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A special colony of special birds coming up

Sunny Sebastian

A Blackthroated weaverbird.

JAIPUR: A new species of weaverbird has been spotted for the first time in Rajasthan near the banks of the seasonal river Dhund in Jaipur district. The bird, Blackthroated weaverbird (Ploceus benghalensis), is much like its commonly found cousin, Indian baya (Ploceus philippinus), in ecology but for the habit of building its nest on the clumps of tall grass. Indian baya, on the other hand, weaves its charming dwelling places on the branches of trees.

A colony of Blackthroated weaverbirds was discovered recently along the sandy ravines of the Dhund in Jamwaramgarh tehsil by former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests V.D.Sharma and Devendra Bhardwaj. The colony, still in the process of nest building, stretches over an area of 3 km at a width of 300 metres to 700 metres. Over a 100 nests, being built on Moonj grass (Saccharum bengalense), are at various stages of completion.

The river -- rather an apology for it -- flows only during the monsoon and this time water is flowing only in the form of a narrow strip. Mr.Sharma and his companion, during their several trips to the area, found that the homemaking is not being disturbed by the new surroundings they have chosen. The domestic cattle and the resident goat population are seemingly posing no threat.

"This is the first time Blackthroated weaver birds have been spotted in Rajasthan though Indian bayas are commonly found,'' Mr.Sharma told this Correspondent. There is no mention about sighting the species in Rajasthan in the bird handbook, "The birds of India and Pakistan (Second edition)'' authored by Salim Ali and S.Dillon Ripley.

The authors refer to its endemic presence in Pakistan, North West Frontier Province (Thal), the Gangetic plains, Assam, Manipur, Sind, Kutch and the districts of Deesa, Baroda and Kaira in Gujarat besides at Bhandup near Mumbai. The bird, according to the handbook, breeds in the dunes of Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim (up to 1200 metres). "It is essentially a bird of terai and plains,'' Mr.Sharma observed.

"The nests are typical,'' Mr.Sharma pointed out. "They are built on the upper portion of Moonj grass. The entrance tube of the nest is smaller as compared to the nest of Indian baya,'' he said. The three km stretch of sandy, grassy terrain has agricultural fields as well. Mr.Sharma and his companion could assume that some of the nests already had chicks as the female birds were found carrying feed inside for the young ones. Male baya, a legendary lover who builds his nests to please the female companion(s), has a bright golden yellow crown in the case of Blackthroated species. It has a broad black band across the breast and is whitish rest of the upper part. The flanks have a faint streaking.

The females, difficult to please when it comes to their homes, are brown above with fulvous streaks on their back. They have also a distinct supercilium that is yellow in front and buff behind the eyes. The ear coverts are brown.

The bird's arrival to the sandy plains of Rajasthan to breed is considered to be a welcome development. As for the villagers bayas are always favourites as they symbolize industriousness and unending zeal. The more the merrier.

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