Kakoijana Reserved Forest
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Kakoijana hillocks covering an area of 17.24 km2 was declared as a Reserved Forest vide a Government Notification issued of 29th April 1966. Approximately 0.5 km2 of this area falls within the study area (Plate 2). The area is mostly covered with mixed wood subtropical moist deciduous forests with teak plantations, scattered bamboo groves and miscellaneous species. The forest is a fragmented habitat for several endangered species of mammals and reptiles.
The Kakoijana Reserved Forest has been a special significance as a wildlife habitat of the Golden langur (trachypithecus geel). This Reserved Forest is the only habitat for this species outside its range of reported distribution in Manas Tiger Reserve, and in Chakrashila R.F. of the Kokrajhar district. During the field studies conducted for this study, the troops of Golden langur were sighted near Hapachara (Plate 3). Personal communication with members of Nature's Foster and the officials of Assam State Forest Department (February 2001) confirm the presence of at least 60 individuals of Golden langur in the Kakoijana R.F. from the survey locations placed on map in Plate 2. Some local naturalist even believe the number to be as high as 100 individuals (Pers. Comm. K.K. Dey 2001).
Kakoijana R.F. is also the habitat of highly rare and endangered species such as Binuturong, Indian pangoline and Python. Other species reported from this R.F. include Leopard, Civet, Jungle Cat, Mongoose, Barking Deer, Flying Squirrel and Monitor Lizard.
The Kakoijana R.F. is also a home to a wide variety of woodland bird species. An exhaustive checklist of bird species of Bongaigaon including Kakoijana (Bose 1996) is placed as an Appendix - II. A checklist of important species based on earlier observation of Bose (1996) and subsequent additions based on personal observations and information provided by Nature Foster is placed as Table 6.
Table 6. Checklist of Birds of Kakoijana Reserved Forest.
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S. No.
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Common Name
|
Scientific Name
|
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1
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Red Junglefowl
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Gallus gallus
|
|
2
|
Little Bustard Quail
|
Turnix sylvatica
|
|
3
|
Jungle Bush Quail
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Perdicula asiatica
|
|
4
|
Yellowfronted Pied Woodpecker
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Dendrocopos maharattensis
|
|
5
|
Indian Goldenbacked Three Toed Woodpecker
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Dinopium javanese
|
|
6
|
Bluethroated Barbet
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Magalaima asiatica
|
|
7
|
Crimsonbreasted Barbet
|
Magalaima haemacephala
|
|
8
|
Indian roller
|
Coracias benghalensis
|
|
9
|
Common Kingfirsher
|
Alcedo atthis
|
|
10
|
Whitebreasted kingfisher
|
Halcyon smyrensis
|
|
11
|
Green Bee-eater
|
Merops orientalis
|
|
12
|
Pied Crested Cuckoo
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Oxylophus jacobinus
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|
13
|
Common Hawk Cuckoo
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Cuculus varius
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|
14
|
Koel
|
Eudynamys scolpacea
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|
15
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Green Billed malkoha
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Phaenicophaeus tristis
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|
16
|
Crow Pheasant
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Centropus sinensis
|
|
17
|
Indian Lorikeet
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Lriculus vernalis
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|
18
|
Alexandrine Parakeet
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Psittacula eupatria
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|
19
|
Nepal House Martin
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Delichon nipalensis
|
|
20
|
Palmswift
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Cypsiurus balasiensis
|
|
21
|
Spotted Owlet
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Athene brama
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|
22
|
Brown Hawk Owl
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Ninox Scutulata
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|
23
|
Turtle Dove
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Streptopelia turtur
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|
24
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Spotted Dove
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Streptppelia chinensis
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25
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Red Turtle Dove
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Streptopelia tranquebarica
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26
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Indian Ring Dove
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Streptopelia decaocto
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|
27
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Yellowlegged Green Pigeon
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Treron phoenicoptera
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28
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Red Wattled Lapwing
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Vanellus indicus
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29
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Indian Blackcrested Baza
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Aviceda leuphotes
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30
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Blackwinged Kite
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Elanus caeruleus
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31
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Bonelli's Eagle
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Hieraaetus fasciatus
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32
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Booted Hawk Eagle
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Hieraaetus pennatus
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33
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Pariah Kite
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Milvus migrans
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34
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Indian Whitebacked Vulture
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Gyps benghalensis
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35
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Indian Longbilled Vulture
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Gyps indicus
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36
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Pied Harrier
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Circus Melanoleucus
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37
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Sparrow Hawk
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Accipiter nisus
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|
38
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Buzzard
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Buteo buteo
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|
39
|
Roughlegged Buzzard
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Boteo lagopus
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40
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Steppe Eagle
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Aquila nipalensis
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41
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Kestrel
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Falco tinnunculus
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42
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Cattle Egret
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Bubulcus ibis
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43
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Goldenfronted Chloropsis
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Chloropsis aurifrons
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44
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Brown Shrike
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Lanius cristatus
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45
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Rufousbacked Shrike
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Lanius schach
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46
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Grey Shrike
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Lanius excubitor
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47
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Indian Tree Pie
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Dendrocitta vagabunda
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48
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House Crow
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Corvus splendens
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49
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Jungle Crow
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Corvus macrorhynchos
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50
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Ashy Swallow Shrike
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Artamus fuscus
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51
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Blackheaded Oriole
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Oriolus xanthornus
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52
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White Throated Fantail
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Rhipidura albicollis
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53
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Scarlet Minivet
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Pericocotus flammeus
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54
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Black Drongo
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Dicrusus macrocercus
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55
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Whotebellied Drongo
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Dicrusus caeruescens
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56
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Haircrested Drongo
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Dicrusus hottentottus
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57
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Greater Rackettailed Drongo
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Dicrusus paradiseus
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58
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Common lora
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Aegithina tiphia
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59
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Blacknapped Flycatcher
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Hypothymis azurea
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60
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Common Wood Shrike
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Tephrodornis pondiceriacus
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61
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Ruby Throat
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Luscinia calliope
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62
|
Magpie Robin
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Copsychus saularis
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63
|
Shama
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Copsychus malabaricus
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64
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Black Redstart
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Phoenicurus ochruros
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65
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Whitecapped Redstart
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chaimarrornis leucocephalus
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66
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Stone Chat
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Saxicola torquata
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67
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Pied Myna
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Sturnus contra
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68
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Common Myna
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Acridotheres tristis
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69
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Grey Tit
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Parus major
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70
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Blackheaded Yellow Bulbul
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Pucnonotus melanicterus
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71
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Redwhiskered Bulbul
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Pycnonotus jocosus
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72
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Redvented Bulbul
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Pycnonotus cafer
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73
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Ashy Wren Warbler
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Prinia Socialis
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74
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Plain Wren Warbler
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Prinia inornate
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75
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White Eye
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Zosterops palpebrosas
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76
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Tailor Bird
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Orthotomus sutorius
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77
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Rufousnecked Laughing Thrush
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Garrulax ruficollis
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78
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Jungle Babbler
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Turtoides striatus
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79
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Whitebellied Yuhina
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Yuhina xantholeuca
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80
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Redwinged Bush Lark
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Mirafra erythroptera
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81
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Crested Lark
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Galerida cristata
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82
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Firebrested Flowerpecker
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Dicaeum ignipectus
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83
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Olivebacked Sunbird
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Necterinia jugularis
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84
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Purple Sunbird
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Nectarinia asiatica
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|
85
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House Sparrow
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Passer domesticus
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86
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Tree Sparrow
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Passer montanus
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87
|
Pied Wagtail
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Motacilla alba
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|
88
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Grey Wagtail
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Motacilla cinerea
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Attempts were also made to collect information on the butterfly fauna of this area. As has been said earlier, one of the major constraints in systematic documentation of information on the distribution and abundance of faunal species has been the restriction of movements within the study area on account of prevailing threats to the insurgency. Stray evidences supported by documented information, personal communication with local naturalists and unpublished records and field notes on Nature's Foster have been the basis of information on butterfly fauna. Approximately 66 species of butterfly have been reported from the Kakoijana RF and its surrounds (Pers. Comm., records and field notes of Nature's Foster). Some of the representative butterfly species of Kakoijana RF (Plate 4) observed by WII team include Yellow jack sailer, Popinjay, Chocolate albatross, Five bar swordtail, Tialed jay, Punchinello Banded tree brown, Mottled emigrant, Common nawab, Common sergent and grey pansy.
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Last Updated: September 28, 2015
