ORNITHOFAUNAL DIVERSITY, ABUNDANCE AND FEEDING GUILDS IN DIFFERENT MICROHABITAT OF UDAIPUR DISTRICT, RAJASTHAN
NADIM CHISHTY *
Wildlife, Limnology and Toxicology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Government Meera Girl’s College, MLSU, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
NARAYAN LAL CHOUDHARY
Wildlife, Limnology and Toxicology Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Government Meera Girl’s College, MLSU, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the avian species diversity, abundance and feeding guilds in rural area of Udaipur district. A total 12560 birds were recorded; they were belonging to 115 species and 55 families. The Accipitridae and Anatidae was the most dominant families with seven species and 27 families were limited to one species only. The maximum avian species richness were observed in uncultivated habitat (Margalef’s Richness index= 10.283) while lowest richness was observed in agricultural habitat (Margalef’s Richness index= 6.759). The greatest species evenness was recorded in agricultural habitat (Shannon evenness = 0.789) and lowest species evenness were recorded in wetland habitat (Shannon=0.715). According to birds abundance was maximum observed in wetland habitat (Berger-parker index= 0.249) due to availability of food and water resources while minimum abundance of birds were recorded in agricultural habitat (Berger-parker index= 0.145) due to anthropogenic and cultivated activities in this habitat. Pesticide and insecticide may be reason of restriction of bird’s abundance in agricultural habitat. The Simpson diversity index was highest observed in wetland habitat (0.100) followed by agricultural (0.067) and uncultivated habitat (0.060). The resemblances among three habitats were calculated from Jacard index (0.3571) and Sorenson index (0.5263) was recorded during study periods. The study clearly specified the wetland habitat is important in providing food materials, water, shelters, roosting, and nesting side for large number of avian species, But due to anthropogenic activities and water pollution reduces fitness and its survival. Udaipur district have numerous number of water bodies, if we protect water bodies birds diversity and abundance may be significantly increase. The results shows maximum species were belongs to insectivore (36.52%) followed by omnivore (28.69%), carnivore (24.34%), granivore (6.08%), frugivore (3.47%) and minimum guilds was observed by nectivore (0.86%) recorded.
Keywords: Dominant families, agricultural habitat, wetland habitat, uncultivated habitat, pollution, anthropogenic activities.