Diurnal activity budgeting of Large Whistling Teal Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieillot, 1816) (Anseriformes: Anatidae) in Deepor Beel wetlands, Assam, India

Jyotismita Das,P.K Saikia,Hemen Deka

doi:10.11609/jott.o2682.2263-7

Abstract

Diurnal activity budgets of the Large Whistling Teal Dendrocygna bicolor were quantified in Deepor Beel wetlands from March 2007 to January 2008. The study revealed that the Large Whistling Teal utilized 36.1% of time in resting, 37.1% in locomotion, 21.8% of diurnal time in feeding and 3.9% of diurnal time for preening activity. The teal spent <1% time in each, of alert and aggressive behaviours.

Highlights

The activity budgeting studies quantify the time allocation of animals in behavioural activities (Rave & Baldassarre 1989)
During the day light hours some were seen to rest in a standing position
Locomotion was reported to be highest (47.8%) in September and lowest in July (28.1%)

Summary

Methods

Was generally used to study the activity of the Large Whistling Teal in the study area. The study was conducted from March 2008–January 2009 to analyze the different activity patterns of the Large Whistling. During the survey period the behavioural data (activity data) were collected at least twice in a month. The total time spent in collecting the data was 260 hours during the 10-month survey period. To test the differences in activities in an entire daylight period, each day was divided into different time blocks viz., early morning (0500–0800 hr), morning (0800–1100 hr), midday (1100–1400 hr), afternoon (1400–1600 hr) and dawn (1400–1800 hr) and activity data was collected from these pre-divided time blocks. During the study period a flock (n=50 to 200 individuals) was selected randomly by pointing the binoculars towards the flock and by selecting birds closest to eye distance. Activities of each individual bird were monitored every 15 seconds up to 10 minutes. Activities were categorized as aggression (chasing, biting, threatening), alert (standing or sitting with head or neck protracted), resting (sleeping & loafing), feeding (searching & upending), preening (bathing, stretching), locomotion (flying, swimming)

Results

Discussion

Conclusion