Avifaunal diversity along a forest trekking corridor in Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Utpal Singha Roy and S. K. Mukhopadhyay2

1

Corresponding author: Department of Zoology, Durgapur Government College, JN Avenue, Durgapur 713214, West Bengal, India. Email. srutpal@gmail.com
2

Department of Zoology, Hoogly Mohsin College, Chinsurah - 712101, West Bengal, India Namdapha National Park (NNP) also a Tiger Reserve with its pristine forests covers an area of 1985 square km and lies in the international border between India and Myanmar (Burma) within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast India. We recently (27.ii.2010 2.iii.2010) had the good fortune to witness the true wilderness and enchanting beauty of diverse flora and fauna of this biodiversity hotspot. On 1.iii.2010 we started at 07:00hrs to trek up to Bulbulia camp, almost 15km away form Deban rest house (NNP) through a dense, moist forest corridor. A small forest department boat assisted us to cross the Noadehing River while we had to traverse the precipitous current of Deban River barefooted. Numerous waterbirds were noted on the riverbeds that included Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), Little Cormorant (P. niger), White-capped Water-redstart (Chaimarrornis leucocephalus) and Yellow-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus malarbaricus). The sun was signing gloriously over the remote mountains as we entered in the tropical rain forest of NNP, leaving Deban River on the left hand side. Typical vegetation with ferns, orchids, tree creepers and vibrant fungus immediately caught our sight. A number of birds were there for display including various laughing thrushes, flycatchers, barbets, dove and pigeons. We noted more than 15 species of butterflies and moths some