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/
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