Greater Adjutant
Leptoptilos dubius

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27th May, 2008 
Full Species (monotypic); i.e. no subspecies/races
Leptoptilos dubius; Gmelin, 1789

Greater Adjutant Group
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IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Endangered -- Further Details

Distribution:

Current population estimate is of only about 1000 adults and young with now known disjunct breeding records from Assam and Combodia (Hilloljyoti Singha and Asad R. Rahmani 2006).

Legendary historical record by Oates; he found an enormous colony of these birds breeding in Pegu in a forest west of Shwaygheen (In Myanmar - Ed). He said:

Along with the Pelicans, breeding in the same trees, were innumerable Adjutants. One can hardly realize the number of these birds that visit Pegu in October, unless, as I have, he has seen the vast armies which settle on the plains on their first arrival. I have stood on a bund where I could see about two miles round me, and the whole area was literally covered with them. Some fifty birds stand huddled together; then there is a bare space of about 100 feet, and then another group of birds. Their numbers are incredible. They all arrive suddenly in the Pegu plain on the same day, and after resting for about two days, they betake themselves to the forest, where I had the pleasure of visiting them. Certainly almost all the Indian Adjutants must come to Pegu to breed.

On the same day that we took the Pelican's eggs, we also paid attention to the Adjutants, but whereas in the case of the Pelicans by climbing one tree you procure almost as many eggs as you care to have, with the Adjutants it is different. Frequently there is only a solitary nest in a tree, rarely two or three, and in this case the tree selected is a stupendous one, with immense branches reaching 50 feet from the trunk and mostly horizontal. Fortunately the nests are so frequent that there is no difficulty, in the course of a morning, in finding accessible ones in plenty.

November 11th was a trifle too early. Many nests were still being built; others had no eggs in them, and only a few had the full complement of three eggs.

The nest is made entirely of coarse sticks, and it is of such a size that the sitting bird cannot be seen from below, except when she stretches her head out. It is wedged into a fork as near the exterior of the tree as possible, whether at the top or side.

The eggs, three in number, are originally pure white and tolerably, in some specimens very, smooth to the touch. As incubation proceeds the shell gets much stained and becomes a dark earth-brown. The interior lining is very dark green. They are very regular ovals, much the same shape at both ends. Size from 2.82 to 3.1 by 2.08 to 2.25.

These Adjutants utter only one sound, and it resembles the lowing of a cow when separated from her calf. It was the only sound heard in these gloomy forests.

Oates, Eugene W. 1878. Notes on Nidification of some Burmese Birds, II. Stray Feathers VII: 40-52.

It seems that there are no current resident or breeding colonies in Myanmar (Luthin 1987, Hancock et al. 1992), however surveys are required throughout for a possible remnant breeding population (Khin Ma Ma Thwin in litt. 1997).-Ed.

Historical record by Jerdon:
Greater AdjutantThe Adjutant is found throughout the greater part of India, is rare in the South, but extremely common in part of Northern India, and more especially in Bengal and North-eastern India. I never saw it in the Carnatic nor in Malabar; it is occasionally met with in Mysore, and is not rare in Hyderabad, thence becoming more common and abundant northwards. It spreads through Burmah to the Malayan peninsula. It is only a temporary resident in India coming in towards the close of the hot weather in April or May, and remaining till October. A very few barren or unpaired birds remain occasionally in parts of the country.

Jerdon, T.C. 1862. The Birds Of India. Vol I, II & III.

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Where to see:


Guwahati, Assam, India
1. In the middle of the city at Paltan bazaar, about Meghdoot Cinema hall. Early mornings and evenings.
2. At the big Garbage dump near Deepor Beel, close to the express highway. Large midday groups.

 

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