Distribution of Sri Lanka Yellow-Eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus) in Tropical Montane Cloud Forest - Horton Plains National Park

Abstract

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The distribution o f Sri Lanka Yellow-eared Bulbul (Pycnonotus penicillatus) was studied at the Montane Cloud Forests o f Horton Plains National Park, situated in the highland plateau o f the Nuwara Eliya District at the eastern extremity o f the Central Highlands from September 2015 to May 2016. It is an endemic, Near Threatened (NT) species that occurs in forests and adjacent gardens situated between 900-2000 m. Three main habitats in the Horton Plains were identified as Cloud Forest habitat, Cloud Forest Die-back habitat and Grassland habitat. Three 300m fixed line transects were marked in each o f the habitats using a global positioning system device (GPS). Yellow-eared Bulbuls were recorded on three consecutive days each month while travelling along transects from 0530h to 1030h. Birds were observed through a 10x50 binocular. Microsoft Excel™ and Minitab 14™ were used to analyze the data. Maximum number o f individuals (n=602) were recorded from the Cloud Forest habitat followed by 445 individuals at the Cloud Forest Die-back habitat. Yellow-eared Bulbul was not recorded from the Grassland. Highest number o f 138 birds in the Cloud Forest habitat was recorded in October 2015 and the least number o f 27 birds were recorded in May 2016. Highest number o f 150 birds in the Cloud Forest Die-back habitat was recorded in February 2016 and the only one bird was recorded in March 2016. Relative abundance o f the Yellow-eared Bulbul was 13.3% in the Cloud Forest habitat, and they were the third abundant species in that habitat. In the Cloud Forest Die-back habitat relative abundance o f the species was 23.8%, and they were the second abundant species in that particular habitat. Findings o f the present study revealed that the Cloud Forest is the preferred habitat o f the Yellow eared Bulbul followed by the Cloud Forest Die-back habitat.