Study on Seasonal Variation of Wetland Birds in Coimbatore District in Tamil Nadu, India

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE Study on Seasonal Variation of Wetland Birds in Coimbatore District in Tamil Nadu, India

Baranidharan K, S Krishnamoorthi and M Vijayabhama

Department of Forest Products and Wildlife, Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam – 641301, Coimbatore, TN, India.

Abstract Birds are best indicators of wetland function or as measures of

success in wetland management, restoration and creation. This study was

*Corresponding Author: conducted during February to April 2018, totally 7 selected wetlands surveyed from Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu. Species diversity, Baranidharan K richness and relative abundance of birds were calculated. Totally 82 Email: [email protected] wetland bird species in 15 orders from 29 families were recorded. Maximum diversity of birds was recorded in Ukkadam lake (3.10) followed Received: 03/04/2020 by Pethikuttai (3.05) and the least diversity were recorded in Singanallur Accepted: 27/04/2020 lake (2.57). The species richness was recorded high on Ukkadam lake (27) followed by Pethikuttai (26) and least richness was observed in

Selvasinthamani (15).

Keywords: Wetland, Water birds, Diversity, Coimbatore.

1. Introduction species are endemic, 3 species are breeding endemic The class Aves contains more species and 85 species are threatened and around 600 species distributed over nearly the entire earth than other class are waterbirds (TH) (Birdlife International, 2018). The of vertebrates. Bird form an important component of Forest Department with WWF India and Centre for the ecosystem (Rahul et al., 2014) as a part of food Urban Biodiversity Conservation and Education had web, as potential pollinators and bio indicators covered 25 small tanks for wetland birds census and (Pradhan et al., 2013). The Indian subcontinent, a part spotted 79 were wetland birds and 87 were associated of the vast Oriental biogeographic region, is very rich birds in Coimbatore district. Coimbatore district play a in biodiversity (Baranidharan et al., 2019; Kharel, vital role in harboring shelter for many wetland birds, 2019 ). Wetland birds are excellent indicators of water still now there was no systematic study on wetland quality and measures of biodiversity (Bubesh Guptha et birds with respect to season and its diversity. al., 2011; Prajapati and Mahato, 2018). “Wetlands’’ have been defined as swamps and other damp areas of 2. Methodology land but in common vernacular the word is used The study was conducted during February to interchangeably with “lakes” which means a large body April in 2018, totally 7 wetlands in Coimbatore district of water surrounded by land. But Ramsar convention in Tamil Nadu. The wetland areas are Ukkadam, describes a wetland as a “Area of Marsh, Fen, Peat land Kurichi Kulam, Kannampalayam, Valankulam, or water whether natural or artificial, permanent or Selvasinthamani, Singanallur, Pethikuttai lakes in temporary with water, that is static or flowing, fresh, Coimbatore district. Birds were counted by using total brackish or salt including areas of marine water, the count method which involves searching throughout a depth of which does not exceed 6 meters”. The Ramsar fixed area for a set amount of time and recording the Convention defines “waterfowl” as species of birds that number of birds seen and heard. Birds systematically are ecologically dependent upon wetlands and has counted from 6:30 am to 10:00 am in morning and 4:00 defined water bird as being synonymous with pm to 6:30 pm in evening. Bird observations were “waterfowl” for the purposes of the application of the carried out by using Binocular (Nikon 7x50) and Convention. According to an estimate total 1266 bird Photographs of birds were taken by using Camera species found in Indian sub-continent, out of the more (Cannon Power shot 50X). Shannon-Weiner index of than 9990 bird species of the world, over 15% of the diversity (Shannon and Wiener, 1963) was used to world's bird fauna are found in India (Grimmett et al., calculate the bird species diversity. The formula for 2013; Anula, 2015). Out of 1266 species of birds, 57 calculating the Shannon diversity index is:

Journal of Wildlife Research | April-June, 2020 | Volume 08 | Issue 02 | Pages 20-23 © 2020 Jakraya Baranidharan et al...Study on Seasonal Variation of Wetland Birds in Coimbatore District in Tamil Nadu, India

bird species in Kannampalayam wetland area followed H' =- ∑Pi Ln Pi by 28 bird species in Singanallur wetland area and 27 bird species in Selvasinthamani wetland area (Table 1). Where, Bird diversity was maximum in February month and it H' Shannon index of diversity was followed by March month, least in April in all the Pi = the proportion of the i th species in the seven wetland areas of Coimbatore district. With landscape element respect to species richness Ukkadamlake (49) scored Ln Pi = Natural logarithm of the proportion of each highest species richness followed by Pethikuttai (47) species (Table 3). Richness was calculated by counting number of Maximum density of birds was observed in bird species recorded in season (Harisha and Hosetti, Ukkadam wetland lake (3.32) and it was followed by 2009). The formula for calculating the richness is; Pethikuttai (3.30) (Table 2). In birds relative abundance Ukkadam, Singanallur, Selvasinthamani and Species richness = Number of bird species recorded. Kannampalyam, Little cormorant were dominated respectively. Pethikuttai, Valankulam Black winged The Relative Abundance (Anjos, 2004; stilt were dominated and Indian spot billed duck was in Ayenalem and Bekele, 2008) was analyzed from the Kurichikulam. collected data during the study period using the following formula: 4. Discussion In Coimbatore district, the study results revealed Number of individual of species Relative Abundance = × 100 that total of 82 wetlands bird species in 15 orders from Number of individual of all species 29 families. This research finding are in line with

findings of Joshi et al. (2007) who stated that, a total of 3. Results 144 bird species belonging to 46 families comprising of The results revealed that, so far 82 bird species 16 orders observed in Karnala Bird Sanctuary. In all belonging to 15 orders and 29 families were recorded wetlands (Ukkadam, Pethikuttai, Kurichikulam, in Coimbatore district. Regarding wetland areas, Kannampalayam, Selvasinthamani, Valankulam, maximum of 49 bird species observed in Ukkadam Singanallur) species diversity maximum in February wetland area followed by 47 bird species in Pethikuttai (3.32, 3.30, 3.21, 3.17, 2.89, 2.67 and 2.60) wetland area followed by 33 bird species in respectively, minimum in April month (2.88, 2.87, KurichiKulam wetland area followed by 30 bird 2.87, 2.03, 2.49, 2.61 and 2.70). species in Valankulam wetland area followed by 29

Table 1: Total population of wetland birds in Coimbatore District

S. No Lake name Diversity of bird species Order Family 1 Ukkadam 49 15 26 2 Pethikuttai 48 12 23 3 KurichiKulam 33 9 17 4 Kannampalayam 29 8 13 5 Valankulam 30 9 13 6 Selvasinthamani 27 10 14 7 Singanallur 28 8 13

Table 2: Seasonal wise avian diversity in different wetland in Coimbatore district

S. NO Areas Avian Diversity (Shannon index of diversity) Average February March April Density 1 Kurichikulam 3.21 2.90 2.87 2.99 2 Ukkadam 3.32 3.11 2.88 3.10 3 Kannampalayam 3.17 2.70 2.03 2.63 4 Singanallur 2.60 2.59 2.70 2.57 5 Valankulam 2.67 2.50 2.61 2.59 6 Pethikuttai 3.30 2.98 2.87 3.05 7 Selvasinthamani 2.89 2.64 2.49 2.67

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Table 3: Seasonal wise avian richness in various wetlands in Coimbatore district

S. NO Areas Species Richness Average February March April Richness 1 Kurichikulam 26 17 15 19 2 Ukkadam 44 20 18 27 3 Kannampalayam 25 20 14 16 4 Singanallur 24 13 13 16 5 Valankulam 27 14 11 17 6 Pethikuttai 34 25 21 26 7 Selvasinthamani 20 14 12 15

Fig 1: Avian diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner diversity indices) in seven wetland areas of Coimbatore district.

Fig 2: Avian richness in seven wetlands of Coimbatore district.

Similar findings were also found by Bubesh Guptha et monthly variation in the density of avifauna in Udupi al. (2011) to analyse the status of wetlands and wetland district, Karnataka, India. The results shown that bird birds in Coimbatore, who revealed that maximum was density or the number of individuals was more from observed in Kallakurchi lake II (2.5) followed by Asur October to May and less in June, July, August and (2.31) and Sulur (2.35). Among the seven wetland September. In birds relative abundance Ukkadam, areas of Coimbatore district (Ukkadam, Pethikuttai, Singanallur, Selvasinthamani and Kannampalyam, Kurichikulam, Kannampalayam, Selvasinthamani, Little cormorant were dominated in Pethikuttai and Valankulam, Singanallur) species richness maximum in Valankulam, Black winged stilt were dominated and February month (44, 34, 26, 25, 20, 27 and 24) Indian spot billed duck was in Kurichikulam. Similar respectively minimum in April month (18, 21, 15, 14, findings were also found by Hansen et al . (2015) the 12, 11 and 13) respectively which was detected for the relative abundance of wetland birds in Tuticorin movement of bird species as good in February and due district, Tamil Nadu, India. The results shown that to availability of large quantity of waters in all wetland relative abundance was more in Spot billed duck and areas. Similar findings were also revealed by Vijaya Jacanas. Kumar and Vijaya Kumara (2011) analysed the

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5. Conclusion was recorded in Singanallur lake. The species richness This study concluded that totally 82 wetland was recorded high on Ukkadam lake followed by bird species in 15 orders from 29 families were Pethikuttai lake and least richness was observed in recorded in 7 different wetlands of Coimbatore. Selvasinthamani lake. Bird density or the number of Maximum diversity of birds was recorded in Ukkadam individuals was more from October to May and less in lake followed by Pethikuttai lake and the least diversity June, July, August and September.

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