The Nilgiri Tit butterfly, a rarely spotted species, was sighted on the Kodaikanal hill during a birds and butterfly survey conducted in Kodaikanal forests by forest officials and members of various voluntary organisations in the State.
A team comprising 45 volunteers spotted 14 species of butterflies and 11 rare birds. Ten groups conducted the survey in 30 places.
On the whole, the teams spotted 90 birds and 136 butterfly species, of which 11 were rare species, including Nilgiris wood pigeons, owls, grassland birds wood peckers and 14 rare species of butterflies, including Nilgiri Tit, Palni Four-ring, Palni Fritillary, Common Mime, Nilgri Clouded Yellow and Lesser Gul.
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Common Sergeant, Blackvein Sergeant, Clipper, Red spot Duke, Indian Red Admiral, Blue Admiral, Common Tinsel, Indian Awlking Orange Striped Awlet were other butterfly species spotted in Kodaikanal.
Similarly, spot-belled eagle owl, Nilgiri wood pigeon, Crested goshawk, Rufous-bellied eagle, Nilgiri Pipit, White-bellied Short wing, Orange headed thrush, Bay-backed shrike, Rufous wood pecker and Common flave back were some birds spotted.
When contacted District Forest Officer S. Murugan said the survey was conducted on August 5 and 6.
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Of the total 323 species of butterflies in the State, 136 were found in Kodaikanal. Similarly, of the 282 bird species in the district, 102 were found in Kodaikanal.
Conducting a survey in October and November would help us spot more birds and butterfly species, he opined.
Ranger N. Ravi said that the team sighted butterflies in interior forests. Many species were extremely rare in the State.
The members representing Tamil Nadu Butterfly Society, Coimbatore Nature Society, Madras Nature Society, Tirupur Nature Society, Madurai Nature Forum, Rajapalayam Butterfly Club from Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Theni, Madurai, Kanniyakumari, Tiruchi and Nilgiris took part in the survey, he added.