Population distribution and habitat analysis of Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) in Abbottabad, Pakistan

The Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) belongs to family corvidae, order Passeriformes which includes about 100 species. The current study was conducted to gather information about the Population distribution and habitat analysis of D. vagabunda at District Abbottabad, Pakistan. The data were collected on monthly basis both morning and evening times (2018-2019). “The ‘’Point count Method” was used for population estimation and ‘’Quadrates Method” for habitat analysis of study area. The result shows an average month-wise population density of D. vagabunda was maximum at Jhangra 0.14±0.039/ha, whereas minimum at Havelian 0.11±0.022/ha. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) among monthly population densities of D. vagabunda, however, a significant difference (p<0.05) was found between morning and evening times population of the specie. The present study revealed that importance value index (IVI) of plants species at Sherwan, Bakot, Havelian, Langra and Jhangra were 59.6±12.6, 50.1±6.9, 53.4±6.3, 66.8±10 and 60.1±7.7. Likewise, the frequency of shrubs at Sherwan, Bakot, Havelian, Langra and Jhangra were 33.3±4.2, 45±9.4, 46.7±8.2, 55.6±22.2 and 37.5±8.5. Similarly, the frequency of herbs at Sherwan, Bakot, Havelian, Langra and Jhangra were 40.4±6.0, 37.5±5.6, 53.3±7.4, 48.5±5.2 and 46.9±7.4 respectively. Our results show the study area as suitable habitat for D. vagabunda.

Vertebrate diversity at Margalla Hills National Park, Pakistan

The Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) in Islamabad, Pakistan, is an important site for the conservation of many plants and animals. The present study aimed to determine the status of fauna diversity and richness, and environmental threats to the animals. A field study was conducted and the point count method was used to determine vertebrate diversity. The survey showed that the MHNP is home to 117 species of birds, 27 reptiles (including species such as the saw–scaled viper, Russell’s viper and the Indian cobra) and 30 mammalian species, such as barking deer, wild boar, golden jackal, red fox, Asiatic leopards, monkeys, fruit bats, and pangolins. The results showed a maximum count of 9,076 birds of 117 species belonging to 48 families. According to the Islamabad wildlife management board, one of the unique species, the grey goral (Nemorhaedus goral), has become extinct at the MHNP as no single specimen has been recorded since 2018. It was also been observed, however, that the numbers of the endangered species of common leopard (Panthera pardus) and pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) have increased, possibly due to the wildlife management board’s strategy for conservation. Nevertheless, greater conservation and protection of wild fauna at the MHNP is still needed. During the visits, threats such as habitat degradation, climate change, and over hunting were recorded. Dataset published through GBIF (Doi: 10.15470/hf1s9i)

Comparison of point and roadside transect methods to evaluate the abundance and richness of diurnal raptors in the arid region of Rajasthan

Diurnal raptors show a wider distribution compared to other groups of birds including passerines, woodpeckers, and seriemas, but occur at lower-than-expected densities. Estimating the precise abundance is essential to achieve conservation goals but the methods used to estimate the populations of birds need to be appropriate to arrive at meaningful conclusions. We compared the two survey methods: roadside point count and strip transects, for estimating species richness and abundance of raptors in the arid landscape of Rajasthan. Roadside point counts and roadside strip transects were done on 50 transects between December 2019- February 2020 (with an average length of 20 km and a total distance of 3000 km) to assess the species richness and abundance of raptors. A total of 2954 observations of raptors belonging to 35 species were recorded using both methods. Mann Whitney U test result showed no significant difference in species richness and abundance estimates between both methods (p = 0.206). The point count method yielded a higher relative abundance of 2.79 individuals [10 km2]-1h-1 than the 1.90 individuals [10 km2]-1h-1 obtained during the strip transect. Also, the number of unidentified species were less for point counts. Extrapolation values indicated that both the methods do not differ much for the detection of unsampled species. The choice of survey method depends on the objectives of the study, but our results favor the use of point counts rather than strip transects to survey raptors in open habitats. The information generated from this study is expected to provide the most efficient method to study the abundance and distribution of raptors in similar landscapes.

Assemblage of wetland bird Species in Purbasthali Oxbow Lake, West Bengal, India: Implications for Management

The present study attempts to assess the composition, abundance and diversity of avifauna with respect to their habitat in and around the Purbasthali wetland, based on both primary data collected through the point count method during 2017–2019 and literature data. Among the total 77 species (encompassing 10 orders and 19 families), 39 species are migrants, 18 are rare and 24 species show declining global trend. According to their habitat, they are sub-divided into three categories i.e. waterfowls (live in open water, 20 species), waders (live in bank areas/water edge area, 45 species) and wetland associated (live in nearby trees, 12 species). The Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H’) and the Evenness Index (E’) are used to examine the diversity within and between the habitats. The result reveals higher diversity and evenness of the waders in comparison to others. The maximum diversity (H′=3.02) and evenness (E′=0.79) has been recorded for the waders in 2019, whereas the least values (H′=1.02, E′=0.34) have been found in 2016 for the waterfowls. Relative Diversity Index affirms the dominance of the Anatidae family. The birds of the area have now been seriously threatened by human intervention.

Evaluation of Accuracy and Precision of the Sound-Recorder-Based Point-Counts Applied in Forests and Open Areas in Two Locations Situated in a Temperate and Tropical Regions

The point-count method is one of the most popular techniques for surveying birds. However, the accuracy and precision of this method may vary across various environments and geographical regions. We conducted sound-recorder-based point-counts to examine the accuracy and precision of the method for bird biodiversity estimation as a function of geographical region, habitat type and the time of day at which the survey began. In temperate (Poland) and tropical (Cameroon) regions, we recorded soundscapes on two successive mornings at 36 recording sites (18 in each location). At each site, we analyzed three 5-min surveys per day. We found no differences in the accuracy and precision of the method between regions and habitats. The accuracy was significantly greater at sunrise than during later surveys. The similarity of the bird assemblages detected by different surveys did not differ between regions or habitats. However, the bird communities described at the same time of day were significantly more similar to each other than those detected by surveys conducted at different times. The point-count method provided statistically indistinguishable estimates of bird biodiversity in different geographical regions and habitats. However, our results highlight two weaknesses of the method: low accuracy (41–54%), which limits the usefulness of a single survey in understanding bird–environment relationships, and changes in accuracy throughout the day, which may result in the misinterpretation of the status of bird populations.

Birds of Barandabhar Corridor Forest, Chitwan, Nepal

Long term monitoring of bird species was conducted in Barandabhar Corridor Forest, one of the important bird areas of Nepal (IBA). Bird species were identified by the point count method in transect surveys in two-time frames from 2002–2012 and 2015–2016 to obtain the bird species list. We compared our bird list with previously published (after 2000) checklists and compiled the updated checklist of birds of Barandabhar Corridor Forest. We documented 372 bird species belonging to 80 families in Barandabhar, including five Critically Endangered, three Endangered, eight Vulnerable, and 15 Near Threatened species. The Accipitridae family included the highest number of species (n= 32), followed by Muscicapidae (n= 30) and Anatidae (n= 18). Approximately, half of the total confirmed bird species were insectivorous. The list included 63% resident, 27% winter migratory, 7.5% summer migratory, and 2.9% passage migrant species. According to the habitat type, there were 181 species of forest, 74 species of wetland, 24 species of grassland, 70 species of open field, and 23 species of partially wetland birds. This updated checklist of bird species will serve as a reference guide for bird watchers, biodiversity researchers, and support managers for conservation effort; and can be used to track any changes in the composition of bird species in the future.

Bird composition, diversity and foraging guilds in agricultural landscapes: a case study from eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Birds have a significant role in maintaining the ecological balance of agro-ecosystems. But yet there is no documentation related to bird diversity in the agricultural landscapes of eastern Uttar Pradesh. This study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2020 using fixed radius point count method in Ayodhya district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. A total of 139 bird species belonging to 107 genera, 49 families and 15 orders were recorded from the study area. Passeriformes was the most dominant order with 28 families and 76 species. Accipitridae and Muscicapidae were the most diverse families with 11 species each and RDi value of 7.91. Among the recorded bird species, 105 species (76%) were resident, 29 species (21%) were winter visitors and only 5 species (4%) were summer visitors. According to the feeding guilds, omnivores (46 species, 33%) were highly represented, followed by insectivores (31%), carnivores (25%), granivores (6%), frugivores (4%) and nectarivores (1%). The Sohawal tehsil was found to have the highest species richness and a Shannon-Weiner diversity index (133, 4.30). Aquila nipalensis and Neophron percnopterus were the two ‘Endangered’ species, Antigone antigone and Clanga hastata were the two ‘Vulnerable’ species and Ciconia episcopus, Gyps himalayensis, Mycteria leucocephala and Psittacula eupatria were the four ‘Near Threatened’ species found in this region. In addition to this, the region also supported 31 species (22%) whose global population trend is decreasing. This study provides a baseline data on the bird diversity present in agricultural landscapes of this region. Based on which further studies should be designed to understand the factors influencing the diversity of birds in these agricultural landscapes which are continuously subjected to anthropogenic pressures.

Assessing The Habitat Suitability of Six Coniferous Forests Using Avian Assemblages At High Altitude Ecosystem

Birds are habitat specialist, i.e. often selects habitat that offers ample services such as a variety of food resources, safe breeding and less disturb sites to satisfy their needs. We aimed to ascertain the conservation status of avian assemblages inhabited in six different coniferous forests. The study employed the point count method to determine the avian assemblages in each forest type. The surveys were conducted employing the distance sampling point count method and determining the floristic composition through direct visual estimation from January 2018 to March 2019. In total, 2465 bird individuals representing 57 species and 29 families were observed in six coniferous forests. Twelve tree species, nine shrub species, and 14 grass species were identified in the forests. Except for the Streptopelia turtur (vulnerable), all bird species are listed as “least concern” according to the IUCN Red List Category and Criteria 2019–2. Notably, the relative abundance of bird assemblages among six coniferous habitats was significantly different (F5, 293 = 22.8, p < 0.05). The CAP results reflected that bird diversity indices varied coniferous forests. Strikingly, dry–temperate coniferous forest (BG) was densely populated (5.831 ± 0.694 birds•ha−1) as compared to other habitats. These findings suggested that subtropical coniferous forests are cradles of life for a wide array of avian assemblages and hence should be declared as protected forests to enhance avian assemblages in this region.

Buffer Zone Management Impact on Birds Assemblage in the High Nature Value Farmland (HNVf) : a study case on Meru Betiri National Park

This study aims to analyze the distribution of bird communities and the impact of vegetation on bird habitat preferences in the buffer zone. Research is carried out in agricultural areas in the Buffer zone, Rehabilitation Zone, and on the edge of the plantation. The research location was determined at 37 points: Rajekwesi (4), Sukamade (12), Bandealit (8), Wonoasri (5), Andongrejo (3), Sanenrejo (5). We applied the point count method (r = 17.5 m) in this study, where each point is at least 100-150 meters apart. In the study, 74.6% of records were birds with agricultural specialities and 71.30% of individuals on tree habitats. Birds with specialization in agriculture were found in large numbers related to the protection provided by the TNMB conservation area to bird habitat. Sukamade is the area with the highest number of records. As many as 40.10% were found in tree habitats followed by seedling (16.28%), poles (15.93%), flying over (15.76%), and sapling (11.90%)

Buffer Zone Management Impact on Birds Assemblage in the High Nature Value Farmland (HNVf) : a study case on Meru Betiri National Park

The study aims to analyze the vertical and horizontal distribution of bird communities in agricultural areas and their interactions with the conservation area in MBNP. Research is carried out in agricultural areas in the Buffer zone, Rehabilitation Zone, and on the edge of the plantation. The research location was determined at 37 points: Rajekwesi (4), Sukamade (12), Bandealit (8), Wonoasri (5), Andongrejo (3), Sanenrejo (5). We applied the point count method (r = 17.5 m) in this study, where each point is at least 100-150 meters apart. In the study, 74.6% of records were birds with agricultural specialties and 71.30% of individuals using tree habitats. Birds with specialization in agriculture were found in large numbers related to the protection provided by the TNMB conservation area to bird habitat. Sukamade is the area with the highest number of records. As many as 40.10% were found in tree habitats. Followed by Seedling (16.28%), Pole (15.93%), Flying over (15.76%), and Sapling (11.90%).