Hindu jack
| Hindu jack | ||||||||||
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Hindu roller ( Coracias benghalensis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Coracias benghalensis | ||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The Hindu sack ( Coracias benghalensis ) is a very widespread and common type of sack in South and Southeast Asia. It is closely related to the European roller ( Coracias garrulus ), the easternmost populations of which touch the breeding area of the Hindu roller when passing through. Like all rocket birds, the Hinduracke is also a hide hunter, who feeds primarily on larger insects. Most populations of this species seem to be more or less sedentary, but the migration behavior of Hindu racks has not yet been adequately researched. It breeds in natural caves and semi-caves, and occasionally also in abandoned woodpecker caves. A distinction is made between two subspecies, none of which is currently endangered according to the IUCN.
features
The Hinduracke is a somewhat plump-looking, large-headed, short-nosed and short-footed, colorful bird with a maximum body size of 34 centimeters and a weight of about 170 grams. It is about the size of a jay , to which it is habitually , but not similar in color.
Hindu racks are colored very conspicuously. In addition to the greenish-brown color of the back, different, often shiny metallic and iridescent shades of blue predominate .
In the nominate form, the back is tinted green, dark sand, the neck is more reddish-brown. The cheeks, throat and chest are clearly white-stripes lengthways on a purple background. The vertex is bright blue with a metallic sheen, and a narrow white field lies above the base of the beak. Belly and rump are washed out light blue. The medium-length tail is cut straight and is finished off by a slender, deep ultramarine blue ribbon. The middle part of the tail is greenish-blue, the basal part is deep azure. The outer control feathers are light blue, the middle greenish blue. The arm covers are deep ultramarine blue, the hand covers light blue with whitish inclusions. The arm wings, the bases and tips of the hand wings are rich dark azure blue. In between there is a characteristic light blue to turquoise wing band, which is only available with this racket, which widens towards the front edge of the wing. The almond-shaped eyes are dark and surrounded by an orange-colored skin region, the powerful hooked beak is dark horn-colored. The short feet and toes are light yellow.
The sexes do not differ in color; possibly the females are slightly smaller and lighter. Young birds that are not colored are significantly paler and more olive green in color. The bright blue headstock is greenish in them.
The Hinduracke cannot be confused with any other racket in its range. In the overall similar European roller, the entire head, neck and neck area is turquoise, the arms and wings are blackish brown throughout. The dollar bird ( Eurystomus orientalis ) is larger-headed than the Hindu neck and is emerald green in color; its powerful beak is bright orange.
Vocalizations
Like all whackers, the Hindu whack has a series of loud, croaking, and hoarse calls that are often heard. Territorial call and aggression sound is an often repeated, increasing in its volume and rising in pitch Kearsch… . The most frequent contact calls are a monosyllabic, short check or a long, hoarse Tschu (w) .
distribution and habitat
The Hindu racket is common in large parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. Their distribution area extends from the east coast of the Persian Gulf and some islands in the east of the Arabian Peninsula ( Oman , United Arab Emirates ) eastward over southern Iran , southern Pakistan , almost the entire Indian subcontinent to the coast of the South China Sea . Sri Lanka , the Maldives , the Laccadives and Hainan are also populated . To the north, the range of the Hinduracke reaches the southern flank of the Himalayas in Nepal and Sikkim .
In this large and climatically very different distribution area, the Hinduracke colonizes very different habitats. Hindu racks occur in palm groves, plantations of various kinds, in sparse deciduous forests, on tree-covered pastures, in parks and in cemeteries, but also in dry acacia savannas and stocks of mesquite bushes . They are not tracked in most regions of their range, so they invade built-up areas and can be common in villages and towns. In Oman they are the birds of the green islands in roundabout zones; almost every major roundabout area appears to be home to a resident couple. The outer branches of higher trees, as well as power lines, roof gables, chimneys or telegraph poles are mostly used as seats, an indispensable feature of their living space.
hikes
The Hinduracke is largely sedentary, but undertakes regional migrations, of which neither phenological details are currently known, nor can any statements be made about migration directions or migration distances. Young birds in particular seem to roam widely. In Oman this type of sack occurs all year round, but is much more common in winter than in summer; it is not known where the migrating birds come from.
Food and subsistence
The Hinduracke feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods ; small vertebrates are also regularly preyed on, but usually play a subordinate role.
Large beetles , grasshoppers , cicadas , crickets and caterpillars of various species of butterflies predominate among the insects . Bugs , arachnids and scorpions are also occasionally preyed on . On vertebrates, the Hindu whack beats mice , voles , as well as small snakes , lizards , toads and birds . Some populations seem to specialize in fishing.
The Hindu racket is primarily a hide hunter. If it has spotted a potential prey, it drops in a gliding flight and hits the prey on the ground. The prey animals are mostly consumed on the spot, often after being killed by hitting a hard object several times. Larger animals are cut up and eaten piece by piece. In addition to this high hunt, Hindu racks often hunt like crows on foot, often following agricultural machinery to collect the frightened insects and vertebrates. Air hunts are rare but do happen. Sometimes Hindu necks shake a suspected prey animal and then come down like a falcon on it. Hindu cracks follow, similar to different species of bee-eater ( Merops sp.), Forest fires and bushfires very close to the edges of the fire. In some regions of Sri Lanka they are therefore called birds that breathe fire smoke . The hunt for small fish, especially fry, is unusual among the whackebirds: From a shaking flight, they hit the surface of the water and sometimes completely submerge.
behavior
The less social Hindu racks live individually or in pairs. They can only seldom be observed in small groups, especially when there is a seasonal excess of food or during migration. Throughout the year, but particularly emphatically during the breeding season, they maintain territories whose borders are regularly flown in a slow, low patrol flight. Hindu racks defend the immediate vicinity of the nesting site particularly aggressively. In this area it can happen that people are attacked directly.
The Hindu Racks' period of activity begins at sunrise and usually ends shortly after sunset; occasionally birds can still be seen hunting for flying insects at night in the glow of street lights. During this period of activity, however, they take long breaks that they use to rest, groom their feathers or sunbathe. Water baths also play an important role in plumage hygiene. Since resting Hindu racks can often be observed during the day, they are considered lethargic and lazy, especially on the Indian subcontinent.
Breeding biology
The breeding biology of this species has not yet been adequately researched. Above all, there is a lack of reliable information about the type and duration of the couple bond and details about the nestling and leadership time. It is also unknown whether Hindu racks breed once or several times a year.
Hindu Racks reach sexual maturity at the end of their first year of life, but whether this is the regular breeding age is not known. The courtship is characterized by loud series of calls, pursuit flights, mutual bowing rituals, but especially by imposing sightseeing flights by the male. It rises about 200 meters, then drops abruptly with constant shouting, turns and flips over in a fall flight. It is from these feats of flight that the English name “ roller” comes from . Nest locations are either natural tree hollows such as caves of large woodpecker species, rotten palm stumps or other caves, half caves or niches under gutters, in walls or rocks. The female lays 3–5 pure white eggs on a simple base made of feathers, blades of grass, pieces of wood and all kinds of civilization waste. The female also does most of the breeding task. The incubation period is about 19 days.
Fresh clutches are found between January ( Kerala ) and May ( Myanmar ). In the United Arab Emirates and Oman , most broods begin in April.
Systematics
In the order of the racket birds (Coraciiformes), three families are represented with the real rackets (Coraciidae), the terracotta (Brachyteraccidae) and the curoles (Leptosomidae) . The real Racken comprise 2 genera, Coracias and Eurystomus with a total of 12 species. Of the eight species of the Coracias genus , five are native to Africa, the European roller ( C. garrulus ) breeds mainly in the western Palearctic , while the breeding area of the Hindu roller is in the Oriental and that of the Celebesracke is on Sulawesi .
There are currently two subspecies of the Hindu racket. The closely related rocket species Coracias affinis , previously considered a subspecies, was placed in species rank. Her German name is Pupurbrustracke .
- The nominate form C. b. benghalensis ( Linnaeus , 1758) occurs from the Persian Gulf to Bangladesh . In Maharashtra there is a contact zone with
- C. b. indica Linnaeus , 1766 : This subspecies breeds from Maharashtra southwards to Sri Lanka. It is slightly smaller than the nominate form; The vertex and upper wing-coverts are intense ultramarine blue, the back and shoulder coloration is light cinnamon brown, green tones are missing.
Stock situation and risk
The stocks of the Hindurack are currently not endangered. In most parts of its large area of distribution it is not only not persecuted, but is a welcome guest in parks and larger gardens, and is also popular with farmers as a pest eater. Hindu necks are only shot in some areas of Kerala , as a broth made from Hindu neck meat is considered a remedy for whooping cough in regional folk medicine .
The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN) lists the Hindu whack on the Red List of Endangered Species , but it is rated as “Least Concern”.
Individual evidence
- ↑ data sheet Birdlife international engl.
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 291
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 291
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 291
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) pp. 6-9
- ↑ Fry & Fry (1999) p. 290
literature
- C. Hillary Fry, Kathie Fry: Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters & Rollers . Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Yersey 1999, ISBN 0-691-04879-7 , pp. 98 and 289-291.
Web links
- Coracias benghalensis in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2009. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2009. Retrieved on January 31 of 2010.