The forgotten bird; Manipur Bush-quail (Perdicula manipurensis)

Kh Hitler Singh *

Manipur Bush-quail , Perdicula manipurensis locally known as Soibol/ Sorbol
Pix Source: wikipedia/Ogilvie-Grant, WR
A hand-book to the Game-birds. Volume 1 http://www.archive.org/stream/handbooktogamebi01ogilvi

It is high time to trace one of our hidden treasure in the form of Manipur bush-quail (Perdicula manipurensis) locally known as Soibol/ Sorbol in Manipuri. The bird is about 20 cm in body length, the body colour may vary from dark grayish with whitish Loral patch faint eyebrow, and golden-buff belly and vent with heavy, blackish markings. Male has chestnut forehead and throat as per secondary data.

It was with persistent awareness and Manipur Government's initiative that Nongin (Syrmaticus humiae humiae); the State bird of Manipur could be tracked down in their natural habitat at Razai Khullen and Shiroi village of Ukhrul District only in 2010 and some Nongins could be brought to Manipur Zoological Garden, Iroishemba after a gap of about 35(thirty five) years. The bird species was thought to be extinct locally in Manipur. Similar awareness creation and Manipur Government's support is the need of the hour to search out a bird species which is associated with Manipur in the name itself and which is not spotted since 1932.

It is a privilege for the lovers of Wildlife of Manipur that the Government of Manipur is honouring Sangai; brow antlered deer (Rucervus eldii eldii); the State Animal of Manipur with the title "Sangai Festival" for the "Manipur State Tourism Festival" since 2010. It is very encouraging and befitting honour for our endangered yet priceless natural heritage of Manipur. The Central and State Government have undertaken adequate programme and plans to conserve the species from extinction. It is in fact in the right direction for conservation of the flagship species of Keibul Lamjao National Park.

But it is a little disheartening about the conservation efforts in respect of many of our vanishing Wildlife such as Nongin (Syrmaticus humiae humiae), Tiger (Panthera tigris), Hoolock gibbon (Hylobate hoolock), Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis) etc. The conservation efforts for these species are yet to be adequate because they are also found outside the proposed Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks of Manipur.

One neglected and forgotten, yet very rare, endemic and important species of Manipur is Manipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis). The bird is not seen or detected for the last 80 (eighty) years except one chance encounter which was claimed by Shri Anwarudin Choudhury a former bureaucrat of Assam who had turned into a naturalist and wildlife expert.

He claimed that he had come across one Manipur bush quail at Mannas Tiger Reserve in Assam; a World Heritage Site in 2006, but he had not taken a photograph of the bird species. Thus because of the lack of information and evidences of the status of this species; the mind of many ornithologists are haunted with the question that "Had it been extinct by now?"

The bird is considered important because the name itself is associated with Manipur and Government of India considering its rarity issued a postal stamp of Rs 5.00 with the sketch of a pair Manipur Bush quail in 2006 to convey the conservation need of this rare bird species.

I also had a chance encounter with Manipur bush quail like bird in the Nongmaiching Reserve Forest near Sanamahi Temple in July 2012. The bird of the size just a little larger than domesticated Japanese quail just run on the ground across the small katcha road in front of my vehicle and it just fluttered inside the adjoining bush of mostly of Lantana camara.

I could not claim with surety that the bird was Manipur bush quail as the bird quickly gone out of my sight. I think Manipur bush quail is not a species of deep Forest rather an edge species found between bush type forest and agricultural field. For the last three-four years, I had several discussions with local wildlife activist Shri R.K. Birjit Singh about the status of this bird. Birdlife International stated the status of this species as "Vulnerable" a few years ago. But R.K. Birjit Singh's assessment in August 2013 was "Endangered". Subsequently the status of this bird species is being updated to "Endangered" by the Birdlife International also.

To bring enthusiasm and awareness of this elusive bird species as in the case of Nongin (Syrmaticus humiae humiae) we have started highlighting about the species in many of our awareness programs. In one of the Awareness program at Choither Village of Ukhrul District, I have highlighted the species in the power point presentation with sketch of species as till date no photograph is available.

The name of this species in the local vernacular language and different dialects of the State are very important for finding the birds in the field. Often they do not report the availability of endangered species to the concern authority because of the gap in the name in many dialects. To my surprise many elders present in the awareness program reacted that this bird species is still available in the vicinity of their village. I have requested them to inform us or Forest office of Ukhrul if they came across this bird in future.

Another possible area for finding Manipur bush quail is Laimanai Village in the Churchandpur District, but located very near to Bishnupur as reported by Shri R.K. Birjit Singh.

I hope we shall be able to track down this obscure bird species and able to take very good photographs, even unhurt live samples for our lone State Zoo in the very near future. I also appeal to my photographer friends of Facebook generation to try their luck to capture the bird in their cameras as it shall one of the historic and an important photograph.