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Dr Salim Ali (The Birdman of India)
In 1966, the third King of Bhutan, Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, initiated a program to survey the birds of Bhutan. He invited ornithologists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) to discuss this research. Subsequently, a team from ZSI, including Dr. Salim Ali, Dr. Biswamoy Biswas, and Dr. S. Dillon Ripley, conducted a survey of Bhutan's avifauna. Between February 1966 and December 1973, they collected 3,218 specimens representing 481 species. From November 22-27, 1968, they surveyed the riverbanks of the Amo Chhu and its surrounding areas, including Samtse, at an altitude of 300 masl, recording 46 species and collecting 340 specimens. The bird list they compiled from Amo Chu including Samtse includes:
Indian Pond Heron
Cattle Egret
Common Kestrel
Lophura leucomelana moffitti (Hachisuka). Moffitt's Kalij (sub-species)
Rose-ringed Parakeet
Large-tailed Nightjar
Fulvous-breasted woodpecker
Black-hooded oriole
Maroon oriole
Hair-crested Drongo
Pied myna
Common green magpie
Rufous treepie
Large Woodshrike
15. Red-whiskered Bulbul
16. Red-vented Bulbul
17. Spotted Elachura
18. Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-Babbler
19. Pygmy Cupwing
20. Grey-throated babbler
21. Jungle babbler
22. Lesser-necklaced Laughingthrush
23. Greater-necklaced Laughingthrush
24. Rufous-necked Laughingthrush
25. Silver-eared Mesia
26. White-throated Fantail
27. Grey-bellied tesia
28. Grey-breasted prinia
29. Common Tailorbird
30. Mountain tailorbird
31. Blyth's Reed Warbler
32. Dusky Warblers
33. Hume's leaf warbler
34. Blyth's leaf warbler
35. Grey-hooded warbler
36. White-rumped Shama
37. Hodgson's Redstart
38. Plumbeous Water Redstart
39. White-bellied redstart
40. White-tailed robin
41. Slaty-backed Forktail
42. Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch
43. Olive-backed pipit
44. Tawny Pipit
45. Crimson sunbird
46. Streaked Spiderhunter
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