Bird, butterfly survey at Periyar reserve ends

IDUKKI: The four-day-long bird and butterfly survey concluded at Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) on Sunday. The survey was conducted jointly by the Travancore Natural History Society (TNHS) and Kottayam Nature Society (KNS).
The survey was conducted in PTR east ranges of Periyar, Thekkady and Vallakkadavu.
The first phase of the survey has added 13 new birds and 16 butterflies to the checklist.In the survey, over 243 bird species were spotted in the area.
The 13 interesting bird species newly spotted at PTR are eurasian woodcock (prakkada), steppe gull (steep kadalkakka), grey-necked bunting (charakandan thinakkuruvi), amur falcon(chenkalan pullu), booted warbler (mudikkalan pullu), paddyfield warbler ( padakkuruvi), pin-tailed snipe (mulvalan chundankada), marsh sandpiper (chathupan), olive-backed pipit (pacha varampan), wire-tailed swallow (kampi valan kathrika pakshi), common swift (panankoolan), common chiffchaff (chiftaff) and whiskered tern (kariyala).