Endangered Bird Spotted in Siliguri
Nidhu Bhusan Das
With the high speed urbanization in place, Siliguri, the
gateway to the North-east, has already lost many of its birds along with the loss
of vegetation. Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant (Centropus Sinensis) is an endangered
species, rarely seen in the sprawling town. The species is usually found from
jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. Recently Souradipto Banerjee, an n undergraduate
student and amateur Nature photographer, has spotted a pair of Greater Coucal
in the bushes adjacent to a house in the town and photographed them. Local people
are
unanimous in their opinion that this bird, once seen aplenty, are now
rarely found in the town.
The birds are large, like a crow with a long tail and
coppery brown wings. The eyes are ruby red. They are weak fliers. They are
often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground. They forage
for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep
resonant call.
