Wintering birds near Lhasa in Tibet

A summary of other birds seen and photographed during the two weeks in Tibet.

CHINA AND TIBET

2/20/20084 min read

The past blogposts from the two weeks in Tibet have been focused on sites or single species. I felt that it was proper to do a summery of the other birds we recorded during the trip. And here it is.

One of the most characteristic birds of the Tibetan Plateau is the Ground Tit. We saw several small groups of them all days in the field. The species spends most of its life on the ground, searching for insects and other invertebrates. This is actually the only tit in the world living in a treeless habitat. The Ground Tit is closely associated with plateau pikas and typically nests in pika burrows, using their tunnel systems for shelter and protection from the harsh climate and predators. This illustrates the ecological role of the Plateau Pika, whose burrowing activities create habitat for a variety of other species across the Tibetan grasslands. In Tibetan the Ground Tit is some times called Wife of the Pika.

The Ground Tit is also known for its cooperative breeding system. Some young (male) birds remain with their parents after fledging and help raise coming broods, feeding nestlings and assisting in territory defence. In the challenging conditions of the Tibetan Plateau, it is shown that this family-based strategy improves the survival of breeding adults.

Ground Tit (Pseudopodoces humilis)

Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus)

Wildfowl

The wildfowl numbers was one of the highlights of our visit. Thousands of Bar-headed Geese and Ruddy Shelducks occupied the wetlands, while hundreds of Gadwalls, Northern Pintails, Mallards, Eurasian Teals and Eastern Spot-billed Ducks fed in the shallows. Smaller numbers of Shovelers, Tufted Ducks, Red-crested Pochards, Common Pochards, Common Goldeneyes and Common Mergansers were also seen. Tibet's wetlands are important for breeding and migratory wildfowl, og the winter population of Bar-headed Geese and Ruddy Shelducks are of global importance. Just as the Black-necked Crane.

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

Waders and other waterbirds

Shorebirds were less numerous than the wildfowl, but there were some around. A few observations of the enigmatic Ibisbill, one of the most sought-after birds of the Tibetan Plateau, were undoubtedly the highlight. Other recorded waders included Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Green Sandpiper and Common Redshank.

Gulls were represented mainly by Pallas's Gull, present in low numbers in lakes and rivers. Brown-headed Gulls were also encountered regularly, though in smaller numbers and often scattered among other waterbirds. Single Great Cormorants were seen here and there.

Ibisbill (Ibidorhyncha struthersii)

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

Pigeons and doves were also well represented. Feral Pigeons were common around towns and villages, while Oriental Turtle Doves occurred wherever patches of woodland were present. Hill Pigeons were not uncommon in more barren landscapes, particularly around settlements near cliffs. Only a single Snow Pigeon was identified during the trip.

Bird of prey and pigeons

Himalayan Griffon Vultures were especially numerous, with around 140 individuals recorded during our visit, while 15-20 Upland Buzzards were seen searching for prey in the open fields. We also observed a handful of White-tailed Eagles, a single adult Golden Eagle, one Saker Falcon, two Hen Harriers, and a few Common Kestrels.

Upland Buzzard (Buteo hemilasius)

Himalayan Griffon Vulture (Gyps himalayensis)

Hill Pigeon (Columba rupestris)

Passerines

A Wallcreeper provided one of the trip’s true ornithological highlights, and a new species for me. Around monasteries, Brown-cheeked Laughingthrushes were often conspicuous and vocal, while Red-billed Choughs, Common Ravens, and Black-rumped Magpies were seen daily throughout the trip.

Robin Accentor (Prunella rubeculoides)

Passerines were particularly abundant in the agricultural areas and around settlements. Eurasian Tree Sparrows were associated with people, while White-winged Redstarts were among the most frequently encountered birds throughout the valley. Both Tibetan Accentor and Brown Accentor were recorded regularly, with single individuals turning up in a variety of habitats. A few scattered Wrens were also seen.

Rosefinches occurred in small flocks, up to 20 birds. Both large and small species were recorded, with Himalayan Beautiful Rosefinch and Streaked Rosefinch being the most numerous. Later we identified a few Pink-rumped Rosefinches from pictures that were taken.

By far the most spectacular species in terms of numbers was the Oriental Skylark. Huge flocks fed in the cultivated fields, with one estimated to contain as many as 3 500 individuals. A few individuals of the local high-altitude form of Horned Lark were also encountered.