Bird diversity in a Sahelian ecosystem under restoration: A study in the great Grenn wall extension area of Senegal

Abstract

In this study, we survey the avian biodiversity in Koyli Alpha, Senegal, located in the extension area of the Great Green Wall (GGW) project in Senegal to restore the degraded ecosystems by the long years of drought during the 1970s in addition to anthropogenic pressures. Data are collected during a period of 52 days between July 2019 and Jun 2021 in Koyli Alpha and their surroundings, we identified the presence of avian species through daytime focal observations using transects, fixed points and trapping cameras. Thus, we recorded the presence of 198 total bird species. Species composed of 143 landbirds and 55 waterbirds distributed in 22 orders and 59 families. The most common were granivorous birds such as the Golgen sparrow (Passer luteus) and the Red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea). Among these inventoried species, three are categorized as critically endangered species (CR) (IUCN Redlist). They are the Rüppell's vulture (Gyps rueppelli), the White-backed vulture (Gyps africanus) and the hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus). Additionally, the Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is categorized as endangered (EN), and the Great grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis), the Abyssinian ground hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus) and the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) are categorized as vulnerable species (VN). Furthermore, 37% of observed birds are palearctic migratory species.