Gurgaon: A red-tailed shrike has been spotted in Chandu area of Harsaru sub-tehsil of the city. The rare migratory bird associated with Central Asia — Lanius phoenicuroides, also known as the Turkestan Shrike — is listed as “least concern globally”. But sightings in Delhi-NCR region, by a group of birders on Saturday, are unusual, according to eBird, which lists the species under the code “rutshr2”.Birdwatchers said it is the fourth recorded occurrence of the species in national capital region (NCR). The sighting was made in Chandu wetland area, part of Sahibi river basin, during the ongoing autumn migration. For the city birdwatchers, the sighting is significant not simply because of the rarity of the species, but because it adds to evidence of the wider biodiversity supported by Chandu wetland landscape during the migration season.The bird was photographed by birders. It is a small, pale-coloured shrike which was perched on a branch. The bird has a sandy-brown head and upper body, pale underparts, a dark facial mask and a distinctly reddish tail.Pankaj Gupta, a birdwatcher from Delhi Bird Society, said, “There are three previous records of the species from NCR, making Chandu sighting particularly significant for local birding records.” The species has historically been considered difficult to separate from the closely related Isabelline shrike, and older records can therefore require careful verification.The red-tailed shrike breeds across parts of Central Asia and moves south during migration. It is primarily associated with dry, open landscapes with scattered shrubs. Studies of its migration show that the species moves towards wintering areas in Africa, with autumn migration generally taking place between Sept and Nov.Its appearance in NCR is also consistent with earlier records from Delhi region. An annotated checklist of Delhi’s birds notes that red-tailed shrikes have been reported as vagrants east of their usual migration route, including from Sultanpur, Basai and areas along Yamuna. The checklist also notes that the species was historically reported only occasionally in the region.Chandu-Budhera landscape has emerged as an important birding site on the outskirts of the city, with its combination of wetlands, open grassland, agricultural land and scrub providing habitat for both resident and migratory birds. Recent bird walks at Chandu have recorded a wide range of wetland and grassland species, highlighting the area’s importance as a stopover landscape.The sighting also underlines the importance of retaining the wetland’s surrounding open areas and scrub, which provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds passing through NCR.
