Abstract
This study was carried out to assess the status and conservation issues of migratory water birds in Komaranahalli Kere, a lake in Malebennur, Harihar Taluk, Davanagere District from November 2012 to October 2013. The dominant family was Ardeidae represented by 10 species, followed by the Scolopacidae with seven species. The families with lowest representations of one species were Podicipididae, Anhingidae, Rostratulidae and Recurvirostridae. The study revealed that the lake harbors many resident and a few migratory bird species. Among the species recorded five species namely the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala and River Tern Sterna aurantia are Near Threatened. The present study location is also facing tremendous conservation challenges by the impact of anthropogenic alteration of the habitats in and around the lake. Though the lake is highly disturbed, it still provides some potential habitats for a few migratory and several resident water bird species.
Highlights
The birds inhabiting and/or found to be dependent on wetland directly or indirectly for feeding, breeding, nesting or roosting are commonly called water birds or wetland birds (Kumar & Gupta 2013)
The birds are grouped under three categories namely Local Migratory (LM) Local migrants, Winter Migratory (WM) - Winter migrants and R- Residents depending on their timing and duration of occurrence (Table 1)
As per IUCN Red List (IUCN 2014.3) threatened categories, 46 species recorded from the study areas fall under the Least Concern (LC) category, which account for 90% and five species (10%) were categorized as Near Threatened (NT)
Summary
The birds inhabiting and/or found to be dependent on wetland directly or indirectly for feeding, breeding, nesting or roosting are commonly called water birds or wetland birds (Kumar & Gupta 2013). Selection of wetland by waterfowl is influenced by complex characteristics including water chemistry, aquatic vegetation, invertebrate fauna and physical features (Heglund et al 1994). Wetlands in India provide a unique habitat to many aquatic flora and fauna as well as numerous birds including migratory species. Out of 310 species of wetland birds found in India (Kumar et al 2005; Kumar & Gupta 2009, 2013) almost half are migratory which visit India from cold areas of different parts of China, Russia, central Asia, and from across the entire range of the Himalaya. Wetlands are facing tremendous anthropogenic pressure caused by an increase of human disturbances. These disturbances threaten these ecosystems and can greatly influence the population structure and diversity of the bird community (BirdLife International 2003). Over 50% of wetlands in the world have
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