betts and coorg ornithology

F N Betts (1906-1973)

An introduction to his ornithological contributions

L. ShyamalLSHYAMAL@GMAIL.COM

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Shyamal, L. 2007. Opinion: taking Indian ornithology into the Information Age. Indian Birds 3(4):122-137 . Image: Wikipedia

The historical context

Image: Smithsonian Museum's website http://www.si.edu/.

The places

• Halagote Tank

• Hebbale (Ixobrychus sinensis)

• Palhalli near Seringapatam (Ranganathittu?)

• Belur Golf-course near Somwarpet

• Milkutty (Rocky crags near Somwarpet)

• Yaslur (Alexandrine parakeet)

• Brahmagiris

• Fraserpet

• Mysore

• Belur

• Kudremukh

Local knowledge

Problems with the books

Missed ?

Still unknown

Out of place

Timing

• Betts,FN (1951) The birds of Coorg. Part I.

• J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 50(1):20-63.

• Wood snipe (Gallinago nemoricola)– 28-January 1938

Rarities

Further study needed

Dummy nests

JBNHS 1937-1938

Ecological notes

• 1951. The birds of Coorg. Part I. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 50(1):20-63.• 1951. The birds of Coorg. Part II. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 50(2):224-263.

Consolidation

Concepts - niches, allopatry

The breeding seasons of the birds in the hills of South India - Ibis 1952

Based on 7 years, 573 nests of 140 species

Maximum bird-breeding activity after the winter minimum and least during the rains

Thanks Salim Ali and R E Moreau

Looking at patterns

A lull during the rains

Seabirds on Aride

• Birds of the Seychelles with Desmond Vesey-Fitzgerald (1940)

Data collation

Large scale studies

Accumulating evidence

Seeing the difference

Keeping an eye on change

Fact or fiction?

From Garcia, CA et al. 2009 Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes: Challenges and Opportunities of Coffee Agroforests in the Western Ghats, India.

Conservation Biology

Slow changes can be missed

1977 1997

From Garcia, CA et al. 2009 Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes: Challenges and Opportunities of Coffee Agroforests in the Western Ghats, India.

Conservation Biology

An opportunity

2007