unique set of animals living within them. One such unique bird of the mangrove forest is the elusive Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris). Till recently very little was known about this bird, but now through active research it is known that there are 14 sub-species within this species spread throughout south- east Asia. The sub-species found in Goa has a distribution from Ratnagiri till North Karnataka and an isolated population in Kerala, There are speculations that the Collared Kingfisher found in Maharashtra- Goa might be an entirely different sub-species though this has to be verified with advance genetic studies.
The Collared Kingfisher of Goa along with a few other birds which will follow in the coming weeks is almost a celebrity in the birding scene of India. People from all over the country come to Goa to catch a glimpse of this elusive jewel within the mangroves of Zuari River.
This species belongs to the larger tree kingfisher family Halcyonidae. It is bright metallic blue above and white below. They usually prefer small crabs as food but also are known to eat worms, snails, shrimps, frogs, lizards, small fish and sometimes other small birds as well. The bird sits silently for long periods waiting for its prey and when it spots something, it glides down to catch it and then flies back to the perch. Larger prey are usually battered to death against the branch to subdue them before being eaten.
The Collared Kingfisher was first described from Goa in 1993 when a single individual was spotted in Chapora River. Today there are several documented populations of this species distributed across Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Zuari estuary, Dhado wetland and Chapora estuary. The largest population of this species is perhaps in the Zuari estuary- Cumbarjua canal stretch, where almost 15 breeding pairs have been documented by local birding expert Balchandra Kamat.
The breeding patterns of this species in Goa are not very well documented. It is however known that they nest in a hole, either a natural tree hole or a burrow excavated by the birds themselves in a rotten tree, termite mound or earth bank along the river. Both parents have been observed to taking part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.
Even though the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed this species as least concerned with respect to conservation priority, worldwide their population is declining due to destruction of mangroves and pollution at the estuaries. Small populations also live in the risk of acquiring diseases and inbreeding. Various patches of mangroves in Goa are under threat and need to be conserved for the Collared Kingfishers and all the other inhabitants of this unique system
Pics : Omkar Dharwadkar
