Chail, Himachal Pradesh: An important record related to bird diversity has emerged from the Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, with the presence of the Indian Roller (Coracias benghalensis) documented in the sanctuary for the first time. The significant observation was made during wildlife monitoring by Forest Block Officer Neelam Thakur, FGD Shalinder, FGD Anoop, FGD Sumitra, Van Mitra Rupal and Mehar.
The Indian Roller is easily identifiable by its striking blue and turquoise colours. Its beautiful blue wings are particularly visible during flight. The bird is generally found in plains, open areas, agricultural land, grasslands and low-altitude regions. It is often seen perched on trees, power lines or other elevated locations while searching for insects and small creatures. Therefore, its presence in the Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, located at an altitude of around 2,100 to 2,600 metres, is considered particularly significant.
According to Himanshu Chaudhary, the Indian Roller is generally associated with plains and lower-altitude areas, making its presence in Chail noteworthy. Unusual records of the species at higher elevations have previously been reported from other parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Sangla in 2014 and Kaza in 2023. However, there was no previous record of the Indian Roller from Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, making this observation an important addition to the sanctuary’s documented bird diversity.
