Assemblage of Waterbird Species in an Anthropogenic Zone Along the Mahanadi River of Odisha, Eastern India: Implications for Management (original) (raw)
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Journal of animal diversity, 2022
The focus of the present study was (i) to develop a complete checklist, (ii) to find the seasonal variation of waterbird diversity, and (iii) to assess the population trends of different waterbirds at Lake-2 of the Ballavpur Wildlife Sanctuary (BWLS), Birbhum District, West Bengal, India. The study was carried out from January 2018 to November 2019. All waterbirds spanning in the freshwater lake were counted with field binoculars and digital cameras. The bird count data were used to calculate different biodiversity indices (such as Shannon-Weiner diversity index, Simpson's Diversity Index etc.). Further, we assessed the population trends of different waterbirds with the data available from eBird. A total of 32 waterbird species belonging to 27 genera, 9 families and 8 orders were recorded during the present study. Dendrocygna javanica (Horsfield) was found to be the most dominant species throughout the year. Maximum richness and abundance were recorded during the winter months (December to February), whereas the highest species diversity was recorded during the monsoon months (March to June). The present study further establishes that both the richness and abundance of the waterbirds at BWLS have increased as compared to the past data. However, various species of wading waterbirds that were recorded previously were not observed during the present study. Moreover, the population trend analysis revealed a strong decline in the population of Mareca strepera (Linnaeus) and a moderate increase in the population of Ardeola grayii (Sykes). Thus, the present study concludes that BWLS supports high waterbird diversity irrespective of its small area.
We studied the waterbird community of Nal Lake Bird Sanctuary (NLBS), Gujarat State, India, a proposed Ramsar Site and Wetland of International Importance, to determine site-specific seasonal variation in abundance and diversity. The study was conducted at eight selected sites in NLBS from March 2004 to February 2005. Data were gathered monthly to ensure quantification of seasonal changes in diversity and density. Overall, 109 waterbird species belonging to 64 genera and 18 families were documented, including 42 year-round residents and 67 seasonally present or migratory species. Among these, 8 species were considered to be abundant, 51 common, and 50 rare. Overall waterbird density was highest where resident species such as Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Median Egret (Mesophoyx intermedia), Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus) and Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) were present; some migratory species such as Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), Graylag Goose (Anser anser), Common Coot (Fulica atra) and Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybridus) contributed to areas of high density. Diversity was high where profuse growth of emergent aquatic vegetation and low human disturbance was evident; it was low at sites that experience high levels of pollution and tourism. The abundance and composition of the waterbird assemblage was affected by the interplay of several factors, including site-specific presence of certain species,
Ornis Hungarica, 2021
Waterbirds constitute a prominent biota and reflect the ecosystem health and functionality of the freshwater wetlands. Documentation of the bird species assemblages of wetlands is therefore carried out as a part of monitoring of wetlands from a sustainability viewpoint. Using the emerging wetland of Purbasthali, West Bengal, India, as a model study area, the diversity of the associated bird species was estimated to supplement necessary information for conservation management of birds and ecosystems. The point count method was applied to count the waterbirds from each sighting location with a 25 m radius covering 360° arc and the counting period lasted 10 min for each site, and counts were made in the winter of 2016/2017. The data on the waterbirds encountered were recorded and subjected to diversity analysis, including the residential status, global population trend and feeding guilds. Apparently, the wetland was considered as suitable habitat for 27 waterbird species, which could b...
Assessment of native and migrant bird species in a riverine ecosystem of India
International Research Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2019
The present study aims to classify the native and migrant bird species recorded during the summer season in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary of Karnataka State. Bird survey was conducted during the summer season in the month of March, April and May inside Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary (RBS), located on the bank of river Cauvery. Readings were recorded on every weekend, during Saturday and Sunday of the summer season. The birds were recorded during morning from 06:00AM to 09:00 AM, and at the evening from 04:00 PM to 06:00 PM using belt transect method. Birds were classified into native and migrant species based on direct observations. Although RBS is having a specific percentage of nested native bird species, there was almost a significant percentage of migrant bird species were recorded during the study. Total numbers of 2890 birds were recorded during the study which belongs to 84 different species and majority of them were native and relatively good percentage of migrant species were observed. More number of aquatic birds was recorded from the migrant bird species group. The study revealed that relatively good percentage of migratory bird species nests in RBS during summer season. Birds require explicit natural assets for generation and for different exercises for their survival. Among both transient and local or non-transitory species alike, satisfactory nourishment for the youthful has all the earmarks of being essential in figuring out where, just as when, a species will breed. Also, study shows that RBS is a preferred habitat for migratory birds during summer season.
MID-WINTER DIVERSITY OF WATERBIRDS IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA
Journal of Bombay National History Society, 2021
Waterbirds are excellent indicators of wetland health, and studies on their abundance and diversity are of use in conservation management of wetland habitats. Thirteen wetlands in West Bengal were surveyed for waterbirds during midwinter of 2018-19. Three consecutive surveys through line transects were conducted in each of the wetlands. In all, 110 species of wetland-associated birds were recorded, these comprising 69 winter migrants and 41 resident species. Out of the 110 species, 18 species are threatened as per the IUCN Red List 2021-1. The Greater Adjutant Leptoptilos dubius, Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus, and Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris are Endangered; Common Pochard Aythya ferina, Greater Scaup Aythya marila, Asian Woollyneck Ciconia episcopus, Lesser Adjutant Leptoptilos javanicus, and Greater Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga are Vulnerable and rest 10 species are Near Threatened. The highest species richness of waterbirds was recorded in Gajoldoba, followed by Purbasthali, Ahiran Beel, and Barasagardighi. The catchment areas of rivers and oxbow lakes showed greater species richness, probably due to greater heterogeneity of habitats. Wetlands with longer shoreline harboured a good number of waders. Species turnover rate was highest between Gajoldoba and Santragachi Jheel (0.59). Gajoldoba exhibited the highest species diversity, while in Santragachi an overwhelming dominance of Lesser Whistling-duck was recorded. This is the first comprehensive report on the diversity and abundance of wintering waterbirds in important wintering grounds along the length and breadth of West Bengal, located on the East Asian-Australasian and the Central Asian Flyways. The high Wilson-Schmida's index (βT) values highlighted the large turnovers between sites due to contrasting species presence/absence data, which may be influenced by the differences in the physical habitat makeup.
The Ring, 2020
The waterbird community structures of two sub-Himalayan wetlands (Nararthali and Rasomati) situated in forested areas were compared during the wintering period. These wetlands had similar geophysical features but were subject to different conservation efforts. Sixty species of waterbirds, including four globally threatened species, were recorded during the study. Nararthali was found to be more densely inhabited (116.05±22.69 ind./ha) by birds than Rasomati (76.55±26.47 ind./ha). Density increased by 44.6% at Nararthali and by 59% at Rasomati over the years of the study, from 2008 to 2015. Winter visitors increased considerably at Nararthali (66.2%), while a 71.1% decrease at Rasomati clearly indicated degradation of habitat quality at that site during the later years. Luxuriant growth of Eichhornia crassipes, siltation, poor maintenance and unregulated tourist activities were the key factors leading to the rapid degradation of Rasomati. Nararthali, on the other hand, a well-managed...
2017
A comparative study on waterbird diversity and abundance was conducted at natural and man-made wetland of District Hardwar from 2010 to 2013. A total of 37 waterbirds belonging to 11 families were recorded of which 14 species were winter migrant in the wetlands of the study area. Among these waterbird species, two species viz. Black-necked Stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus; River Lapwing, Vanellus duvaucelii were near threatened (IUCN status Ver. 2013.1.) and two species namely Woolly-necked Stork, Ciconia episcopus; and Marbled Duck, Marmaronetta angustirostris were Vulnerable (IUCN status). The avian species diversity and abundance were recorded significantly high (t = 4.16, p < 0.01) at natural wetland site. It is also observed that vegetation variety and food availability is the responsible causes of waterbird species variation in the natural and manmade wetland. The results of this study suggest that freshwater natural wetland site is more suitable habitat for short and long-distance water migratory birds. This natural wetland should be protected to enhance the abundance and diversity of water migrant community.
2011
Waterbird assemblages on five important wetlands of Birbhum district, West Bengal, were studied for 13 years to examine the changes in the community composition of the waterbirds and to quantify their population decline during the period between 1998 and 2010. The spatiotemporal analyses revealed that the waterbird communities of these wetlands maintained high spatial but low temporal variations in their structure. Such within-wetland homogeneity was attributed to a relatively static distribution of some key resources. The spatiotemporal variations in the abundance and community structure were associated with a shift in distribution of some important winter migrants from a disturbed and deteriorating wetland to a newly built well protected one. Twenty-one species of waterbirds acted as significant indicators in structuring the waterbird communities of these wetlands, revealing their species rich nature. However, comparisons between data collected for these wetlands in 1998 and 2010 showed that notable changes in these waterbird communities have occurred over longer periods of time, with 16 of the 25 most common and important species having declined in this period indicating an overall decline by 38%. These wetlands still regularly support globally important populations of four waterbird species.
Diversity of Waterbirds in Lucknow District, Uttar Pradesh, India
For over a century, pioneering naturalists have determined the way in which waterbird conservation has evolved around the world and have been involved in the establishment of international organizations such as IUCN. The term, waterbird or aquatic bird is used to refer the birds that live on or around water bodies; they may be fresh water or marine. The enrichment of organic constituents accountable for the growth of aquatic weeds, phytoplankton and zooplankton therefore the wetlands are good habitat for availability of food stuff to various waterbirds in moderate proportion. This study presents diversity of water bird in Lucknow and adjacent areas where surveys have been conducted for two years (October 2012-September 2014) in different unprotected wetlands of Lucknow having N 26.8470 0 and E 80.9470 0 geographical coordinates. Total 71 Species of water bird representing 9 orders and 21 families were recorded from five different localities. Out of these 70 species, 25 species were residential, 14 species were residential/local migratory, 2 species were local migratory, 27 species were migratory while 2 species were residential/migratory. The study reveals that in Lucknow there are maximum populations of Migratory water birds followed by residential, residential/local migratory and residential/migratory species. The present study of wetlands helps to maintain a record of water bird to restore and maintain the present condition of wetland. The attempt of study is to provide the information about biodiversity of water birds to recognize these sites as globally important habitat for the conservation of water bird population because baseline information is a condition for planning and monitoring management actions for waterbirds and their habitats.
Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2016
We studied the diversity, abundance and population trends in three flourishing wetlands of southern Bengal over 16 years. These wetlands constituted a major shift from the present scenario of overall wetland deterioration, including monotonous declines in important winter visitors prevailing in surrounding wetlands, especially in Tilpara Reservoir and Purulia Saheb Bandh Lake. All the three wetlands support rich waterbird diversity and almost all of them tend to exhibit consistently stable or increasing trends in their populations during the course of the study. The waterbird communities did not differ greatly during the study period and were tending to arrive at their equilibria. These wetlands consistently support strong waterbird food-bases, which may support rich diversity. Since, they have already been supporting increasing or stable populations of a majority of the important waterbird species they are expected to emerge as important waterbird abodes in northeastern India ...