Birds
A study by Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) has revealed the sighting of one hundred and eighty species of birds from the area.
Out of these, 14 % are migrants. Twelve species out of 16 Western Ghats endemics are recorded. It was observed that a significant
population of these species exist in Malabar wildlife sanctuary. Thirteen species belong to the Schedule I of the Wildlife
Protection Act (1972).
Three globally-threatened species found in Malabar wildlife sanctuary are Kerala laughing thrush, ( jerdoni meridionalis ),
Wayanad laughing thrush ( Garrulax delesserti ) and oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster). Major endemic and threatened
birds recorded from the region are grey-headed bulbul, Malabar parakeet, small sunbird, white-bellied blue flycatcher, etc. Pied harrier (Circus
melanoleucos) Ceylon frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger), oriental broad-billed roller (Eurystomus orientalis ), great black woodpecker
( Dryocopus javensis ), Nilgiri flycatcher ( Eumyias albicaudata ), white-bellied treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra) are some of the other
important bird species.
Birds in Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis (Pallas, 1764)
- Little Cormorant, Phalacrocorax niger (Vieillot, 1817)
- Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Darter, Anhinga melanogaster Pennant , 1769
- Little Egret, Egretta garzetta (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Large Egret, Casmerodius albus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Median Egret, Mesophoyx intermedia (Wagler, 1829)
- Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Indian Pond-Heron, Ardeola grayii (Sykes, 1832)
- Little Green Heron, Butorides striatus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Lesser Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield, 1821)
- Oriental Honey-Buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus (Temminck, 1821)
- Black-shouldered Kite, Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines, 1789)
- Brahminy Kite, Haliastur indus (Boddaert, 1783)
- Crested Serpent-Eagle, Spilornis cheela (Latham, 1790
- Western Marsh-Harrier, Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Pied Harrier, Circus melanoleucos (Pennant, 1769)
- Crested Goshawk, Accipiter trivirgatus (Temminck, 1824)
- Shikra, Accipiter badius (Gmelin, 1788)
- Black Eagle, Ictinaetus malayensis (Temminck, 1822)
- Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus cirrhatus (Gmelin, 1788)
- Common Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus Linnaeus , 1758
- Painted Bush-Quail, Perdicula erythrorhyncha (Sykes, 1832)
- Red Spurfowl, Galloperdix spadicea (Gmelin, 1789)
- Grey Junglefowl, Gallus sonneratii Temminck , 1813
- White-breasted Waterhen, Amaurornis phoenicurus (Pennant, 1769)
- Red-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 1783)
- Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus Linnaeus, 1758
- River Tern, Sterna aurantia J.E. Gray, 1831
- Blue Rock Pigeon, Columba livia Gmelin , 1789
- Spotted Dove, Streptopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786)
- Pompadour Green-Pigeon, Treron pompadora (Gmelin, 1789)
- Green Imperial-Pigeon, Ducula aenea (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Mountain Imperial-Pigeon, Ducula badia (Raffles, 1822)
- Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon, Columba elphinstonii (Sykes, 1833)
- Indian Hanging-Parrot, Loriculus vernalis (Sparrman, 1787)
- Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769)
- Plum-headed Parakeet, Psittacula cyanocephala (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Blue-winged Parakeet, Psittacula columboides (Vigors, 1830)
- Pied Crested Cuckoo, Clamator jacobinus (Boddaert, 1783)
- Brainfever Bird, Hierococcyx varius (Vahl, 1797)
- Indian Cuckoo, Cuculus micropterus Gould , 1838
- Banded Bay Cuckoo, Cacomantis sonneratii (Latham, 1790)
- Indian Plaintive Cuckoo, Cacomantis passerinus (Vahl, 1797)
- Drongo Cuckoo, Surniculus lugubris (Horsfield, 1821)
- Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Greater Coucal, Centropus sinensis (Stephens, 1815)
- Oriental Scops-Owl, Otus sunia (Hodgson, 1836)
- Collared Scops-Owl, Otus bakkamoena Pennant , 1769
- Brown Fish-Owl, Ketupa zeylonensis (Gmelin, 1788)
- Jungle Owlet, Glaucidium radiatum (Tickell, 1833)
- Brown Hawk-Owl, Ninox scutulata (Raffles, 1822)
- Ceylon Frogmouth, Batrachostomus moniliger Blyth , 1846
- Indian Jungle Nightjar, Caprimulgus indicus Latham , 1790
- Jerdon’s Nightjar, Caprimulgus atripennis Jerdon, 1845
- Indian Edible-nest Swiftlet, Collocalia unicolor (Jerdon, 1840)
- White-rumped Needletail-Swift, Zoonavena sylvatica (Tickell, 1846)
- Brown-backed Needletail-Swift, Hirundapus giganteus (Temminck, 1846)
- Alpine Swift, Tachymarptis melba (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Pacific Swift, Apus pacificus (Latham, 1801)
- Common Golden-backed Woodpecker, Dinopium javanense (Ljungh,1797)
- Tickell’s Warbler, Phylloscopus affinis (Tickell, 1833)
- Greenish Leaf-Warbler, Phylloscopus trochiloides (Sundevall, 1837)
- Large-billed Leaf-Warbler, Phylloscopus magnirostris Blyth , 1843
- Western Crowned Warbler, Phylloscopus occipitalis (Blyth, 1845)
- Asian Brown Flycatcher, Muscicapa dauurica Pallas, 1811
- Rusty-tailed Flycatcher, Muscicapa ruficauda Swainson , 1838
- Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Muscicapa muttui (Layard, 1854)
- Verditer Flycatcher, Eumyias thalassina (Swainson, 1838)
- Nilgiri Flycatcher, Eumyias albicaudata (Jerdon, 1840)
- White-bellied Blue-Flycatcher, Cyornis pallipes (Jerdon, 1840)
- Tickell’s Blue-Flycatcher, Cyornis tickelliae Blyth , 1843
- Grey-headed Flycatcher, Culicicapa ceylonensis (Swainson, 1820)
- Asian Paradise-Flycatcher, Terpsiphone paradisi (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Black-naped Monarch-Flycatcher, Hypothymis azurea (Boddaert, 1783)
- Great Tit, Parus major Linnaeus, 1758
- Black-lored Yellow Tit, Parus xanthogenys Vigors , 1831
- Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (1838)
- Sitta frontalis Swainson, 1820
- Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Dicaeum agile (Tickell, 1833)
- Tickell’s Flowerpecker, Dicaeum erythrorhynchos (Latham, 1790)
- Plain Flowerpecker, Dicaeum concolor Jerdon , 1840
- Purple-rumped Sunbird, Nectarinia zeylonica (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Small Sunbird, Nectarinia minima (Sykes, 1832)
- Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Nyctyornis athertoni (Jardine & Selby, 1828)
- Greater Golden-backed Woodpecker, Chrysocolaptes lucidus (Scopoli,1786)
- Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker, Dinopium benghalense (Linnaeus,1758)
- Coppersmith Barbet, Megalaima haemacephala (P.L.S. Müller, 1776)
- Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker, Dendrocopos nanus (Vigors, 1832)
- Ruby-throated Bulbul, Pycnonotus melanicterus gularis(Gmelin, 1789)
- White-throated Ground Thrush, Zoothera citrina cyanotue (Jardine& Selby)
- Black-chinned Laughingthrush, Garrulax jerdoni jerdoni (Jerdon, 1839)
- House Swift, Apus affinis (J.E. Gray, 1830)
- Crested Tree-Swift, Hemiprocne coronata (Tickell, 1833)
- Malabar Trogon, Harpactes fasciatus (Pennant, 1769)
- Small Blue Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Stork-billed Kingfisher, Halcyon capensis (Linnaeus, 1766)
- White-breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Small Bee-eater, Merops orientalis Latham, 1801
- Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus Linnaeus , 1766
- Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Merops leschenaulti Vieillot , 1817
- Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Oriental Broad-billed Roller, Eurystomus orientalis (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Malabar Grey Hornbill, Ocyceros griseus (Latham, 1790)
- White-cheeked Barbet, Megalaima viridis (Boddaert, 1783)
- Crimson-throated Barbet, Megalaima rubricapilla (Gmelin, 1788)
- Rufous Woodpecker, Celeus brachyurus (Vieillot, 1818)
- Great Black Woodpecker, Dryocopus javensis (Horsfield, 1821)
- Heart-spotted Woodpecker, Hemicircus canente (Lesson, 1830)
- Indian Pitta, Pitta brachyura (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Eremopterix grisea (Scopoli, 1786)
- Dusky Crag-Martin, Hirundo concolor Sykes , 1833
- Common Swallow, Hirundo rustica Linnaeus , 1758
- House Swallow, Hirundo tahitica Gmelin , 1789
- Wire-tailed Swallow, Hirundo smithii Leach, 1818
- Red-rumped Swallow, Hirundo daurica Linnaeus, 1771
- Forest Wagtail, Dendronanthus indicus (Gmelin, 1789)
- Large Pied Wagtail, Motacilla maderaspatensis Gmelin, 1789
- Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea Tunstall, 1771
- Paddyfield Pipit, Anthus rufulus Vieillot, 1818
- Large Cuckoo-Shrike, Coracina macei (Lesson, 1830)
- White-bellied Minivet, Pericrocotus erythropygius (Jerdon, 1840)
- Scarlet Minivet, Pericrocotus flammeus (Forster, 1781)
- Pied Flycatcher-Shrike, Hemipus picatus (Sykes, 1832)
- Large Woodshrike, Tephrodornis gularis (Raffles, 1822)
- Red-whiskered Bulbul, Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Red-vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Yellow-browed Bulbul, Iole indica (Jerdon, 1839)
- Black Bulbul, Hypsipetes leucocephalus (P.L.S. Muller, 1776)
- Common Iora, Aegithina tiphia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Jerdon’s Chloropsis, Chloropsis cochinchinensis (Gmelin, 1788)
- Gold-fronted Chloropsis, Chloropsis aurifrons (Temminck, 1829)
- Asian Fairy-Bluebird, Irena puella (Latham, 1790)
- Brown Shrike, Lanius cristatus Linnaeus, 1758
- Rufous-backed Shrike, Lanius schach Linnaeus, 1758
- Blue-headed Rock-Thrush, Monticola cinclorhynchus (Vigors, 1832)
- Malabar Whistling-Thrush, Myiophonus horsfieldii (Vigors, 1831)
- Rufous-bellied Shortwing, Brachypteryx major major Jerdon
- Indian Blue Robin, Luscinia brunnea (Hodgson, 1837)
- Oriental Magpie-Robin, Copsychus saularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Wynaad Laughingthrush, Garrulax delesserti (Jerdon, 1839)
- Spotted Babbler, Pellorneum ruficeps Swainson, 1832
- Indian Scimitar-Babbler, Pomatorhinus horsfieldii Sykes, 1832
- Black-headed Babbler, Rhopocichla atriceps (Jerdon, 1839)
- Indian Rufous Babbler, Turdoides subrufus (Jerdon, 1839)
- Jungle Babbler, Turdoides striatus (Dumont, 1823)
- White-headed Babbler, Turdoides affinis (Jerdon, 1847)
- Quaker Tit-Babbler, Alcippe poioicephala (Jerdon, 1844)
- Ashy Prinia, Prinia socialis Sykes, 1832
- Blyth’s Reed-Warbler, Acrocephalus dumetorum Blyth, 1849
- Common Tailorbird, Orthotomus sutorius (Pennant, 1769)
- Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Jungle Myna, Acridotheres fuscus (Wagler, 1827)
- Southern Hill-Myna, Gracula indica (Cuvier, 1829)
- Eurasian Golden Oriole, Oriolus oriolus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Black-naped Oriole, Oriolus chinensis Linnaeus, 1766
- Black-headed Oriole, Oriolus xanthornus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Ashy Drongo, Dicrurus leucophaeus Vieillot, 1817
- Bronzed Drongo, Dicrurus aeneus Vieillot, 1817
- Spangled Drongo, Dicrurus hottentottus (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Ashy Woodswallow, Artamus fuscus Vieillot, 1817
- Indian Treepie, Dendrocitta vagabunda (Latham, 1790)
- White-bellied Treepie, Dendrocitta leucogastra Gould, 1833
- House Crow, Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817
- Jungle Crow, Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler, 1827
- Black-throated Munia, Lonchura kelaarti (Jerdon, 1863)
- Spotted Munia, Lonchura punctulata (Linnaeus, 1758)
- House Sparrow, Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Grey-headed Starling, Sturnus malabaricus (Gmelin, 1789)
- Blyth’s Starling, Sturnus malabaricus blythii (Jerdon)
- Oriental White-eye, Zosterops palpebrosus (Temminck, 1824)
- White-rumped Munia, Lonchura striata (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Purple Sunbird, Nectarinia asiatica (Latham, 1790)
- Loten’s Sunbird, Nectarinia lotenia (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Little Spiderhunter, Arachnothera longirostra (Latham, 1790)
- Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike, Coracina melanoptera (Rüppell, 1839)
- Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Dicrurus paradiseus (Linnaeus, 1766)