ORIENTAL WHITE STORK (CICONIA CICONIA BOYCIANA).

Breeds in SE Siberia. Formerly known to breed in Japan and South Korea. Either winters or has been recordedon migration in China and Taiwan. Recently established large wetland reserves for cranes have benefited this species too. Prefers marshes and paddy cultivations. Legally and strictly protected over its range. This eastern race of the white stork appears also on the 1973 Appendix I of Convention on Intemation Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

PALLAS’ SEA-EAGLE (HATTAEAUS FEWORYPHUS).

Wide distribution over Southern and Central Asia, but numbers declining everywhere, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Freshwater lakes and marshes. Needs to be monitored and nesting sites must be guarded.

PINK-HEADED DUCK (RHODONESSA CARYOPHYLLACEA).

NE Inslia, Burma and adjoining pairs of SE Asia No confirmed sighting since 1935. Presumed extinct though most of the suitable habitats have not been properly surveyed.

PYGMY CORMORANT (PHALARROCORAX PYGMEUS).

Southern Europe and parts of West Asia. Over most of its range the species has either entirely disappeared or been reduced to extremely small populations. The drainage of natural marshlands has been the single most important factor responsible for the decline of this cormorant. Overall stains is vulnerable.

RED-BREASTED GOOSE (BRAMA RAFTCOFFIS).

Parts of Europe and West Asia. Population over most of its range has fallen considerably over the past few ciecades, chiefly due to disturbances, large scale hunting and habitat loss. Species requires to be monitored.

RED-CROWNED OR MANCHURIAN CRANE (GROS
JAPONENSIS).

Two separated populations. Owisain mainland Asia, breeding in SE Siberia and Manchuna and migrating to Korea. The other population resident in Japan. Not particularly uncommon but vulnerable species nonetheless, the conversion of its marshland habitat for various kinds of developmental projects being the greatest threat to this crane 100 and more cranes have been observed winterin on the coastal mudilms bordering the Yangtze rive in South Korea. The species is legally protected over most of its range.

RELICT GULL (CARUS RELICTUS).

Winters possibly in East-Central China. Believed to be rare but them is great deal of identification confusion with other gulls. Detailed surveys needed to determine status.

SAUNDER’S GULL (CARUS SOUNDERS).

Breeds Southeast Asia. Winters, passage migrant in Eastern China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan. Coastal mudflats, mostly in populated areas. Requires to be monitored to determine status and range.
Siberian white crane (Gras feucogemnus). USSR, Iran, India. Breeds in the USSR, in two distinct populations. Numbers of the western flock wintering in Iran and India have been alarmingly low over the past decade. Only 10 birds arrived in Bharatpur in 1990. (See Sanctuary Vol. XI. No. 1). The species requires to be contincusly monitored in its wintering areas. A vulnerable species.
Slender-billed curlew (Numenius tenuiroswis). Threatened. Breeds only in the USSR, in the southern belt of the Taiga, between the Urals and Ob Valley. Even here, there have not been any positive breeding records for the past half a century. Recorded on migration and to winter in South and East Europe, NW Africa (Morocco) and in Turkey, in extreme West Asia. The largest wintering concentrations have been recorded in Morocco. The breeding status needs to be urgently determined.