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STATUS SURVEY of AFRICAN GREEN PIGEON (Treroncalvus

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STATUS SURVEY OF AFRICAN GREEN PIGEON (Treroncalvus, Temminck, 1808) IN EKITI STATE, NIGERIA BY OWOLABI, BIBITAYO AYOBAMI B. Wildlife Management (EWM/13/5440) A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ECOTOURISM AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POST GRADUATE STUDIES, THE FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY,AKURE, ONDO STATE. IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY IN ECOTOURISM AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT. OCTOBER 2015. ABSTRACT The study focused on assessment and survey of thestatus survey of African Green Pigeon in EkitiState,Nigeria. Following the reconnaissance survey of the state, five sites were purposively selected, which represented areas where African Green Pigeon were commonly sighted. These areas were Counting station A (Aramoko/IjeroEkiti), Counting station B (IsanEkiti), Counting station C (IkogosiEkiti), Counting station D (Awo/IgedeEkiti) and Counting station E (IyemeroEkiti). The study area represents a typical rain forest ecosystem. Three methods were used for collecting data for the study (Point count method, direct observation and vegetation assessment technique). A meantotal of 97 birds were counted during the wet and dry season of the study, 46during the dry season and 51 counted during the wet season.Total mean number of bird in Counting Station A in the dry period was 10 and 9 in the wet season, accounting for a standard error of 3 ± 2.186birds sighted in the dry season and 3 ± 2.646in the wet season. Counting Station B forest patches, had a total of 29 birds, 9 sighted in the dry and 14 in the wet period, 3 ± 1.201 as standard error of birds sighted in the wet season and 3 ± 1.527 foe the dry season while counting Station C forest patches with 8 birds sighted in the dry and 12 birds recorded in the wet season, having a standard error of 3 ± 2.603 birds sighted in the dry and 3 ± 0.577 in the wet season. Counting Station D forest patches produces a total of 10 birds sighted in the dry and 8 birds seen in the wet season accounting for a 3 ± 0.882birds sighted during the dry period and 3 ± 1.201 in the wet period. A total of 9 birds in the dry and 8 birds in the wet season in station E were seen with standard mean of 3 ± 2.309in the dry and 3 ± 1.527in the wet season. Five (5) tree species were used by the African Green Pigeon for feeding during the research while others were used for other activities. The result of the 100% enumeration sampling of treesabove 10 meters in quadrant of 25 x 25 meters in the five counting stations revealed a total of 130 tree stands, 44 species and 29 families. Station A has103 trees species from 38 genus and CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION Nigeria has about 940 out of about 1,850 species of bird in Africa, out of which 4 species are endemic, while 5 are rare or accidental species Lepage, (2006).Nigeria is a country of marked ecological diversity and climatic contrasts. According to the report of the FAO, the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at sea level while the highest point is the Chappal Waddi Mountain near the border of Cameroon, in the Gashaka-Gumpti National Park on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba state at an elevation of 2,419m (7,936ft). Nigeria has diverse biophysical characteristics, ethnic nationalities, agro-ecological zones and socio-economic conditions (FAO 2010, FMEN 2001). Ecological diversity and climatic variation of the country, coupled with changes in composition of bird species are correlated with vegetation structure, topography, related physical and biological features varying along the altitudinal gradients Mallet-Rodrigues et al.,(2010). Birds are among the best known parts of the earth's biodiversity, but quantified knowledge is far from complete for most species and this leads to an obstacle in conservation of birds (Aerts et al., 2008; Mason et al., 2005). Birds play a vital role in floral biology and pollination of plants; about half of the plants communities are clearly adapted to bird pollination as well as indicates environmental health and they have been considered as indicator species of inhabited areas (Colwell, 2010, Rajashekara and Venkatesha, 2011). Newton, (2004) acknowledged the fact that, in the last 400 years, human actions alone eliminated about 127 of approximate 9,672 modern species of birds. Activities like fire wood collection, logging, agriculture, farming, drainage construction, filling of wetlands, human settlement, building of infrastructures, roads and industries among others have altered lots of habitats. Myer (1992) reported that, the loss of tropical ecosystem is of particular concern Full text of this document can be accessed by visiting the Post Graduate Research Unit of Albert Ilemobade Library, FUTA or contact the Reference Librarian via [email protected] .
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