Roads have numerous direct and indirect ecological impacts on wildlife.  Roads constitute an extensive and integral part of our environment.  Collisions with vehicles kill a large number of birds every year.  The present study was carried out from January 2016 to December 2016.  The data was collected from Nehru Memorial College to Pavithram Lake of Thuraiyur to Namakkal road of Musiri Taluk, Tiruchchirappalli District.  During this study, we recorded a total of 64 birds belonging to 12 species killed due to vehicular traffic.  A maximum of 11 birds were killed in the months of January and October, and a minimum of two bird kills were observed in the months of September and December.  Of the 64 birds, the roadside mortality was observed to the tune of 25%, 20.3%, 14%, 12.5%, 10.9%, 4.6%, and 4.6% for Southern Coucal Centropus parroti, Common Myna Acridotheres tristis, House Crow Corvus splendens, Spotted Owlet Athene brama, Indian Jungle Crow Corvus culminatus, Yellow-billed Babbler Turdoides affinis, and Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi.  Other birds such as Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus, Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis, Shikra Accipiter badius, White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus, and White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotus luteolus accounted for 1.5% mortality.  Suggestive measures to prevent wildlife loss due to vehicular traffic are presented in this communication.

Documentation of biodiversity along the wetlands is one of the f irst steps towards conservation of an ecosystem. Avifauna is the most charismatic taxa that have been the subject of interest for researchers, naturalist to nonprofessional. Observation of birds in their natural habitat can help in bringing forth several concerns associated with the ecology of the landscape. Hence, based on the Wetland Rules 2010 & 2017, during our study to prioritize the wetlands from Tamil Nadu state for conservation, we included the documentation and distribution of birds as one of the important criteria. It was during our f ield surveys in Namakkal district on 28th February 2018 at 12.30 noon, we observed the Baillon's Crake amidst the marshes of the Oomayampatti Lake (Plate-1a,b). Oomayampatti Lake is located in the village of Oomayampatti in Namakkal District of Tamil Nadu India, at an altitude of 217 meters. The lake is dominated by and plant species. The water from the wetland is mostly used for agriculture and by the domestic cattle. The Lake is seasonal, mostly dependant on the rainfall and is spread overan area of 131 hectares, during ourvisit the lake was 70% dry. In the marshy region of the lake where there was still some water amidst the thicket of , we saw a bird searching for food. On closer observation and photographing the bird, we identif ied the bird as Baillon's crake (Earlier, it was included under the ge n u s Po r z a n a (B i rd L i fe I n te rn a t i o n a l 2 0 1 8 ; http://www.birdlife.org on 26/04/2018). The bird was observed to have rufous brown upperparts with extensive white markings, and buff underparts. It's beak and feet were completely green and the underparts had extensive barring, which extended down the flanks right up to the legs. The identif ication was further conf irmed by Ali (1941) and Grimmett (2011). Baillon's crake a Schedule IV species under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972 is categorized as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2017; www.iucnredlist.org). The Baillon's Crake is a solitary, very shy small water bird belonging to

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