The Kotagiri Wildlife Association along with nature enthusiasts and conservationists conducted a bird count in the eastern slopes of the Nilgiris, and spotted a good number of avian residents recently.
The bird watchers spotted a wide range of birds this year. “We spotted Black eagle, Spot-bellied eagle-owl, Nilgiri wood pigeon, Streak throated woodpecker, Crested serpent eagle, Shaheen falcon, Besra sparrowhawk, Crested goshawk, Coucals, Grey bellied cuckoo, Blue faced malkoha, Common hawk cuckoo, Drongo-cuckoo, Rufous woodpecker, Jacobin cuckoo and the elusive Nilgiri laughing thrush, said A Bhoopathy from the Kotagiri Wildlife Association.
“This year’s summer has been extremely good in the Nilgiris as it was accompanied by good summer showers. Due to the ideal weather conditions, the bird count has been extremely good this year,” said Mr. Bhoopathy, a conservationist from the Nilgiris, who has been teaching his students about bird watching and conservation for many years.
Summer is an extremely important season for the birds as they nest, lay eggs, incubate, hatch and feed their chicks during the season, and hence the good number of birds spotted this year is an encouraging sign, said A. Indrajith, another bird watcher.
“The Nilgiris is a bird watchers’ hotspot and the eastern slopes is a combination of shola, evergreen, dry deciduous forests, farm lands and shrub jungles. This combination makes this place perfect for bird species,” he said.
