• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

EcoFriendly Coffee

You are here: Home / Biodiversity / Shade Coffee and the Lesser Whistling Teals

Shade Coffee and the Lesser Whistling Teals

September 2, 2014 by Dr. Anand Titus and Geeta N. Pereira

Shade grown Ecofriendly Indian coffee forests located in the heart of the Western Ghats can easily be considered as one among the top birding spots of the world. One of the richest bird areas, coffee forests act as an important route for migratory birds and a safe haven for resident birds.

2014 2.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (5)

The Lesser Whistling Duck also known as Indian Whistling Duck or Javan Whistling Duck is a small chestnut coloured whistling duck which breeds in South Asia and Southeast Asia

Shade Coffee and the whistling teals

In literature it is also referred to as the tree duck. They often fly in a flock in V formation numbering 20 to 30 and whistle in chorus. Their whistling is shrill and sharp and when the entire flock whistles together it has an almost musical quality.

2014 3.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (6)

2014 5.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (8)

The Classification table is as follows.

 

Scientific ClassificationBinomial nameKingdom Dendrocygna javanicaAnimalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Aanatidae
Genus Dendrocygninae
Species D. javanica

2014 10.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (18)

2014 7.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (11)

Distribution

2014 11.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (21)

These birds are largely resident species. They sometimes fly from one lake to another in response to weather and availability of food.

2014 6.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (9)

2014 8.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (13)

Habitat

2014 12.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (22)

2014 13.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (10)

Whistling Teals prefer freshwater lakes with undergrowth and vegetation. They can also be observed near water bodies like ponds, rivulets, wetlands, marsh lands and streams. They are expert swimmers and divers.

2014 15.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (14)

2014 14.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (12)

Description

2014 17.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (26)

This species has a long grey bill, long head and longish legs. It has a buff head, neck and under parts, and a darker crown. The back and wings are darkish grey, and there are chestnut patches on the wings and tail. All plumages are similar.

2014 18.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (25)

2014 19.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (15)

Nesting

2014 20.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (27)

It nests in tree holes, old nests of other birds, or on a stick platform near the ground, and lays a clutch of 6-12 eggs. The female alone incubates the eggs.

2014 21.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (16)

Diet / Feeding

2014 22.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (19)

Ducks generally feed on the shoots, leaves and seeds of aquatic vegetation. They also eat larvae and insects and aquatic invertebrates. They generally feed mostly at night in small family groups.

2014 23.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (7)

Migration

2014 24.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (20)

2014 25.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (17)

We have observed that the entire flock of lesser whistling teals are resident but numbers swell during winter, suggesting some degree of migration. We are not sure if the migration is local or to far off places. Unlike other ducks, males and females look similar, and there is no special breeding plumage.

Reproduction

2014 27.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (3)

The season ranges from June to October in India.

2014 26.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (2)

Threats

2014 4.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (1)

Major threats are due to habitat loss, disturbance and poaching. Shy and nervous, they fly off at the slightest hint of danger.

Red List Category

 2014 9.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (23)

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.

The species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds of vulnerable under the range size criteria.

Conclusion

Our work with respect to coffee ecology spanning three decades has brought to light the immense bird biodiversity that is present inside coffee forests. However, we need to caution the coffee farming community that despite the biological riches within the confines of the coffee forests, we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, with many species on the brink of extinction because of man made changes.

2014 28.Sept.Whistling teals Joe's sustainable coffee farm,Kirehully Estate,Karnataka,India (28)

There are a number of reasons why understanding and preserving biological diversity is important for the success of coffee cultivation. In the web of life, every species is unique and the presence of a variety of different species helps perform a variety of roles under a variety of circumstances. The more species that are available inside the coffee ecosystem, the more likely it is that there will be some adapted to handle the outbreak of pest and disease incidence.

References

Anand T Pereira and Geeta N Pereira. 2009. Shade Grown Ecofriendly Indian Coffee. Volume-1.

Bopanna, P.T. 2011.The Romance of Indian Coffee. Prism Books ltd. Perrins, C. (Ed.). (2003).

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157646699130299/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_whistling_duck

Related Posts:

  • Importance of the Nitrogen Cycle In Ecofriendly Shade Coffee
  • Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria
  • Coffee Agroforestry And Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria
  • Coffee And Zinc  
  • Weedicides And Its Impact on Soil Micro Flora

Primary Sidebar

EcoFriendlyCoffee

We focus on the agricultural side of coffee with a emphases on the environment and ecology. Read more About Us and our EcoFriendly Coffee textbook.

Recent Posts

  • Importance of the Nitrogen Cycle In Ecofriendly Shade Coffee
  • Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria
  • Coffee Agroforestry And Zinc Solubilizing Bacteria
  • Coffee And Zinc  
  • Weedicides And Its Impact on Soil Micro Flora

Categories

  • Biodiversity
  • Bird friendly shade coffee
  • Butterflies
  • Coffee Physiology
  • Fertilizers
  • General
  • Global Warming
  • Mechanization
  • Microorganisms
  • Multiple Cropping
  • Organics
  • Pollination
  • Reptiles
  • Soils
  • Water
EcoFriendlyCoffee ©2001-2023 is a project of INeedCoffee.com. We are using the Blurr Pro theme by Surendra Soni. User Sitemap. Privacy Policy