Guwahati : The shy Manipur Bush-Quail (Perdicula manipurensis) has been rediscovered in the Manas national park in Assam 75 years after it was last sighted in the world and after 99 years in Assam.

Ornithologist and Deputy Commissioner of Baksa, Anwaruddin Choudhury, spotted this rare bird during an inspection work of the Embankment and Drainage Department with Deputy Director of the national park, Ritesh Bhattacharjee, on June 6.

" One bird was seen twice at about 2.30 pm on the track that was covered with grassin the Panbari range of the park. I noticed the grey back which is [a] distinctive [feature] of this bird and finally confirmed that it was Manipur Bush-quail," Mr. Choudhury told The Hindu.

The authentic record of the last sighting of the bird in Assam was from Mornoi in Kokrajhar district from where birds were obtained for the British Museum, the American Museum of Natural History and the Bombay Natural History Society in 1905-07.

Survey to be conducted

"The rediscovery of the Manipur Bush Quail is a dream of any ornithologist," he added. Mr. Choudhury, however, was not successful in taking a photograph of the bird as it flew away when he tried to use the flash in the camera. "It is very difficult to photograph the bird as it hides in the grass," he said.

Intensive survey

He said an intensivesurvey would be done next winter in the Panbari rangeas there could be more sightings.

The bird generally comes out in the early morning and late afternoon for feeding, especially if there is a patch of burnt grassland.

Its food includes grass seeds, ants and wild lentils.The bird is a "restricted-range" species as its global range is confined to a small area comprising North Bengal, Assam, Manipur and Bangladesh.

The bird lost its habitat due to encroachment of land for agriculture and human habitation in the grasslands, overgrazing by domestic stock and hunting, including live capture for food, he added.

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