Foraging Patterns of Birds in Resource Partitioning in Tropical Mixed Dry Deciduous Forest, India

Abstract

A study was undertaken in the tropical mixed dry deciduous forest of India. Direct observation on foraging of birds was made on twelve days in a month within four hours after sunrise with direct observation. For each foraging attempt microhabitat details such as the foraging height, substrate, method, canopy and the plant species were recorded. Vegetation profile consisted of tree species from 2 to 6m and shrubs from 0 to 1m height. In total, 3982 foraging observations were made on 36 bird species. A higher percentage of foraging manoeuvre was recorded at 3-6m height. 29 bird species were gleaner. Majority of the canopy layers used for foraging of bird species were edge edge (23%) followed by ground (18%) and middle lower (17%). Grey Jungle Fowl, Vernal Hanging Parrot and Red-rumped Swallow are specialists. The higest mean niche overlap among the species was found in method followed by canopy and height. The two major guilds are gleaner and sallier.