Recent sighting of Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes Dumont, 1820 (Aves: Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) in Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarakhand, India

Authors

  • Prashant Kumar Western Circle, Haldwani, Uttarakhand Forest Department, Aranya Bhawan, Rampur Road, Haldwani, Nainital, Uttarakhand 263139, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0324-6378
  • Inder Singh Rautela Haldwani Forest Division, Uttarakhand Forest Department, Uttarakhand 263139, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3318-2811
  • Chandan Kumar Himalayan Shepherd, Megha Homestay, Sarmoli, Munsyari, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand 262554, India.
  • Pawan Koranga Himalayan Shepherd, Village Sankdhura, Munsyari, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand 262554, India.
  • Deepak Dharmashktu Himalayan Shepherd, Village Golpha, P.O. Bouna thas Munsyari, Uttarakhand 262554, India.
  • Kundan Kumar Uttarakhand Forest Department image/svg+xml , Haldwani Forest Division, Haldwani, Uttarakhand Forest Department, Tikonia Forest Compound, Haldwani, Uttarakhand 263139, India. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9182-0796

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.10604.18.6.29133-29137

Keywords:

Avifauna, Himalayan foothills, migratory raptor, northern India, passage migrant, seasonal dispersal, species distribution, Terai-Bhabar landscape

Abstract

The Black Baza Aviceda leuphotes is a small migratory raptor of the family Accipitridae, primarily distributed across northeastern India, the eastern Himalaya, and southeastern Asia, with scattered seasonal records from peninsular and western India. Validated records from northern India remain limited. A single individual was observed on 20 December 2025 in a semi-evergreen forest-edge habitat near Chorgaliya, Uttarakhand. The identification was confirmed using diagnostic plumage characters and photographic evidence. Previous records from Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry suggest that the species exhibits broader seasonal occurrence patterns across India than previously understood. The present observation represents the first scientifically documented record of the species from the Nandhaur landscape and constitutes a notable northwestern range extension within the Indian subcontinent. The occurrence during winter further supports the possibility of seasonal dispersal or migratory movement from eastern populations. This record highlights the ecological importance of the Terai–Bhabar landscape as a potential stopover or seasonal foraging habitat for migratory raptors and emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring of avifaunal movements in the Himalayan foothills.

References

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Published

26-06-2026

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 6 (2026)

Section

Short Communications

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Copyright (c) 2026 Prashant Kumar, Inder Singh Rautela, Chandan Kumar, Pawan Koranga, Deepak Dharmashktu, Kundan Kumar

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