Wildlife Conservation: Likh Florican (Sypheotides indicus)
Technical Data
| Date of Issue | December 20, 1989 |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Rs. 2 |
| Quantity | 1,500,000 |
| Perforation | comb 13 x 13½ |
| Printer | Security Printing Press, Nashik |
| Watermark | No Watermark |
| Colors | Multicolor |
| Catalog Codes |
Michel IN 1247 Stamp Number IN 1306 Yvert et Tellier IN 1049 Stanley Gibbons IN 1398 |
| Themes | Animals (Fauna) | Birds |
The Likh Florican, also known as the Lessor Florican, is a distinctive bird found in tropical monsoon regions across India and parts of Pakistan. Here are some key characteristics and behaviors of this species:
Appearance:
- Size and Shape: Similar in size to a domestic hen, with long bare legs and a horizontal body carriage.
- Male: Predominantly black and white with narrow, spatulate-ended black plumes projecting behind the head.
- Female: Overall sandy buff, mottled with blackish arrowhead marks on the back. It has two parallel blackish stripes on the throat and foreneck.
Habitat and Range:
- Distribution: Found in areas ranging from Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Pakistan, and south through the Peninsula to Mysore and Madras. It also extends erratically eastward through Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, Bihar, Orissa, and West Bengal.
- Habitat: Prefers dry grasslands and open areas with sufficient grass cover.
Behavior:
- Shyness: Less shy compared to other bustards, though it flies a considerable distance when flushed and is difficult to flush a second time.
- Flight: Rapid wing-beats, capable of high-speed flights when pursued by predators like Peregrine falcons.
- Feeding Habits: Primarily insect-eating, consuming grasshoppers, beetles, centipedes, and occasionally lizards, frogs, and vegetable matter such as shoots, seeds, and berries.
Breeding and Calls:
- Breeding: Breeds mainly during July to September when sufficient grass cover is available. Eggs are laid on bare ground or in patches of short grass.
- Calls: Male emits a harsh, frog-like croak during display and a whistle-like call when alarmed. Female calls are similar but distinctive.
Conservation Status:
- Threats: Faces threats from habitat loss and degradation due to agricultural expansion and human activities.
- Protection: Conservation efforts are crucial to ensure the survival of this species, particularly preserving its grassland habitats.
The Likh Florican, with its unique characteristics and behaviors, remains an important species in India’s avian biodiversity, albeit facing conservation challenges.