Structure of an Arid Tropical Bird Community, Rajasthan

Abstract

The diversity and abundance of avifauna in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan were studied from May 2000 to May 2003. Line transect and total count methods were used to census the birds. A total of 272 species of birds, belonging to 17 orders and 55 families, were recorded. Of these, 223 species were residents and 49 migrants. Species richness was highest in the month of January, followed by February. The highest bird species abundance was observed in February, and the lowest in July. The common coot was the dominant species, followed by the blue rock pigeon and Eurasian collared dove. Diversity was highest in the months of May and October. Notably, 14 threatened bird species were recorded during the study. The species richness, abundance and diversity of birds in the Thar Desert are similar to those reported for other ecosystems in India.