In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers from Salim Ali Ornithology Centre and Natural History (SACON) have found ‘Nilgiri laughingthrush’ an endemic and endangered bird species have occupied around 700 sq.km as against the 1,500 sq.km in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), especially in the Nilgiris district over the last two years.
The birds were found only in the understory in high altitudes of more than 1,400 metres (from sea level), and researchers identified the birds through their unique laughing calls as well as direct sightings.
The team is also studying ‘Banasura laughingthrush’ found in high elevations of Brahmagiris, Banasura and Camel’s hump Mountains in Kerala on around 70 sq.km and Ashambu Laughingthrush which was found in Agasthyamala biosphere reserve of Tamil Nadu and Kerala with distribution of roughly 350 sq.km.
The smaller number of occupancies of the Nilgiri Laughingthrush bird indicates that there were tremendous land use and land cover change over the 100 years.
Major numbers of Nilgiri Laughingthrush were found in Mukurthi national park and along with presence in isolated shola patches.
