204 bird species recorded in Coimbatore forest division census

COIMBATORE: The forest department recorded a total of 204 bird species and 7,579 birds during a census carried out in Coimbatore forest division on Saturday and Sunday.
The census was carried out in 20 trail spots in seven forest ranges, including Coimbatore, Periyanaickenpalayam, Madukkarai, Boluvampatti, Karamadai, Mettupalayam and Sirumugai. It also covered other key spots like Forest College campus, TNAU, IOB Colony, Dhaliyur, Kalangal grassland and Pachapalayam grassland.
During the census, a number of important bird species were recorded. These included the red spurfowl, green imperial pigeon, chestnut-bellied sandgrouse, sirkeer malkoha, Jerdon’s nightjar, white-rumped needletail, crested treeswift, osprey, black eagle, lesser fish-eagle, rock eagle-owl, mottled wood-owl, Malabar trogon, Malabar pied hornbill, stork-billed kingfisher, rufous woodpecker, white-bellied woodpecker, common kestrel, red-necked falcon peregrine falcon, large cuckooshrike, black-headed and cuckooshrike.
The most populous bird species recorded in the survey were red-vented bulbul (339), common myna (316), yellow-billed babbler (301), rock pigeon (249), rose-ringed parakeet (233), little cormorant (228), Indian peafowl (223), red-rumped swallow (214), ashy-crowned sparrowlark (204), and Indian jungle crow (166).
A total of 20 census teams were deployed, comprising birding experts, enthusiasts and forest staff. The participants were mainly from Coimbatore Nature Society (CNS), The Nature and Butterfly Society (TNBS) and WWF India.
The census results from the Tamil Nadu forest department have been sent for state level consolidation, an official said.
In addition to the census data, the survey also collected information about the habitats surveyed such as type of forest, dominant vegetation, habitat destruction, threats present, cattle grazing, and invasive plants, he said.
“This data will be used to help develop effective conservation strategies and monitoring programmes for the protection of the region's birdlife. The findings of the survey will also be invaluable in creating public awareness about the importance of preserving the natural habitats of birds and other wildlife,” he added
The forest department conducted a survey of wetland birds in the first phase of January, which recorded a total of 152 bird species with 9,732 birds.