The bird paper, 'The Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio porphyrio, in the Eastern 
Mediterranean', describes the decrease in its Mediterranean population since 
the last century. The Go'ksu Delta is important as the only known breeding 
location of the subspecies seistanicus in the Mediterranean. The authors put 
the G<!)ksu population at less than 30 pairs and disagree with a recent 
suggestion of 'possibly several hundred pairs' in the delta. It is clear, whatever 
the number, that the area is vitally important for the maintenance of the genetic 
diversity of the species as well as its survival in Turkey. 
Simon Albrecht 
Asian Waterfowl Census 1989. Compiled by Derek A Scott and Paul M 
Rose. International Waterfov^I and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) 
1989. No price given. 
This booklet presents data for a series of midwinter waterfowl counts in 
southern and eastern Asia during January 1989 for 20 countries. Of these, four 
- Bahrain, Iran, Oman and Pakistan - lie within the OSME region, and I shall 
restrict my attention to these. Following the introductory background and 
remarks on variations in coverage, data appear as tables, with complimentary 
text discussing features of national counts during 1989. 
The following records are particularly noteworthy: in Iran, a disappointing 
total of 35 Lesser White-fronted Geese Anser erythropus in the southeast sector 
of the Caspian shoreline; 11,300 Marbled Teal Marrmronetta angustirostris, 
mostly at Shadegan Marshes in Khuzestan (an encouraging total); and seven 
Siberian Cranes Grus leucogeranus, which appear in the summary table for 
southwest Asicin countries but, amazingly, are not mentioned elsewhere. Of 
interest in Oman were five Bewick's Swans Cygnus columbianus, 37 Indian 
Cotton Teal Nettapus corormndelianus, 27 Pheasant-tailed Jacanas Hydrophasianus 
chirurgus and 11 Pintail Snipe Gallinago stenura. The most significant record 
from Oman, however, is the discovery of hitherto unknown populations of 1 19 
Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris at Barr Al Hikman.Taken together with the 
increasingly regular observations of this species in Pakistan (20 birds in 1989), 
it may be suggested that this species should be watched for along any northeast 
Indian Ocean shoreline. 
Elsewhere, 23 Dotterel Charadrius morinellus wintering in Bahrain were of 
interest, while the observation of a mere single Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes 
minimus in southwest Asia perhaps illustrates how the census methods 
employed are unsuitable for some species and provides a reminder of how 
little-known the wintering distribution of this species remains. 
Counts indicate a frightening future for White-headed Duck Oxywra leucocephala: 
for the first time, none was recorded from the usual wintering area in the 
southeast Caspian and central Pars (Iran); in Pakistan, their numbers were the 
lowest for many years, showing a near 82% decline from 733 in 1987 to 187 only 
two years later. 
37 
