A Checklist of Avifauna in Mukuruthi National Park, The Nilgiris, Southern Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India
Ranjitha J
Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore – 641029, India.
Pavunraj M
Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, Vivekananda College, Tiruvedakam West, Madurai District – 625 234, India.
Ramakrishnan R
Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi West - 626 124, India.
Murali P
Department of Zoology, N.M.S. S. Vellaichamy Nadar College, Nagamalai, Madurai – 625019, India.
S. Raja *
Post Graduate & Research Department of Zoology, Kongunadu Arts and Science College, Coimbatore – 641029, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study was carried out from January to June of each year 2022 to 2023 checklist of avifauna in Mukuruthi National Park in the Nilgiris. We have documented 75 bird species across 13 orders and 34 families. Passerine birds(n=45) were more diverse than non-passerine birds (n=30). In the study, several bird species are categorized under various IUCN threat categories only one species is near threatened (Zoothera neilgherriensis) while each of the three species is considered endangered, and vulnerable, and the remaining 68 species are classified as least concern. The present study anticipates that montane grassland and shola forest habitats will serve as critical areas for flora and fauna species, supporting future studies on various aspects of avian ecology.
Keywords: Avifauna, Grassland, Mukuruthi National Park, Nilgiris