Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1, A4i, A4iii (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 15 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | favourable | low | negligible |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
The Uppalapadu, a freshwater tank situated in Uppalapadu village under Village Council (Gram Panchayat) revenue land, is small but very important for the globally threatened Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis. The depth of the tank is c. 3 m. Uppalapadu is c. 8 km from Guntur town. The pelicanry is of recent origin, and nesting was first recorded in the winter of 2000 (Rao and Kumar 2000).
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: In 1999, Spot-billed Pelican, Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, Oriental White Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus and Little Cormorant Phalacrocorax niger suddenly appeared in 30 acre wetland of Uppalapadu village and started breeding on large trees (K. M. Rao pers. comm. 2002). In October 2001, 60 pairs of Pelicans were counted and 600 nests of Asian Openbill were seen. As the birds became established in the area, the villagers could not bear the increasing smell of guano. They also complained that the tank water was getting polluted due to the excreta and fish dropped by these birds. Some villagers uprooted trees to stop the birds breeding there, but others protested, so this was stopped. Finally, about 6 acres of the pond was apportioned to the birds by building a small bund. However, this was found to be too small. Local NGOs approached the Forest Department to save the breeding colony. The district authorities have agreed to provide an alternative supply of water to villagers (K. M. Rao in litt. 2001). It is likely that the pelicans have shifted from Kolleru pelicanry which had been abandoned (Manakadan and Kannan 2003). In December 2002, Manakadan and Kannan (2003) recorded a total of 244 pelicans and counted 114 nests.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: This small village pond does not have any mammalian fauna presently of conservation concern.
Acknowledgements
Key contributors: K. Mrutyumjaya Rao and V. Kannan.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Uppalapadu (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/uppalapadu-iba-india on 25/11/2024.