Conservation Of Avifauna Research Articles

Assessment of Avifaunal Status, Diversity, and Conservation Implications in and around the Wetlands of Dharwad, Karnataka, India

The study shows an overall avifaunal diversity and status of selected wetlands in Dharwad district and conveys the presence/absence of bird species on habitat changes caused due to varying water levels (exposure/submergence of mudflats) and destruction of riparian vegetation such as the reed species. These wetlands have attracted bird species from local to migratory to forage, roost and breed in the area. The avifaunal diversity was found to fairly vary across the different wetlands. The data portrayed here are from the surveys during wintering months of 2017-18 and 2021-22. Line transects, point count and total count methods were used for surveying. Diversity indices (Beta, Shannon, Simpson, Evenness) and similarity matrices (Bray-Curtis cluster) were calculated using Past 4 package. The Pearson correlation, beta diversity and Bray-Curtis’s clustering were used to compare the wetlands for the similarity/dissimilarities in species composition. Overall, Shannon and Simpson diversity of the wetlands were H’=4.67 & D= 0.98 with total of 177 species, which portrays high degree of diversity. There were around 46 species of migrant birds and 133 resident species. The work also reports a few rare and coastal birds. The study suggests the management plans for the conservation of avifauna in and around the wetlands to prevent human disturbances and also considering the importance of faunal habitats before adopting lake developmental plans.

Environmental Factors Affecting Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Crop-Exploiting Species: Implications for Coexistence Between Agricultural Production and Avifauna Conservation in Wetlands

Bird communities in agroecosystems bring both ecosystem services (e.g., pollination) and disservices (e.g., crop exploitation) to farmers. However, in the proximity of wetland reserves, farmers disproportionately experience harvest yield loss due to large aggregation of bird species that can utilize various agricultural resources. This often results in negative human–wildlife interactions which lower conservation support among farmers. Knowledge about the distribution of avian species that negatively influence yields, and its environmental drivers is thus fundamental to reconcile crop production and bird conservation. This study aims to examine the spatio-temporal patterns in richness and abundance of bird species known to cause agricultural yield loss as well as species-specific distribution patterns for the six bird species that are most challenging for local farmers. In combination with interview surveys of local farmers (n = 367) and seasonal bird surveys (n = 720), we investigated distribution of crop-exploiting avian species in the Indawgyi wetland ecosystem in Myanmar. Our results showed high richness and abundance of crop-exploiting species in the water habitat across all seasons, with most challenging species exhibiting higher presence closer to these water sources. The crop phenology had positive effect on species richness and abundance during the growing season. The agricultural use of crop-exploiting species was season- and species-specific, where the presence probability in the agricultural habitat was higher in habitat generalists than wetland specialists. Therefore, we suggest improved management of natural wetland habitats (e.g., habitat restoration), sustainable coexistence mechanisms in farms close to water (e.g., bird-friendly rice farming and Ecolabel certification) to reduce avian impacts on the farming communities and, at the same time, to promote bird conservation in wetlands of international importance.

Water Bodies of Kazan and Their Significance in the City’s Avifauna Conservation

Water bodies that serve as habitats for semi-aquatic birds have been preserved in the city of Kazan, which contributes to the conservation of the city's avifauna diversity. Previously, special studies of birds in the water bodies of Kazan were not conducted. The study is aimed at the investigation of the species composition and distribution of the avifauna in water bodies of Kazan, as well as the ecological features of specific semiaquatic fauna species of the city. The research carried out over the past twenty-five years has made it possible to identify the species composition, their distribution, and ecological features of particular bird species associated with aquatic ecosystems. In total, 64 bird species of nine bird orders are recorded within the city of Kazan. The number of particular species and their spatial distribution in the city's water bodies depends on the specific conditions of the water object, where human activity is the major limiting factor. The most numerous species during the breeding period are the black-headed gull and the mallard. Nesting of 26 species has been recorded. A number of species, such as the mallard, show broad potential for synanthropization. The great-crested grebe, the coot and several species of ducks actively colonize the city reservoirs. A number of rare bird species listed in the Red Book of Tatarstan were recorded, including nesting of the mute swan, the moorhen.

Species and structural diversity of flora and avifauna on the territory of urban water treatment facilities

Background. The territories of urban wastewater treatment facilities, where the natural vegetation has been radically changed to synanthropic vegetation, promote the spread of ruderal plant species, including invasive ones, but at the same time create a favourable environment for nesting and staying of many bird species, including rare and those listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine. The aim of this study is to investigate the species and structural diversity of vegetation on the territory of urban wastewater treatment facilities in order to determine their significance for the conservation of avifauna. Materials and Methods. To analyse the state of biodiversity, an inventory of species of higher plant and avifauna in the technogenic areas of Kharkiv wastewater treatment facilities in the spring and summer of 2020–2021 was carried out using conventional methods. Results. The flora of higher vascular plants includes 90 species belonging to 78 genera, 30 families, and 2 classes of the Magnoliophyta division. The leading families are: Asteraceae (30.0 %; n = 90), Poaceae (12.2 %), Brassicaceae (6.7 %), Fabaceae and Polygonaceae (4.4 % each). Herbaceous plant species (92.0 %; n = 90) dominated according to the С. Raunkiær classification (1934), with a predominance of hemicryptophytes (54.0 %) and terophytes (37.0 %). The increased proportion of the latter, compared to the zonal flora, indicates a significant disturbance of the habitat by anthropogenic factors. This is also evidenced by the predominance of synanthropic plant species (81.1 %; n = 90), including 40 species (54.8 %; n = 73) belonging to the apophyte group, and the remaining 45.2 % are adventitious species. In relation to moisture, most plants are mesophytes (71.0%; n = 90). In terms of geographical structure, the flora has a Holarctic-European-Eurasian character with admixtures of North American, Mediterranean, Nomadic and Mediterranean-Asian geoelements. The avifauna includes 95 species belonging to 13 orders and 29 families. Birds of Passeriformes (32.6 %), Charadriiformes (24.2 %) and Anseriformes (13.7 %) predominate. The treatment facilities are important for nesting of 53 species (55.8 %; n = 95), and are also a trophic base for 23 (24.2 %) of wandering and 19 (20.0 %) of transient bird species. The nine faunal groups were dominated by boreal 26.6 % (n = 95) and tropical 13.8 %, as well as limnophilous (12.8 %) and nemoral (11.7 %) species. The nesting avifauna was formed mainly by nemoral 17.0 % (n = 53) and tropical 15.1 %, as well as alluviophilous and boreal (13.2 % each) species. The greatest bird diversity is found in the overgrown silt areas, where vegetation with a projected cover of 50–70 % is interspersed with shallow water as close as possible to natural areas. Among the identified bird species, the following breeding birds are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine: Himantopus himantopus, also transient and wandering species: Milvus migrans, Hieraaetus pennatus, Columba oenas. Conclusion. The established plant communities with rich avifauna, including rare bird species, and the location of the treatment facilities within their migration routes, indicate the importance of these areas for the conservation of biota.

Status, Diversity and Conservation of Avifauna at Turahalli Minor Forest, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Status, Diversity and Conservation of Avifauna at Turahalli Minor Forest, Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Avifauna Loss Driven by Habitat Degradation in Ethiopia

Biodiversity refers to varieties of taxa in ecosystems. Futile land use could deteriorate environmental quality, and loss of prime agricultural lands, and this, in turn, cause loss of wildlife habitat. Anthropogenic impacts have been bringing a dramatic change to nature due to the growing trends of the human population of the present time which give rise to an increase in the use of natural resources. Ethiopia faces serious environmental challenges including climate change and aspects of ecosystem degradation such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and soil fertility decline. Land degradation costs Ethiopia about 4.3 billion dollars per year and deforestation is the main cause of biodiversity loss. Henceforth, this work aimed at reviewing on effects of human-induced factors on biodiversity and conservation challenges in selected National Parks of Ethiopia. The major causes of bird extinction are direct hunting for food and traditional uses and indirect using habitat destruction and climate changes. This work analyzed that there were anthropogenic-induced threats entailing the loss of species and environmental degradation and depletion occur mainly due to anthropogenic impacts as human numbers increase. In a conclusive, effectsdriven human involvement was seen as the major factor impairing the diversity of avifauna in Ethiopia. Research-driven policies fostering the lasting conservation of avifauna are highly needed. The attempts of conserving and maintaining a healthy bird population and their habitats would preserve diverse ecosystem services by benefiting many different living species and finally human well-being.

Composition, threats and conservation of avifauna in seven areas of wind farms in Northeast Brazil

Composition, threats and conservation of avifauna in seven areas of wind farms in Northeast Brazil

Avian Haemosporidian (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus) Status in Two Bird Groups (Old-World Flycatchers and Thrushes) of India and Their Phylogenetic Relationships with Other Lineages of the World.

Avian haemosporidian may affect the host from body damage to the extinction of a population. Knowledge of their status may help in future avifauna conservation plans. Hence, their status in two bird groups of India and their phylogenetic relationships with other known lineages of the world were examined. Cytochrome b gene sequences (479bp) generated from India and available at MalAvi database were used to study the avian haemosporidian prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of lineages at local and world levels. One common (COLL2) and only once in the study (CYOPOL01, CHD01, CYORUB01, EUMTHA01, GEOCIT01) haemosporidian lineages were discovered. 5.88% prevalence of haemosporidian infection was found in 102 samples belonging to 6 host species. Haemoproteus prevalence was 4.90% across five host species (Phylloscopus trochiloides, Cyornis poliogenys, C. hainanus dialilaemus, C. rubeculoides, Eumiyas thalassinus) and Plasmodium prevalence was 0.98% in Geokichla citrina. Spatial phylogeny at the global level showed that COLL2 lineage, found in C. poliogenys in India, was genetically identical to H. pallidus lineages (COLL2) in parts of Africa, Europe, North America, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The Plasmodium lineage (GEOCIT01) was related to PADOM16 in Egypt, but the sequences were only 93.89% alike. Four new lineages of Haemoproteus and one of Plasmodium were reported. COLL2 similarity with other H. pallidus lineages may suggest their hosts as possible infection sources.

Influence of land cover features on avian community and potential conservation priority areas for biodiversity at a Ramsar site in India

BackgroundWetlands provide diverse ecological services to sustain rich biodiversity, but they are recklessly exploited around the globe. East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW; Ramsar site No. 1208, ~ 125 km2) was once very rich in faunal diversity that declined over the years due to various anthropogenic pressures. In such scenarios, effective management plans need to contemplate local and landscape level initiatives and prioritize areas for conservation. Studying the foraging guild structure and spatial patterns of relationship between bird and its environment provides important insight of ecological processes of avifauna. Thus, we carried out extensive surveys in 142 point count stations to explore the diversity and foraging guild structure of birds in EKW. We addressed two important questions that how bird diversity varied from the outer periphery of the city towards the wetlands and how bird diversity is influenced by land cover features at local and landscape level in wetland complex. The goal of this study was to prepare a spatial map of avian diversity and to find the conservation priority areas for birds in this internationally recognized wetland complex.ResultsWe recorded 94 species of birds and the Shannon diversity index values ranged between 1.249 and 3.189. We found that the avian diversity increased with increasing distance from city periphery. Omnivores and insectivores were the dominant foraging guilds, followed by carnivores, granivores, frugivores and piscivores. Generalized Linear Models revealed that bird communities were positively influenced by areas of wetlands, dikes and banks, agricultural field and emergent vegetation, and negatively influenced by built-up area. In the projected spatial map of species diversity, 74.15 km2 area has high diversity. Finally, we identified 12.82 km2 of top 10% conservation priority areas.ConclusionsLow bird diversity near city periphery is related to habitat degradation due to anthropogenic pressure. Dominance of omnivores and insectivores indicates a possible impact of urbanization in EKW. We suggest that a mix of agricultural field, wetland areas and emergent vegetation helps to sustain a greater avian community. Besides, protection of conservation priority areas, restoration of the degraded habitats and reduction of threats (particularly in the north-eastern parts of EKW near the city periphery) will ensure the conservation of avifauna, and also the overall biodiversity of EKW.

The impact of landuse and the relationship between NDVI on the bird species richness in Sukmajaya District, Depok

A high human population increase will affect the landuse change, and as a result, there will be a conversion of green areas into residential and industrial lands. The natural habitat of wildlife such as avifauna will be highly fragmented and even lost. This research was conducted in Sukmajaya District, which was the most densely populated sub-district in Depok City. Normalized Differences Vegetation Index (NDVI) can show the vegetation map of an area. Sukmajaya sub-district is dominated by residential areas, about 62.1 % of the total area of this sub-district is residential area and leaving only 21.2 % of the vegetated land fragmented by buildings as habitat for wildlife. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on how different landuse types affect avifauna species richness which is important as input for stakeholders in avifauna conservation efforts. The research was conducted by using point count method in a total of 37 observation points divided into residential areas, industrial areas, and vegetated lands. The results of this study indicated that the correlation between landuse and avifauna species richness can be explained by the characteristics of the landuse habitat. Using linear regression, all habitat characters, such as NDVI, total individual vegetation, number of vegetation types, canopy cover, human activity disturbance, and temperature can simultaneously predict the value of the Margalef species richness index. The number of vegetation types and canopy cover are the characters that most influence the avifauna species richness in this study.

Long-Term Empirical Studies Highlight Multiple Drivers of Temporal Change in Bird Fauna in the Wet Forests of Victoria, South-Eastern Australia

Birds are high profile elements of the vertebrate biota in almost all terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. Many studies have uncovered evidence of a decline in bird biodiversity, but temporal patterns of change vary among ecosystems and among bird species with different life history traits. Ecosystem-specific, long-term studies are critical for identifying patterns of temporal change in bird biodiversity and the drivers of that change. Here we present a case study of drivers of temporal change in the bird fauna of the Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash eucalypt forests of south-eastern Australia. Using insights from observational studies and experiments conducted over the past 18 years, we discuss the direct and interactive effects of fire and logging on birds. The extent and severity of wildfires have major negative effects on almost all bird species, and have persisted for more than a decade after the last major conflagration (in 2009). Logging has markedly different effects on birds than those quantified for fire, and may have resulted in elevated levels of site occupancy in remaining uncut areas in the landscape. Both fire and logging have led to marked losses in the extent of old growth forest in Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash ecosystems. This is a concern given the strong association of most species of birds with old forest relative to younger age cohorts. Based on an understanding of the effects of fire and logging as drivers of change, we propose a series of inter-related management actions designed to enhance the conservation of avifauna in Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash ecosystems. A particular focus of management must be on increasing the interval between fires and limiting the spatial extent of wildfires and, in turn, significantly expanding the extent of old growth forest. This is because old growth forest is where most bird species are most likely to occur, and in the event of future wildfires, where fire severity will be lowest. Expansion of the old growth estate will require commercial logging operations to be excluded from large parts of Mountain Ash and Alpine Ash forests.

An Updated Checklist of Avifauna found in and around Chilika Lake, Odisha, India

Chilika lake is one among the 467 important bird area (IBA) sites in India. The present study addresses the updated checklist ofavifauna of Chilika Lake, which is world's second largest brackish water Lake. Surveys were conducted during October 2006 and December 2016.The birds were recorded during the total count by boat, walking along the shore, block count, bird ringing, banding and satellite telemetry techniques. A total of 222 species ofavifauna of 62 orders and 20 families were recorded in and around study area. Nine (9) new bird species (River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelli, Glossy Ibis Plegadis facinellus, Indian Thick-knee Burhinus indicus, Alexandrine Parakeet Pstittacula eupatria, Chestnut-headed Beeeater Merops leschenaultia, Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii, Whiterumped Munia Lonchura striata, Scaly-breasted Munia Lonchura punctulata and Black-hooded Oriole Oriolus xanthornus) were recorded first time in the study area. Out of total documented species, most of them were Least concern (201) followed by Near Threatened (17), Vulnerable (2) and Endangered (2) category of the International Union of Conservation of Endangered Fauna and Flora. The endangered species recorded from the study area were Pallas's fish eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus) and Great knot (Calidris tenuirostris). Prawn gharries, poaching, poisoning, illegal fishing, over fishing (operate zero size mesh net), habitat degradation and otheranthropogenic activities are the major threat to the conservation of avifauna in and around Chilika lake.

La rehabilitación forestal y su papel en la conservación avifaunística en El Porvenir, Hidalgo, México

Introduction: Conserving terrestrial ecosystems in good condition is a global challenge. In Mexico, forest rehabilitation is a widely used practice to achieve this task. Objective: To analyze the effect of forest rehabilitation on avifauna parameters (richness, abundance and diversity) and vegetation structure. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in El Porvenir, Hidalgo, Mexico, in areas under forest rehabilitation with Pinus greggii Engelm. ex Parl. aged 5(R5), 12(R12) and 14(R14) years, and in a Pinus cembroides Zucc. forest as a reference site (RS). Sampling was done using a systematic grid design. Avifauna presence was monitored under two schemes: fixed-radius point counts and capture by constant-effort mist-netting. The tree structure was characterized by the point-centered quarter method. Differences between conditions were tested with a permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). Results and discussion: The RS had the highest bird richness (34) and showed significant differences (P = 0.0003) with rehabilitation conditions. The distribution of abundance in R5 and R14 was fitted to a geometric model, R12 to a logarithmic model and RS to a log-normal one, exhibiting significant differences among them (P = 0.033). Bird diversity presented differences between conditions (P = 0.005); the maximum similarity was between R14 and RS. The older the forest rehabilitation age, the more the vegetation structure and bird parameters increased. Conclusion: The areas under forest rehabilitation function as reservoirs for the maintenance and conservation of avifauna in disturbed environments.

Avifauna conservation and disturbance ecology in a coastal freshwater lagoon.

This work was developed in Barrinha de Mira Coastal Lagoon, Portugal. The lagoon belongs to the Natura 2000 network. Its main objectives were to monitor aquatic bird species before, during, and after a desorption intervention on this lagoon. Monitoring of waterfowl was carried out to evaluate the monthly variation of birds in Barrinha, in order to obtain useful information for region's management and planning, as well as for species preservation. In experimental design, it was decided to perform four counts per month in each pond (weekly), to evaluate the effect of increased monitoring effort in relation to previous years. The results revealed that the study area has a significant importance as a wintering zone for water birds. Some species have stable resident populations which, seasonally, see their numbers vary with migratory birds arrival and departure. Another purpose was to verify the influence of desorption intervention on the usual number of individuals by species. The results show that during and after intervention, there was a reduction of birds in the order of 89%, being more visible in the populations of Anas platyrhynchos and Fulica atra.

The abundance of bird species in three sections of Kwale District's coastal forests in Kenya

Abstract. Musila SN, Manohar S, Mango N. 2017. The abundance of bird species in three sections of Kwale District's coastal forests in Kenya. Ocean Life 1: 69-83. Specifically, the diversity of bird species in the three coastal forests of Kaya Gandini Important Bird Area, Kaya Mtswakara, and Mwache Forest Reserve, Kenya, was studied between October 2007 and August 2008. To survey the understory birds of each forest, three ringing stations separated by 200-500 m and two net lines (60 m (18m x 2, 12m x 2)) and (54m (18m x 3)) separated by 60 m were utilized. Twenty-two Timed Species Counts (TSCs) were conducted in the treetops of each forest to determine the bird population. 10 m2 plots were established at 50-meter intervals around the ringing locations and TSCs survey routes, with the plot centers 10 meters perpendicular to the paths. One hundred forty-one different bird species were documented across all locations; 93 were found in Gandini, 88 in Mtswakara, and 91 in Mwache. Common to all three sections were 41 bird species types (29%), accounting for 44%, 47%, and 45% of all bird species documented in Gandini, Mwache, and Mtswakara, respectively. Overall, 38 species of forest birds were registered across all forests, including 34 in Gandini and 25 in both Mtswakara and Mwache. Four globally endangered bird species and 14 endemics to the East African Coastal Biome were discovered across all forest types. There were no migrating birds in any of the three areas, even though they were all a part of the same forest. Although Gandini and Mtswakara were the most similar, all three locations shared a similar habitat structure. Bird populations in Mwache were affected by human activities such as firewood collecting, extraction of building poles (5-10 cm DBH) for domestic and commercial use, and quarrying. Gandini stands out as the most crucial location for avifauna conservation due to its greater diversity of Forest Specialist (FF), Forest Generalist (F), understory, globally threatened birds and EACB species. Due to their close vicinity and the significant number of overlapping forest birds and internationally vulnerable bird species, all three forests should be conserved or maintained as a single forest block to ensure the survival of the greatest possible number of bird species.

Lessons from the Tōhoku tsunami: A model for island avifauna conservation prioritization.

Earthquake‐generated tsunamis threaten coastal areas and low‐lying islands with sudden flooding. Although human hazards and infrastructure damage have been well documented for tsunamis in recent decades, the effects on wildlife communities rarely have been quantified. We describe a tsunami that hit the world's largest remaining tropical seabird rookery and estimate the effects of sudden flooding on 23 bird species nesting on Pacific islands more than 3,800 km from the epicenter. We used global positioning systems, tide gauge data, and satellite imagery to quantify characteristics of the Tōhoku earthquake‐generated tsunami (11 March 2011) and its inundation extent across four Hawaiian Islands. We estimated short‐term effects of sudden flooding to bird communities using spatially explicit data from Midway Atoll and Laysan Island, Hawai'i. We describe variation in species vulnerability based on breeding phenology, nesting habitat, and life history traits. The tsunami inundated 21%–100% of each island's area at Midway Atoll and Laysan Island. Procellariformes (albatrosses and petrels) chick and egg losses exceeded 258,500 at Midway Atoll while albatross chick losses at Laysan Island exceeded 21,400. The tsunami struck at night and during the peak of nesting for 14 colonial seabird species. Strongly philopatric Procellariformes were vulnerable to the tsunami. Nonmigratory, endemic, endangered Laysan Teal (Anas laysanensis) were sensitive to ecosystem effects such as habitat changes and carcass‐initiated epizootics of avian botulism, and its populations declined approximately 40% on both atolls post‐tsunami. Catastrophic flooding of Pacific islands occurs periodically not only from tsunamis, but also from storm surge and rainfall; with sea‐level rise, the frequency of sudden flooding events will likely increase. As invasive predators occupy habitat on higher elevation Hawaiian Islands and globally important avian populations are concentrated on low‐lying islands, additional conservation strategies may be warranted to increase resilience of island biodiversity encountering tsunamis and rising sea levels.

High Resolution Spatial Mapping of Human Footprint across Antarctica and Its Implications for the Strategic Conservation of Avifauna.

Human footprint models allow visualization of human spatial pressure across the globe. Up until now, Antarctica has been omitted from global footprint models, due possibly to the lack of a permanent human population and poor accessibility to necessary datasets. Yet Antarctic ecosystems face increasing cumulative impacts from the expanding tourism industry and national Antarctic operator activities, the management of which could be improved with footprint assessment tools. Moreover, Antarctic ecosystem dynamics could be modelled to incorporate human drivers. Here we present the first model of estimated human footprint across predominantly ice-free areas of Antarctica. To facilitate integration into global models, the Antarctic model was created using methodologies applied elsewhere with land use, density and accessibility features incorporated. Results showed that human pressure is clustered predominantly in the Antarctic Peninsula, southern Victoria Land and several areas of East Antarctica. To demonstrate the practical application of the footprint model, it was used to investigate the potential threat to Antarctica’s avifauna by local human activities. Relative footprint values were recorded for all 204 of Antarctica’s Important Bird Areas (IBAs) identified by BirdLife International and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). Results indicated that formal protection of avifauna under the Antarctic Treaty System has been unsystematic and is lacking for penguin and flying bird species in some of the IBAs most vulnerable to human activity and impact. More generally, it is hoped that use of this human footprint model may help Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting policy makers in their decision making concerning avifauna protection and other issues including cumulative impacts, environmental monitoring, non-native species and terrestrial area protection.

Role of Ficus spp. in the avifauna conservation of Jahangirnagar University campus

A study was conducted on Ficus species to evaluate its role in avifauna conservation Jahangirnagar University campus from December 2012 to September 2013. Ficus benghalensis and Ficus rumphii were found to provide food and shelter to the bird community of Jahangirnagar University throughout the year because of their asynchronous fruiting. A total of twenty four Ficus trees were selected for the study. Number of fruit providing trees varied in different months (? = 11.6, range = 4-22, sd ± 6.29). Twenty seven species of birds were recorded from Ficus spp. throughout the year. Dependency of bird species on Ficus varied in different months ( ? = 18.1, sd ± 2.42, range = 16-22). Common Myna was found to visit Ficus tree more frequently while Oriental White Eye was less frequent. The height of the studied Ficus benghalensis ranged from 17 – 45 feet with the mean ? = 26.67 ± 7.51 while Ficus rumphii ranged from 30-48 feet with the mean ? = 39.33 ± 9.0.Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 3(2): 9-16, 2014 (December)

Do Farmers Using Conventional and Non-Conventional Systems of Agriculture Have Different Perceptions of the Diversity of Wild Birds? Implications for Conservation

Farmers’ perceptions of birds’ interactions with agricultural production systems are fundamental to species conservation efforts. In the present study, we evaluated the perceptions of birds held by farmers who engage in conventional and non-conventional agricultural production processes and the implications of potential differences in these perceptions on species conservation. To accomplish this, data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and other complementary sources of information gathered from 191 farmers in northeastern Brazil. Although some similarities were identified among the farmers in their perceptions and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of birds, differences existed between the conventional and non-conventional farmers in their attitudes toward, conflicts with, and usage of bird species. Compared to the conventional farmers, the non-conventional farmers could identify more bird species, possessed more favorable attitudes toward birds, and engaged in practices more beneficial to the conservation of avifauna. The perceptions that were identified were related to the type of agriculture practiced, and such perceptions may affect the conservation of bird species. Therefore, the adoption of certain agricultural practices has important implications for conservation. Our results indicate the need for investment in public policies, programs and actions that account for farmers’ knowledge and perceptions. Such investments will contribute to the development and adoption of practices supporting wild bird conservation in agricultural areas.

The role of native forest plantations in the conservation of Neotropical birds: the case of the Andean alder

The gradual increase in reforested areas worldwide, as a strategy for mitigating native forest loss, has stressed the need of assessing their real value as habitat for native species. Forest plantations, particularly those based on native species, could be valuable for conservation purposes, especially in heavily fragmented and disturbed ecosystems. We evaluated the value of a monoculture of a native tree species, the Andean alder (Alnus acuminata), for the conservation of avifauna in the Central Andes region, which is considered a bird species diversity hotspot but also suffers from high anthropogenic disturbance levels. Our results suggest that alder plantations are valuable for conservation from three points of view: (1) they have similar or greater bird species richness and abundance than secondary native forests; (2) low community similarities are found between this type of forest compared to secondary forest stands (with 27 species exclusive to alder plantations); and (3) three near threatened species (Odontophorus hyperythrus, Eriocnemis derbyi, and Cyanolyca viridicyanus). Further, 27 out of the 85 species found at the alder plantations were of least concern but showing decreasing population trends. While forest plantations do not replace native forests, they offer habitat for many bird species, some of them being of conservation concern (i.e., included in an IUCN threat category) or with decreasing populations. Hence establishing native species plantations among native forest remnants – especially in heavily fragmented landscapes – could have a positive effect in the conservation of threatened avifauna.