World Journal of Zoology 12 (2): 30-33, 2017 ISSN 1817-3098 © IDOSI Publications, 2017 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjz.2017.30.33

The Aquatic Birds of Mannar Wetland, , ,

M. Anarkkaly and K.G. Manju

Department of Zoology, Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Abstract: The study of aquatic bird community of Mannar wetland in , Kerala State was made during February 2015 to August 2016. The methodology followed was mainly on observations using spotting scope. A total of 42 species of birds, belonging to 6 orders distributed in 14 families were recorded from the area. Among them 9 species were winter migrants and 8 species were local migrants.The Red Data Book has listed Oriental Anhinga rufamelanogaster, as a globally threatened category, seen as an inhabitant in this region, although, these birds are occassinal migrants in the area. The highest number of birds were recorded in the month of January and the lowest in June. Little , Median , and Cattle Egret were the most abundant resident species found in the Mannar Wetland.

Key words: Aquatic Birds Mannar Wetland Kerala Winter Migrants Resident Species

INTRODUCTION Vezhathar (100 Ha), 6. Kandamkeri (90 Ha), 7. Naluthode (100 Ha), 8.Ariyodichal (40 Ha), 9.Koyikkappallam (16 Ha), Wetland habitats of Mannar comprise of bogs, 10.Kuttamperoor (20 Ha), 11.Marakanam (20 Ha) having a ponds, marshes, paddy fields, swamps and lakes. These total area of 594 Hectares of Mannar formed the study areas usually offer an abundance of food and protection area for the present investigation. to many avian fauna. Most of the wetland birds in the world are under threat although they are the vital indicators of environmental health [1]. They occupy many trophic levels in the food web of wetland nutrient cycles. Wetlands have some of the highest biodiversity and biological productivity levels in the world [2]. According to Nameer wetlands of Kerala are one of the least ornithologically studied ecosystems [3]. The main objective of the present study is to document the different species of aquatic, wetland dependent and wetland associated birds of Mannar so as to enable an effective conservation for these native species.

Study Area: The area selected for the study was the wetland habitat in Mannar village (9°5 N latitude and 76°17½ and 76°44½ E longitude) which belongs to upper kuttanadu region of Kol Wetlands [4] in Alappuzha Ditrict, Kerala, India (Fig. 1 & 2). It is a vast area of partly reclaimed land, covered with bright green paddy fields separated by dykes. The place is an amazing labyrinth of shimmering water ways composed of lakes, canals, rivers and rivulets.The eleven sites 1.Edapuncha west (26 Ha), 2. Edapuncha East (16 Ha), 3. Kudavellari A-block (56 Ha), 4.Kudavellari B-block (110 Ha), 5. Fig. 1: Map of study Area

Corresponding Author: M. Anarkkaly, Department of Zoology, Mar Ivanios College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.

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Fig. 2: Site Map of study Area

MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS

Total count method was followed for bird census. Under this study (Table 1) 42 species of birds In this method representative blocks were identified and belonging to 14 families distributed in 6 orders were birds in the blocks were counted using spotting scope recorded from the area. Among these 9 species were (10x-45x). Birds were identified with the help of standard winter migrants and 8 species were local migrants and one field guides and reference books [5-7]. The time of particular species, (Anhinga rufa observation was from 0700 hrs to 1000 hrs. On an average melanogaster) in the Red Data Book was also recorded 20 days were spent in the field in a month and no census [8]. Phalacrocorax niger , Median Egret was made during heavy rain. Mesophoyx intermedia, Little Egret Egretta garzetta The census was carried out during February 2015 to Cattle Egret Bubulcus coromandus were the most August 2016 and following assumption were used to abundant resident species found in the study area. Purple derive the abundance of each species. MoorhenPorphyrioporphyrio, Pond Ardeolagrayiigrayii, Ardea cineriarectis A = Abundant (Found in all suitable habitats and seen rostris, Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax in all habitats, on every visit) nycticorax nycticorax, Little Green Heron Ardeola C = Common (Found in all suitable habitats and seen in all striatus chloriceps, Little Podiceps habitats, in most of the visits) ruficolliscapensis, Gallinula U = Uncommon (Seen in specific habitat on few visits) chloropus, Ruddy-breasted crake Ponzanafusca and O = Occasional (Seen in suitable habitat once or twice) Red-wattled Vanellus indicus were the most common resident species recorded from the Mannar Status of species were classified in to Resident (R), wetland.Among these Purple moorhen, Pond heron, Local migrant (LM) and Migrant(M). Winter visitors from White-breasted waterhen and Bronze-winged jacana were Central Asian countries were included among migrants, regular breeding species in this wetland. Highest number where as winter visitors from other part of the Indian of birds were observed during January and lowest during Sub-continent were included in the category of Local the month of June. Among the 42 species of birds migrant. recorded 12 species belong to the family Ardeidae.

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Table 1: List of aquatic birds of Mannar Wetland. Nomenclature and classification after Manakadan & Pitte(2001) [9] Sl.No. Order Family Common name Scientific name Abundance Status 1. Ardeidae Pond Heron Ardeolagrayiigrayii CR 2 Grey Heron Ardeacineriarectirostris CR 3. Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticoraxnycticoraxnycticorax CR 4. ArdeaPurpureaManilensis CR 5. Littlegreen Heron ArdeolaStriatusChloriceps CR 6. Large Egret Casmerodicusalbus UR 7. Median Egret Mesophoyxintermedia AR 8. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis coromandus AR 9. Little Egret Egrettagarzetta AR 10. Black Dupetorflavicollis CR 11. Yellow bittern Ixobrychussinensis UR 12. Chestnut bittern Ixobrychuscinnamomeus UR 13. Phalacrocoracidae Indian shag Phalacrocoraxfuscicollisstephens O LM 14. Little cormorant Phalacrocoraxniger AR 15. Phalacrocoraxcarbosinensis C LM 16. Anhingidae Oriental Darter Anhinga rufa melanogaster C LM 17. Eurasian spoon bill Platalealeucorodia U LM 18. Ciconiidae White necked Ciconiaepiscopusepiscopus UR 19. Asian open billed stork Anastomusoscitans C LM 20. Ciconianigra UM 21. Common teal Anascrecca Linnaeus U M 22. Cotton teal Nettapuscoromandelianus C LM 23. Spot-billed AnasPoecilorhyncha C LM 24. Dendrocygnidae Dendrocygnajavanica CR 25. Podicipediformes Podicipedidae Podicepsruficolliscapensis CR 26. Rallidae Purple Moorhen Porphyrioporphyrio CR 27. Common moorhen Gallinulachloropus CR 28. White-breasted waterhen Amaurornisphoenicurusphoenicurus CR 29. Ruddy-breasted crake Porzanafusca CR 30. Pheasant-tailed Jacana Hydrophasianuschirurgus U LM 31. Bronze-winged Jacana Metopidiusindicus CR 32. Rostractulidae Greater Painted Rostratulabenghalensis CM 33. Yello-wattled lapwing Vanellusmalabaricus OR 34. Red-wattled lapwing Vanellusindicus CR 35. Little ringed CharadriusdubiusScopoli CM 36. Scolopacidae Tringanebularis CM 37. Gallinagogallinago CM 38. Whimbrel Numeniusphaeopus OM 39. Wood Tringaglareola CM 40. Eurasian NumeniusArquata CM 41. Whimbrel Numeniusphaeopus OM 42. Galliforms Red Sphafowl GalloperdixSpadicea UR

DISCUSSION Anhinga rufa melanogaster listed in the globally threatened category as per the Red Data Book [8] and Aquatic birds depend on wetlands for drinking nearly threatened as per IUCN (2007) was also found in water, feeding, breeding and nesting as a source [10]. this small area. However 24 species of bird have been The most abundant species observed in this wetland, in found permanent occupants of the area and they can be the course of study belong to the family Ardeidae. In the seen throughout the year (Table 1). studies conducted earlier at the vembanad kol wetland, a total of 198 species of birds belonging to 50 families have CONCLUSIONS been reported [11, 12, 13, 14, 15] in a large area, out of which, in this study only 42 species were found. This may The wetland has to be conserved for providing living be due to the decline of species or the area of study has conditions for the above species since, the ambience of been confined to a small area. The Oriental Darter living at its best in this area for these aquatic birds. So it

32 World J. Zool., 12 (2): 30-33, 2017 becomes inevitable to keep this area intact. In Kerala 7. Neelakantan, K.K., C. Sasikumar and R. Venugopalan, wetlands are mainly used for agriculture, aquaculture, 1993. A Book of Kerala Birds. World Wide Fund for reclamation for harbouring and industrial purposes, Nature- India, Kerala state committee, Trivandrum, disposing the waste materials, discharging the industrial pp: 146. effluents and municipal waste water coir retting and for 8. Birdlife International, 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: fishing [16]. It is necessary that, necessary action shall Birdlife International Red Data Book. Cambridge, U.K. have to be initiated to get rid of small scale fishing, Birdlife International. dumping of industrial effluents, throwing of waste and 9. Manakadan, R. and A. Pitte, 2001. Standardized sewage etc. in this area, to conserve this area to provide common and scientific names of the birds of Indian substantial assistance to enable the birds to live in Subcontinent. Buceros, 6(1): 1-37. harmony with nature . 10. Steward, R.E., 2007. Technical Aspects of Wetlands: Wetlands as Bird Habitat: United states Geological ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Survey Water Supply Paper, pp: 24-25. 11. Nameer, P.O., 1993. Birds of Vembanad Lake A We are thankful to the University of Kerala for the Survey Report. Report submitted to the Kerala Forest financial assistance and also thankful to Dr. A. K. Department. Cicilykutty for the valuable suggestions. 12. Sreekumar, B., 2001. Vembanad Waterbird Count 2001-A Report. Kerala Forest Department & REFERENCES Nature Society. 13. Sreekumar, B., 2002. Vembanad Waterbird Count 1. Hayman, P., J. Marchantand T. Prater, 1995. Shore 2002-A Report. Kerala Forest Department & birds: an identification guide. J. For Ornith, Kottayam Nature Society. 70: 172-285. 14. Sreekumar, B., 2003. Vembanad Waterbird Count 2. Whittaker, R.H. and G.E. Likens, 1973. Primary 2003-A Report. Kerala Forest Department & production: the biosphere and man. Human Ecology, Kottayam Nature Society. 1: 357-369. 15. Sreekumar, B., 2004. Vembanad Waterbird Count 3. Nameer, 1998. An overview of wetlands of Kerala and 2004-A Report. Kerala Forest Department & their conservation.In the proceeding of the Tenth Kottayam Nature Society. Kerala Science Congress, pp: 376-378 16. Balachandran, P.V., G. Mathew and K.V. Peter, 2002. 4. “The List of Wetlands of International importance”. Wetland Agriculture Problems and Prospects, The secretariat of the convention on Wetlands pp: 50-68. In: Wetland Conservation and (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Management in Kerala (Ed.) Jayakumar. State Gland, Switzerland. Committee on Science Technology and Environment, 5. Ali, S., 1969. The Birds of Kerala. Oxford University . Press, Bombay, pp: 444. 6. Ali, S. and S.D. Ripley, 1983. A Pictorical Guide to the Birds of the Indian Sub-Continent. Oxford University Press, Mumbai, pp: 177.

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