THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The monsoon bird survey conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram Wildlife Division and Warblers and Waders, a collective of birdwatchers, recorded as many as 124 bird species at Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary.
The survey recorded several Western Ghats endemic birds, including the white-bellied sholakili, broad-tailed grassbird, Nilgiri wood pigeon, white-bellied tree pie, Ashambu laughing thrush, Nilgiri flycatcher, and white-bellied blue flycatcher.
“We documented several rare and notable species, including the spot-bellied eagle-owl, brown wood-owl, black eagle, Eurasian kestrel, black-shouldered kite, Legge’s hawk eagle, rufous-bellied eagle, white-bellied woodpecker, and the great hornbill, the state bird of Kerala,” said C Sushanth, founding member of the collective.
The periodic bird surveys were initiated in 2025. “In December last year, we identified 166 birds. In March, we found another 164 species. Fewer migratory species are recorded during the monsoon, but we still found 124 species. Several species, including the pied cuckoo, the nocturnal Sri Lanka Frogmouth, and wetland birds were also recorded for the first time during the continuing survey programme. We have also documented active breeding behaviour and occupied nests of the broad-tailed grassbird, a vulnerable species endemic to the Western Ghats,” he said.
The survey also recorded reptiles and amphibians endemic to the Western Ghats and the Blue Nawab, a rare butterfly found in the state.