Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

DISTRIBUTION OF AVIAN SPECIES IN MANDAKINI RIVER VALLEY IN RUDRAPRAYAG DISTRICT, UTTARAKHAND (WESTERN HIMALAYA), INDIA

Tribhuwan Chandra and Dinesh Bhatt

Abstract

Mandakini Valley in Western Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India harbors a total of 215 bird species belonging to 37 families. This is the first systematic inventory of birds for this valley. Muscicapidae emerges as the largest family in the valley including six subfamilies (Turdinae, Timaliinae, Sylviinae, Musscicapinae, Monarchinae and Rhipidurinae) and 72 species. Out of the 215 species four (Garrulux variegates, Dendroscopos nanus, Stachyris pyrrhops, Psittacula cyanocephala) are endemic to the Indian subcontinent and two, Red Headed Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) and White Rumped Vulture (Gyps bangalensis), are globally threatened.