Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)

Syarifah Nur Hidayatul Afifah Bt Syed Mohamed Adnan

M20142002168

Taxanomy Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Aves

Order Otidiformes

Family Otididae

Genus Houbaropsis

Species Houbaropsis bengalensis

Subspecies •H. b. bengalensis

•H. b. blandini

Morphology Female Male

Size • 66 cm – 68 cm length • 55 cm tall

Weight 1.7 kg – 1.9 kg 1.2 kg – 1.5 kgColour •Dark brown plumage

from head to neck•Head has no lanky crest•Brown wing•Dark brown crown

•Black plumage from head to neck•Head has long lanky crest•Large white wing•Black crown

• Yellow feet and legs• Dark bill and irises

Female Male

Breeding

• February – early July• Male establish individual territories areas in

short grassland.• Show a characteristic flight display.• Have thick bunch of feathers under the breast.• Fly a lot during breeding season to chase away

an intruding male.

• Female more secretive.• Done prepare a proper nest.• Lay eggs after scratching bare ground.• Clutch size : 2 – 3 eggs.• Incubated for 25 – 28 days by female.• Female raises young without help from male.

• Glossy • Olive-green in colour• Several have tiny purple-brown freckles and

blotches

• Mating dance done by male Bengal florican to attract female during breeding season.

Mating dance video

Diets

• Omnivorous • Feed on various seeds, grain, tender shoot of

grasses• Feed on insects like grasshoppers, ants, beetles• Some eat small snakes and frogs

Distribution

• Two disjunct populations Indian Subcontinent (Nepal & India)South-East Asia (Cambodia &Vietnam)

• Possibly extinct in Bangladesh

Habitat

• Terrestrial • Lowland dry• Seasonally inundated• Natural-semi-natural grassland• Scattered scrub or patchy open forest

Status

• Total population: 350-1500 individuals• Population trend: Decreasing

Treats• Modification of grassland (human activities)– Drainage– Agriculture and plantations– Dam construction– Inappropriate and illegal development

• Natural– Heavy flood– Invasion of alien species– Burning

Conservation • Protected areas• Bengal Florican Conservation Area (BFCA),

Cambodia• Awareness program, Cambodia• Villagers receive financial rewards for

reporting Bengal florican nests• Listed in IUCN Red List of Threatened

Species & CITES Appendix I and II

• Listed in the National Wildlife Action Plan 2002-2016

• Listed in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

• The species for recovery programme under Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Wildlife Habitats of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

• Training workshop on Bengal florican Survey Technique

• Awareness through social network

References Gray, T. N. E.; Chamnan, H.; Borey, R.; Collar, N. J.; Dolman, P. M. (2007). Habitat preferences of a globally threatened bustard

provide support for community-based conservation in Cambodia. Biological Conservation 138: 341-350.Gray, T. N. E.; Collar, N. J.; Davidson, P. J. A.; Dolman, P. M.; Evans, T. D.; Fox, H. H.; Hong Chanman; Borey, R.; Seng Kim Hout; Van

Zalinge, R. N. (2009). Distribution, status and conservation of the Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis in Cambodia. Bird Conservation International 19(1): 1-14.

H. S. Baral., A. K. Ram., B. Chaudhary., S. Basnet., H. Chaudhary., T. R. Giri & D. Chaudhary. (2012). Consevation status of Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis bengalensis (Gmelin, 1789) (Gruiformes: Otididae) in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve and adjoining areas, eastern Nepal. Journal of Treatened Taxa 4(3) : 2464-2468.

Bengal Florican. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from http://wildlifesalvation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Screen-Shot-2015-01-05-at-10.58.31-am.png

Flying Bengal Florican. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/resized-image.ashx/__size/580x0/__key/commun ityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-01-57-64/3632.Bengal-Florican _display-flight.gif

Image of Bengal Florican. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from http://www.saevus.in/images/uploads/409/gallery/DSC_0432.JPGFemale Bengal Florican. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from

http://www.indianaturewatch.net/images/album/photo/4898116514efff04fc9ef5.jpgMale Bengal Florican. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from http://www.kolkatabirds.com/lesserflorican8a.jpgMonitoring Bengal Florican Nests. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from

http://www.wcscambodia.org/Portals/133/articlephotos/Bengal%20Florican/thumbs/Monitoring-Bengal-Florican-Nests_WCS-Cambodia_thumb.jpg

16 Fascinating Extinct Animals. Retrieved on April 14, 2015 from http://mom.me/pets/19184-fascinating-extinct-animals/item/japanese-river-otter/