Breeding notes of six species of birds from

Chiplun, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra (India)

Sachin B. Palkar, Vishwas D. Katdare, Vijay K. Mahabal, Vishwas V. Joshi,
Rohan J. Lovalekar & Abhay Soman
Palkar, S. B., Katdare, V. D., Mahabal, V. K., Joshi, V. V., Lovalekar, R. J. & Soman, A. 2007. Breeding notes of six species of birds from
Chiplun, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra, India. Indian Birds 3 (2): 54–59.
Sachin B. Palkar, Vishwas D. Katdare, Vijay K. Mahabal, Vishwas V. Joshi, Rohan J. Lovalekar, Abhay Soman: Sahyadri Nisarga
Mitra, Near Laxminarayan Temple, A/P-Chiplun, District -Ratnagiri, Maharashtra 415605, India.
Email: sahyadricpn@rediffmail.com
Mss received on 17.vi.2006.

F
om 2002–2006 we studied the breeding behaviour of adult pittas appearing in Deccan from November onwards.
Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura, Dusky Crag Martin Hirundo Indian Pitta is a breeding visitor to the Western Ghats
concolor, Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica, Large foothills near Chiplun in Maharashtra. It is present here from
Pied Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis, Common Woodshrike the last week of April to the third week of September (Table 1).
Tephrodornis pondicerianus, and Eurasian Blackbird Turdus We studied its breeding biology at two places—Valope
merula in and around Chiplun town (17°31’N 73°31’E) in and Parshuram.
Ratnagiri district (Maharashtra, India). Chiplun is
surrounded by the foothills of the Western Ghats and is c50km
from the Arabian Sea. Our observations, which concentrated
on the incubation period, were restricted, besides Chiplun
town itself, to the following places.
Parshuram: This town is named after sage Parshuram of
Hindu mythology. It is 12km north-west of Chiplun. Almost
all the land here is privately owned with a number of teak
Tectona grandis, Acacia auriculiformis, mango Mangifera indica,
and cashew Anacardium occidentale trees. Some of the area is
semi-evergreen. Scattered patches of dry-deciduous forest and
scrub jungle are also found here.
Valope: This small village is 6km north of Chiplun. Here
too the habitat is dry-deciduous with some semi-evergreen
patches and grassland and tree cover similar to Parshuram.
Vindhywasini: This temple locality is a part of Chiplun.
Most of the area is privately owned land consisting of
plantations of teak and mango trees. Some patches have dry-
deciduous vegetation.
Average rainfall in these areas is about 3,500mm. Average
temperatures range from 23ºC–40ºC.
Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura
Information about the breeding of Indian Pitta in the Konkan—
the coastal region of Maharashtra—is scanty. Ali & Ripley
(1983) mention that it breeds near Bombay and in peninsular
India. Grimmett et al. (1999) state that it breeds in the
Himalayas and north-eastern India. Pande (2001) gives very
brief information about its breeding in Konkan but does not
go into details.
The movements of Indian Pitta in India are not well
Clement Francis

documented. After leaving Konkan they probably start

appearing in Deccan Peninsula and southern Western Ghats.
We observed and heard it calling in November 2000 at Munnar,
Kerala. Pande (2001) mentions three instances of juvenile and Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura
54 Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007)
 Palkar et al. Breeding notes from Ratnagiri district

Table 1. Dates of arrival of Indian Pitta in Chiplun Table 2. Heights of nests of Indian Pitta
Year Date of arrival Height (in m) Number of nests
2002 24.iv 0–3 9
2003 24.iv 3–6 26
2004 27.iv 6–9 8
2005 25.iv 9+ 5
2006 2.v
leaves of teak, mango, A. auriculiformes, C. caranda, etc., needles
Methods of C. eqisetifolia, grass, root fibres, and seed pods.
We searched for nests of Indian Pitta by combing the study
area twice daily. Nests on thorn-less trees like teak, mango, Eggs
etc., and those within reach were checked regularly in the Eggs were glossy china white in colour with sparse brown
morning and evening. Some nests were on thorny trees such spots. The eggs were laid in the mornings, at an interval of 24
as Acacia catechu, Zizyphus mauritiana, etc. Daily checking of hours, but at one nest two eggs were laid on the same day.
these nests was not possible. Average clutch size was four. In one nest we found three eggs
while in another, five.
Courtship behaviour
Incubation and hatching
The breeding season of Indian Pitta in the Konkan is from
Incubation starts after the first egg. Both the birds incubate.
May–August. Birds are extremely vocal during this period.
The incubation period for seven clutches was 14 days, for five
On arrival in the Chiplun area, between the last week of
clutches 15 days, and for one clutch, 16 days (Table 3).
April and the second week of May, they seem alert and sing
“viet-tew” frequently. This is most probably the time that Nestlings and fledging period
they establish territories. After the second week of May they Chicks were pinkish in colour on hatching. Feather pins
are seen chasing each other. Many times 2–3 birds are appeared 4–5 days after hatching. 8–10 day old chicks have a
involved in such chases. By the last week of May pairs had scarlet gape, which later turns into saffron or orange. After
established territories and some had also started building 10–12 days their beaks begin to show a black spot in the
nests. During this time, they uttered a hissing alarm call, middle. Under-parts of immature birds are slightly grey and
“chass-chass”. the white chin patch is much narrower than an adult. The
chicks fledged in 12–16 days.
Nesting trees
The Indian Pitta used the following trees for nesting: mango, Feeding
teak, kokum Garcinia indica, karanda Carissa caranda, coral tree Both parents approach the nest with great caution when
Erythrina indica, flame of the forest Butea monosperma, silk cotton feeding their young whose diet comprised locusts, lizards,
tree Bombax ceiba, A. catechu, A. auriculiformis, Casuarina frogs, grasshoppers, earthworms, snails, centipedes, and
equisetifolia, and Zizyphus mauritiana. Nests were located at millipedes. On one occasion we observed an adult Indian Pitta
heights between 1m–10m (Table 2). kill a Common Vine Snake Ahaetulla nasuta.

Site selection Second brood

After pair formation, pairs visit one tree after another in search In Vindhywasini we observed a second brood at one nest. A
of a suitable nesting site. While observing one such pair we pair was seen lining a nest six days after the previous brood
saw a bird, near a fork in the branches, from where it uttered a fledged. We were unable to complete our observations after
strange “kunk-kunk” call, simultaneously nodding its head. the pair had laid eggs.
When its partner arrived at the scene, it too behaved in a similar Dusky Crag Martin Hirundo concolor
manner. Finally this site was selected for a nest, and Vyawahare (1989) stated that the Dusky Crag Martin’s
construction began after two days. But the behaviour just incubation period was 12 days. However our observations
described was seen often till the nest was completed. show that it lasts for 17 days.
Nest Log
Both birds build the nest, which is a globular structure with a Valope
lateral entrance. Nesting material included twigs and dead 11.vi.2002: Nest construction begun.

Table 3. Nesting details of Indian Pitta

Nest Year Laying date Hatching date Fledging date
No. 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 2003 15.vi 16.vi 17.vi 18.vi — 30.vi 30.vi 1.vii 2.vii — 18.vii
2 2003 16.vi 17.vi 18.vi 19.vi — 1.vii 1.vii 2.vii 3.vii — 17.vii
3 2004 24.v 25.v 26.v 26.v 27.v 8.vi 8.vi 9.vi 10.vi 10.vi 22.vi
4 2004 2.vi 3.vi 4.vi — — 17.vi 18.vi 18.vi — — Unknown
5 2004 7.vi 8.vi 9.vi 10.vi — 22.vi 22.vi 23.vi 23.vi — Unknown
6 2004 8.vi 9.vi 10.vi 10.vi — 23.vi 23.vi 25.vi 25.vi — Unknown
7 2005 5.vi 6.vi 7.vi 8.vi — 20.vi 21.vi 21.vi 22.vi — Unknown

Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007) 55

 Palkar et al. Breeding notes from Ratnagiri district

Vindhyawasini Temple
16.vi.2003: Nest found.
18.vi.2003: Birds lining inside the nest with feathers.
22.vi.2003: First egg laid between 07:00–08:00hr.
23.vi.2003: Second egg laid.
24.vi.2003: Third egg. Eggs were laid at 24-hour intervals.
Incubation commenced after third egg.
10.vii.2003: One chick hatched out at 07:45hr; another at
16:00hr. The third egg was infertile, but the birds did not
remove it.

Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica

Fig. 1. Diagrammatic representation of the method used for Study area
observation inside the nest of Red-rumped Swallow In Valope, we studied the incubation period of the Red-rumped
Swallow at a nest under the staircase of a house. The nest was
at a height of 1m above the ground.
28.vi.2002: Nest complete with feather lining.
2.vii.2002: Miscreants break nest. Methods
11.vii.2002: Birds rebuild nest and complete it. Activity inside the nests of hole nesting birds is difficult to
13.vii.2002: First egg laid. observe. We overcame this obstacle by using a close circuit
14.vii.2002: Second egg. television camera (20mm diameter) within the nest. The camera
15.vii.2002: Third egg. All three eggs were laid in the mornings. was fixed to one end of a metal rod. A 3v bulb was fixed
Incubation commenced after the third egg. beside the camera and attached to a battery. The camera was
30.vii.2002: First egg hatched. connected to a battery-operated 6v L.C.D. display.
31.vii.2002: Second egg hatched. We inserted the camera stick into the nest when the bird
01.viii.2002: Third egg hatched. was not inside. Everything inside the nest was clearly visible
on the L.C.D. display! We noted observations twice a day i.e.
Miscreants broke the nest and all chicks succumbed. in the morning and evening.
Clement Francis

Large Pied Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis

56 Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007)
 Palkar et al. Breeding notes from Ratnagiri district

Nest construction Log

Both birds build the nest. They collect wet mud pellets in their First brood
beaks, which are pasted under the roof of a verandah, temple, 28.i.2006: Nest building started.
under a bridge, stairway, etc. First they make an outline and 09.ii.2006: Nest completed.
then, by pasting pellet by pellet, an egg chamber, followed by 10.ii.2006: First egg laid between 07:30–07:40hr. Egg plain
an entrance tunnel. The outer surface of the nest remains rough. grayish-white.
After completing the structure, they lined the egg chamber 11.ii.2006: Second egg laid between 07:30–07:50hr. Egg
with fine grass, twigs and feathers (Ali & Ripley 1983). We blotched with brown. Also cracked at the
have also observed that birds used the same nest for two to broader end. Incubation began after second
three years and two broods were raised. Palkar (2006) egg.
described two unusual nests of Red-rumped Swallow. 21.ii.2006: Nest observed continuously for 688 minutes.
In 2003 a pair built a nest under the stairs of a house. They During this time, the birds incubated
successfully raised a brood. However, someone broke the nest (discontinuously) for 512 minutes and left it
after the brood fledged. Only mud lining remained there. The unattended for the remaining 176 minutes.
following nest was constructed on this very lining. 26.ii.2006: First egg hatched at 08:58hr. Chick was fed for
the first time at 09:36hrs. Egg shells removed
Log
by bird. Incubation period lasted 16 days.
11.v.2004: Nest construction begins. 01.iii.2006: Continuous observations were made for 15 hrs
17.v.2004: Nest complete. during which time adults fed the chick 33 times
19.v.2004: Lining inside nest complete. Both birds roost (twice with dragonflies). From 18:00hrs–
inside nest at night. 21:00hrs adults collected food from behind a
halogen lamp that attracted insects.
23.v.2004: First egg laid. Incubation started. Both birds
05.iii.2006: During 14 hrs of observation (up to 20:00hrs),
incubated their eggs. Both the birds were
feeding was observed 27 times. On this day
observed inside the nest during incubation
too, the chick’s eyes opened. Up to this day,
period.
one bird brooded (guarded?) the chick at night.
24.v.2004: Second egg laid. 07.iii.2006: Chick began to stand on the edge of the
25.v.2004: Third egg laid. All three laid between 06:00– nest.
07:00hrs. 08.iii.2006: Chick began to wander around the nest and
9.vi.2004: All three eggs hatch between 06:00–06:30hrs. return to it.
12.iii.2006: Chick left the nest. Fledging period was 14
Observations days.
The eggs are glossy white. All three chicks were pink in colour.
Both the birds fed their chicks. Some children broke the nest Second brood
by mistake and all three chicks died. Incubation period was 16.iii.2006: Pair repairing the nest.
15 days. 18.iii.2006: Pair constructing another nest, 0.5m away from
earlier.
Large Pied Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis 20.iii.2006: The second nest is abandoned and earlier nest
A breeding pair was discovered inside the filtration plant of being lined with small white feathers. Again, this
the Chiplun municipal swimming pool. In 2005 a pair made activity was concentrated in the morning.
their nest in a box on the electricity board. In 2006 a pair (the 24.iii.2006: First egg laid between 07:00hr–07:30hrs.
same?) made its nest on a wooden rack behind the electricity 25.iii.2006: Second egg. Incubation begins. Twice, chick from
board. We fixed a CCTV camera 1m above the nest for closer first brood seen with adult during incubation.
observations. 30.iii.2006: Nest abandoned.

Nest Third brood

The nest is cup-shaped and comprises of rootlets, hair, wool, 13.iv.2006: Two eggs (infertile?) seen in nest.
small pieces of cotton and nylon rope, cotton thread, coir 17.iv.2006: Four eggs in nest. Both birds incubating.
string, dry leaves, etc. The nest was at a height of 2m. Both 30.iv.2006: One egg hatched. Other three eggs seem infertile
birds took part in nest building, which was done mostly in but remained in nest. Adults feeding chick.
the morning. 6.v.2006: Chick disappeared (predated?).

Table 1. Nesting data of Eurasian Blackbird

Nest Nest building Laying date Hatching date Fledging date
No. started 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
1 29.v.2004 3.vi 4.vi - - 16.vi 17.vi - - 30.vi.2004
2 27.vi.2005 3.vii 4.vii 5.vii 6.vii 16.vii 17.vii 18.vii 19.vii -

Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007) 57

Clement Francis Palkar et al. Breeding notes from Ratnagiri district

Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus

Fourth brood 29.iii.2004: The surviving chick was seen fully feathered.
13.v.2006: First egg in nest.
Parshuram
14.v.2006: Second egg.
15.iii.2004: A pair was spotted building a nest on the
15.v.2006: Third egg. Incubation begins.
horizontal branch of a teak tree, 5m above the
27.v.2006: Two chicks in nest and one egg.
ground.
28.v.2006: Third egg hatched. Both birds feeding young.
24.iii.2004: Nest completed.
Incubation period, 13 days.
25.iii.2004: First egg laid.
31.v.2006: One chick dead in swimming pool.
26.iii.2004: Second egg laid. Both eggs were laid in the
11.vi.2006: Two chicks fledged. Their eyes opened on the
morning.
fourth day. Fledging period, 14 days.
11.iv.2004: A chick and an egg were spotted at 08:00hrs. At
Common Woodshrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus 15:30hrs the second chick was seen.
Nest construction 17.iv.2004: Nest empty.
Both birds build the nest: a neat cup of soft bark, fibers and Both birds incubate. Their cryptic colour makes it impossible to
small pieces of papery bark (we observed them collecting these spot them during incubation, when they sit very still inside the
from a teak tree), plastered with cobwebs, attached to the upper nest with their beak pointed upwards, resembling a broken stem!
surface of a branch or in a forked branch, so that it is entirely Nestlings are completely blackish in colour. Both birds feed the
camouflaged and extremely difficult to locate. nestlings. The incubation period was 16 days in both cases.
Log Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
Valope The Eurasian Blackbird is a resident of the Konkan region. Its
01.iii.2004: A nest was located 2m up a teak tree. Birds were breeding period coincides with the monsoon, from the last
constructing it. week of May to August (Ali & Ripley 1983). The birds are
02.iii.2004: First egg was laid between 06:30–08:00hrs. prominently visible and extremely vocal during this period,
03.iii.2004: Second egg laid. singing melodiously from early morning till late evening. They
04.iii.2004: Third egg laid. All eggs were laid in the morning. are also good mimics of many other birds. After the monsoon
20.iii.2004: All three eggs hatch. Subsequently two chicks they become silent and are seen less frequently. We studied
disappeared. two nests in Vindhywasini.
58 Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007)
 Palkar et al. Breeding notes from Ratnagiri district

Methods
Acknowledgements
We checked the nests twice daily—once in the morning and We thank Mr Parshuram Sagonkar for helping with this note. We thank
once in the evening. A mirror stick—a plain 7.62cm diameter all workers of the Chiplun municipal swimming pool for helping in the
mirror attached to one end of a 9m aluminum pipe—was used Large Pied Wagtail’s nest observations. We thank Mr Atul Vishnu Joshi
to look into nests that were more than 3m high. resident of Parshuram for helping in Common Woodshrike observations.

Observations References
th
Ali, S. 1996. The book of Indian birds. 12 revised and enlarged reprint ed.
Nest one was located 1.2m above the ground, on a mango tree. Daniel, J. C. (ed.). Mumbai: Bombay Natural History Society &
Laying of eggs and their subsequent hatching, both occurred Oxford University Press.
in the morning. Incubation started after the first egg was laid. Ali, S. & Ripley, S. D. 1983. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan
The pink-skinned chicks were covered in yellow down. Both together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
Compact ed. Delhi: Oxford University Press.
adults fed the chicks. Grimmett, R., Inskipp, C. & Inskipp, T. 1999. Pocket guide to the birds of
Nest Two was in the fork of a teak tree at a height of 1.2m the Indian subcontinent. Oxford University Press, Delhi.
from the ground. The birds used strands from a polythene bag Palkar, S. B. 2006. Unusual nests of Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica
for the basement of the nest. Here too the eggs hatched in the in Ratnagiri district (Maharashtra, India). Indian Birds 2 (4): 108.
Pande, S. A. 2001. Nesting of Pitta brachyura in the Konkan, Maharashtra.
morning. These hatchlings fell to an unknown predator. Newsletter for Birdwatchers 41 (4): 48–49.
The incubation period was 13 days at both nests. The Vyawahare, P. M. 1989. Nest construction technique of Dusky crag
fledging period at the first nest was also 13 days. martin Hirundo concolor with a note on incubation period. Pavo 30
(1&2): 67–74.
Clement Francis

Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula

Indian Birds Vol. 3 No. 2 (March–April 2007) 59