Studies on Breeding Populations of Green Munia (Amandava formosa) in Koraput of Eastern Ghats, Southern Odisha, India

Green Munia (Amandava formosa) is an endemic Indian species threatened by pet trading and reduction in the area of its distribution. However, the present paper reports breeding populations of this vulnerable species in two locations (Amtiguda and Central University of Odisha Campus, Sunabeda) of Koraput district of Eastern Ghats of southern Odisha from January 2017 to July 2018. Over 37 sightings, large flocks of Green Munias were observed foraging together from January to July in scrublands and area close to agricultural fields. The juveniles were found foraging with adult birds (male and female) from January to April and after that only adults were found up to the second week of July. Out of total 541 number of birds observed, 45% (n = 244) were females, 32% (n = 173) were males, and 23% (n = 124) were juveniles indicating a higher proportion of female birds. It was also found that the number of males and females differed significantly between the two locations (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.05). The survey indicates the presence of a viable breeding population of the Green Munia in the region, and regular monitoring of the species population is essential for undertaking conservation measures. © 2021, The National Academy of Sciences, India.