Abstract
A comparison was made of the bird populations of a dry thornbush savanna at Fété Olé, Senegal (16°N, 15° W) over two years ; one with normal rainfall (303 mm from June to October) and an exceptionnally dry one (33 mm). A check-list, a monthly analysis of the population structure, the diversity and dominance indices of the birds numbers and biomass, are given. A decrease of the number of different species, as well as total bird population, was observed on the IBP quadrat. The annual average number of birds per ha dropped from 6.3 to 2.9, and the annual average biomass from 402 g to 186 g. Seed eaters (doves), which need to drink daily, contributed at least one third of the dry season population in 1969-70, whereas they completely disappeared in 1972-73. Species that do not need to drink regularly (insectivores and fruit-eaters), or species which can fly long distances to water holes (sandgrouse) were able to stay. In 1972-73 the decrease in population numbers can obviously be related to the shortage of food : the very low rainfall did not allow the germination of seeds and no water was able to accumu¬ late in the hollows after the rains. Many species were thus compelled to move away. No breeding took place in 1972-73 and the bird population was unable to compensate for the losses due to mortality.
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