THE BIRDS OF B A R K U D A ISLAND. 

 By N. Annandale, D.Sc, F.A.S.B. 



In the annotated list of birds that follows I have not attempt- 

 ed to discuss the races to which they lielong, or even to bring 

 their nomenclature " up to date.'' The names given them are those 

 used b}' Blanford and Oates in the Fauna of British India. My 

 purpose has not been taxonomic, and though there maj- be differ- 

 ences of opinion as to the proper names of some of the birds, 

 there can be no doubt as to their specific identity, for all belong 

 to widely distributed and well-known species. 



The island provides comparatively little food for any but 

 indiscriminate feeders and is too far from the regular feeding- 

 grounds of many birds to be utilized by them as a nesting-place. 

 Its freedom from arboreal carnivores, and possibly the scarcity of 

 tree-snakes, however, with its high and spreading trees, renders it 

 an excellent roosting-place and large flocks of crows, mynas, 

 egrets, pigeons and (at certain seasons) cormorants, may be seen 

 every evening wending their way towards it at sunset. 



I have included in my list the names only of those birds seen 

 alighted on the island. There are manj^ other species (land-birds, 

 waders and swimmers) that are common in the surrounding dis- 

 tricts and in other parts of the Chilka Lake and must fly across 

 the island occasionally, for example, to cite species occasionally 

 seen, at least one of swift among the land-birds, the Open-bill and 

 a flamingo among the waders, the Cotton-teal, the Pintail and 

 other ducks among the swimmers. 



Annotated List. 



Corvw: inacrorhvnchns, Wagler and C. splcndens, Vieill. 



Both species of crow are common on Barkuda, where they 

 resemble one another closelj^ in habits. A few reside on the island 

 and even breed there, and the number which do so seems to have 

 increased since I have habitually visited it and lived in the bung- 

 alow. The great majority, however, gain their livelihood on the 

 mainland and fly over at dusk to roost. The crows come from both 

 sides of the lake and some of them must fly six or seven miles every 

 evening. The two species arrive together in flocks. The food of 

 residents is very mixed and is obtained both from land and water. 

 It includes fruit of the Custard-apple (Anoni squamosa) and of the 

 Prickly Pear {Opunlia sp.). The latter they do not attack until 

 it has fallen to the ground. vSnails (Ariophanta infausta and 

 RachiseUiis Praeter missus) are also eaten, as well as an occasional 



