World Journal of Zoology 11 (1): 18-23, 2016 ISSN 1817-3098 © IDOSI Publications, 2016 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjz.2016.11.1.10118
Status of Birds from Pitchandikulam Forest Plantation and Special Reference to Bird Watching Programme, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
M. Bubesh Guptha, Lourde Nadin Epinal, M. Anbarashan, P. Karnakaran, U. Ramanan, C. Parthasharathi, N. Parvathi, M. Viji, M. Azhagappan and N. Meeravalli
Pitchandikulam Forest, (Unit of Auroville Foundation), Tamil Nadu, 605-101, India
Abstract: Pitchandikulam forest plantation (11°59'N-79°49'E) is found in the green belt of the Auroville International Township in coastal Tamil Nadu, South India. The study was conducted between August 2014 and July 2015. Fixed transect method was followed to estimate the bird population. During the survey a total of 61 species of birds belonging to 10orders and 28 families were recorded. Passeridae was the most dominant family with 9 species (14.7 %), followed by Accipitridae 6 species (9.8%) and rest of the families consist 5, 3, 2 and 1 species were recorded. Highest number of birds were recorded in the month of May (417 individuals) followed by February (399 individuals) and August (113 individuals) had lowest population. Species abundance, frequency were analysed. It shows great avian biodiversity which can attract the attention of birdwatchers and ornithologists.
Key words: Status Frequency Checklist Pitchandikulam Forest
INTRODUCTION till July 2015. One Wildlife Biologist leading the bird watching programme every week and Birds Friends Club Bird form an important component of the ecosystem (BFC) under the aegis of the Director, Pitchandikulam [1] as a part of food web, as potential pollinators and Forest, Auroville. Since the inception the team has been bio-indicators [2]. India has rich diversity of plants and exploring different areas of Auroville Bio- Region and animals both domesticated and wild in variety of habitats identified various species which were so far not recorded and ecosystem [3]. The forests play a key role in from this area. maintaining a wide range of delicate relationship with nature and its ecosystem [4]. The Indian subcontinent, a Study Area: Pitchandikulam plantation (11°59'N-79°49'E) part of the vast Oriental biogeographic region, is very rich is found in the green belt of the Auroville International in biodiversity. Out of the more than 9,990 birds of the Township in coastal Tamil Nadu, South India. A world, the Indian subcontinent contains about, 1,340 revegetated tract ca. 30ha. in extent. Reforestation species of birds which contribute more than 15 % of the programmes begun in 1973 used exotics like Acacia world’s bird species [5]. In the present study, attempt was auriculiformis, Acacia colei, Eucalyptusglobulus, etc. made to prepare a comprehensive checklist of the birds of Over the last decade or so there has been a significant Pitchandikulam plantation. shift in priority - to recreate the Tropical Dry Evergreen Birds’ Friends Club (BFC) main goal is to provide Forests. As such, many indigenous species are being accurate scientific information and predictive models planted and the exotics removed. The natural vegetation for conservation of biodiversity and its ecological too has begun to recolonize the land and as such, it can fundamentals by ensuring continued generation. The best be described as a mixed forest. In addition, there are programmewas started during August 2014 with 25 bird tracts of grasslands and meadows ca. 2ha. in extent. watchers that include students, naturalist and volunteers A seasonal pond exists to the northern side in addition to
Corresponding Author: M. Bubesh Guptha, Pitchandikulam Forest, (Unit of Auroville Foundation), Tamil Nadu, 605-101, India. Cell: +8110991701. 18 World J. Zool., 11 (1): 18-23, 2016
Image 1: Map showing the transect of the study area of Pitchandikulam forest plantation a number of manmade water tanks. An area of ca2ha [6]. Status and Abundance: VC -Very common (>100) times; C- It is a peaceful forest plantation of self-generating forest Common- (25-100) times; UC- Uncommon- (10-25) times; where over 800 species of plants can be found in the area. R – Rare - (5-10) times and VR- Very Rare (5 <) times. Is devoted to agroforestry and an ethno-medicinal forest. A few human residences are present within this forest. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION There are areas where natural regeneration has occurred alongside the plantations. A total of 61 species belonging to 10orders and 28 families were recorded from Pitchandikulam plantation MATERIALS AND METHODS (Table 1). According to the IUCN red listof Threatened Species[10]100% all the species were listed as Least The study was conducted between August 2014 and Concern (LR-lc). Passeridae was the most dominant family July 2015. Fixed transect method was followed to estimate with 9 species (14.7 %), followed by Accipitridae6 species the bird population. As taking one km straight transect (9.8%) and rest of the families consist 5, 3, 2 and 1 species length is not available in the study sites (Image 1). Census were recorded (Fig 1). The birds were categorized as Very walks were made through the middle of the transects both Common (VC) 15 % (n= 9 species), Common (C) 39% in the morning and evening, the birds seen 25 meter on (n=24 species), Uncommon (UC) 26% (n=16 species), either side were counted. Observation was carried out Rare (R) 8% (n=5 species) and Very Rare (VR) 12 % with the help of (8X40) binocular and photography was (n=7 species) (Fig. 2). Highest number of birds were done with Nikon SLR camera with 55-300 mm zoom lens. recorded in the month of May (417 individuals) Monthly four censuses (Morning and evening) were followed by February (399 individuals) and August conducted.The surveys were usually made in the early (113 individuals) had lowest population (Fig. 3). Relative morning (07:00 – 10:30hrs) and evening (16: 00 to 18:00 frequency of occurrence of the 61 Species of birds were hrs). The monthly bird abundance was calculated from the recorded (Fig. 4). mean number of each species. The identification of birds This afforestation has resulted in a tremendous in the field was based on Ali [7] and Grimmett et al. [8] increase in theavifauna. In Auroville, early records prior and nomenclature and classification is followed according to 1972 show a total of 25 species found. In eight habitats to Manakadan and Pittie [9]. 101 species of birds were recorded [11].
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Fig. 1: Family wise which were Observed in the Study Areas (28 Families)
Fig. 2: Abundance were analysed in the Study Areas
Fig. 3: Month wise abundance were analysed in the Study Areas
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Table 1: Checklist of Birds from Pitchandikulam Forest Plantation, Auroville from August 2014 to July 2015 IUCN Sl.No Common Name Scientific Name Family Order Status Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Total % 1 Indian Pond- Heron Ardeolagrayii Ardeidae Ciconiiformes LC 1 2 1 2 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 11 0.33 2 Little Egret Egretta garzetta Ardeidae Ciconiiformes LC 2 2 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0.24 3 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Ardeidae Ciconiiformes LC 1 2 1 0 2 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 11 0.33 4 Black- shouldered Kite Elanuscaerules Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 1 1 0 1 0 1 4 2 0 1 1 1 12 0.36 5 Black Kite Milvusmigrans Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 0 1 0 3 2 9 10 7 3 25 3 7 70 2.08 6 Shikra Accipiter badius Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 0 2 1 4 4 4 5 3 1 3 2 2 31 0.92 7 Oriental Honey Buzzard Permisptilorhynchus Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 7 0.21 8 White-eyed Buzzard Butasturteesa Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 4 0.12 9 Crested Serpent- Eagle Spilornischeela Accipitridae Falconiformes LC 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.03 10 Grey Francolin Francolinuspondicerianus Phasianidae Galliformes LC 0 0 0 3 3 3 7 6 0 0 1 3 26 0.77 11 Indian Peafowl Pavocristatus Phasianidae Galliformes LC 9 2 1 5 10 2 12 13 7 7 11 11 81 2.40 12 Red- wattled Lapwing Vanellusindicus Charadriidae Charadriiformes LC 0 2 1 3 4 2 0 1 0 1 2 3 19 0.56 13 Spotted Dove Streptopeliachinensis Columbidae Columbiformes LC 1 1 3 1 2 4 9 6 9 6 11 8 60 1.78 14 Blue Rock Pigeon Columba livia Columbidae Columbiformes LC 0 1 0 2 2 5 3 2 0 0 0 1 16 0.47 15 Rose- ringed Parakeet Psittaculakrameri Psittacidae Columbiformes LC 0 9 8 9 22 17 13 17 19 28 20 7 169 5.01 16 Asian Koel Eudynamysscolopacea Cuculidae Cuculiformes LC 0 0 2 2 4 4 8 6 15 10 2 4 57 1.69 17 Blue -faced Malkoha Phaenicopheaeusviridirostris Cuculidae Cuculiformes LC 1 1 0 0 2 2 3 6 2 1 3 2 22 0.65 18 Greter Coucal Centropussinensis Cuculidae Cuculiformes LC 1 2 1 3 4 2 5 4 2 4 4 2 33 0.98 19 Spotted Owlet Athenebrama Strigidae Strigiformes LC 0 1 0 2 9 10 3 2 0 1 0 2 30 0.89 20 House Swift Apusaffinis Apodidae Apodiformes LC 3 3 1 2 12 12 4 4 2 1 5 1 47 1.39 21 Asian Palm-Swift Cypsiurusbalasiensis Apodidae Apodiformes LC 3 8 15 19 10 16 17 23 18 29 1 13 169 5.01 22 Small Blue Kingfisher Alcedoatthis Alcedinidae Coraciiformes LC 0 2 0 1 3 5 5 3 2 1 0 1 23 0.68 23 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnesis Dacelonidae Coraciiformes LC 0 2 0 4 5 4 5 7 6 11 4 4 52 1.54 24 Green Bee-eater Meropsorientalis Meropidae Coraciiformes LC 1 1 1 1 3 3 5 4 1 1 4 2 26 0.77 25 Indian Roller Coraciasbenghalensis Coraciidae Coraciiformes LC 0 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 0 1 0 3 15 0.44 26 Common Hoopoe Upupaepops Upupidae Coraciiformes LC 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 1 2 10 0.30 27 Coppersmith Barbet Megalaimahaemacephala Megalaimidae Coraciiformes LC 0 2 1 9 13 17 18 14 27 32 7 8 148 4.39 28 Rufous Woodpecker Celeusbrachyurus Picidae Coraciiformes LC 2 7 7 5 3 3 7 6 12 3 2 2 57 1.69 29 Indian Pitta Pitta brachyura Pitidae Passeriformes LC 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.03 30 Common Myna Acridotherestristis Stumidae Passeriformes LC 0 2 1 6 9 13 10 8 12 16 7 9 93 2.76 31 Southern Treepie Dendrocittavagabunda Corvidae Passeriformes LC 0 3 6 8 12 4 5 11 7 9 1 3 69 2.05 32 House Crow Corvussplendens Corvidae Passeriformes LC 1 0 2 13 19 8 13 6 8 10 5 4 88 2.61 33 Jungle Crow Corvusmacrorhynochos Corvidae Passeriformes LC 0 2 3 7 8 15 10 16 15 13 2 6 97 2.88 34 Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolusoriolus Corvidae Passeriformes LC 18 0 0 0 2 3 4 2 0 1 0 3 15 0.44 35 Black Drongo Dicrurusmacrocercus Corvidae Passeriformes LC 6 2 1 3 4 5 3 6 12 3 6 5 50 1.48 36 Ashy Drongo Dicrurusleucophaeus Corvidae Passeriformes LC 10 1 0 0 0 1 3 2 2 0 2 2 13 0.39 37 Common Iora Aegithiniatiphia Irenidae Passeriformes LC 4 1 0 2 1 2 3 4 2 7 6 3 31 0.92 38 Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotuscafei Pycnonotidae Passeriformes LC 0 5 3 29 40 30 24 30 29 29 20 9 248 7.35 39 White-browed Bulbul Pycnonotusluteolus Pycnonotidae Passeriformes LC 2 15 15 22 36 33 31 36 34 21 20 9 272 8.06 40 Grey-breasted Prinia Priniahodgsonii Cisticolidae Passeriformes LC 3 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 8 0.24 41 Jungle Babbler Turudoidesstriatus Muscicapidae Passeriformes LC 0 11 11 44 52 53 65 46 28 46 28 28 412 12.21 42 White Headed Babbler Turudoidesaffinis Muscicapidae Passeriformes LC 0 4 3 12 25 34 20 14 10 22 14 21 179 5.31 43 Oriental Magpie-Robin Copsychussaularis Muscicapidae Passeriformes LC 0 7 11 9 16 6 10 16 9 13 10 5 112 3.32 44 Indian Robin Saxicoloidesfulicata Muscicapidae Passeriformes LC 1 5 2 6 3 7 8 6 4 7 7 14 69 2.05 45 Orange-headed Thrush Zootheracitina Muscicapidae Passeriformes LC 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.12 46 Common Tailorbird Orthotomussutorius Sylviidae Passeriformes LC 1 2 3 5 4 5 5 4 2 1 3 7 41 1.22 47 Paddy field Pipit Anthusrufulus Passeridae Passeriformes LC 2 8 0 1 2 1 1 2 0 1 0 0 16 0.47 48 Forest Wagtail Dendronanthusindica Passeridae Passeriformes LC 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.03 49 Large Pied Wagtail Motacillamaderaspatensis Passeridae Passeriformes LC 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.06 50 Yellow Wagtail Motacillaflava Passeridae Passeriformes LC 0 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 10 0.30 51 Grey Wagtail Motacillacinerea Passeridae Passeriformes LC 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.12 52 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Passeridae Passeriformes LC 2 2 3 2 3 4 5 2 0 0 2 5 28 0.83 53 Baya Weaver Ploceusphilippinus Passeridae Passeriformes LC 2 4 2 9 0 6 8 4 0 0 1 1 35 1.04 54 Black- headed Munia Lonchuramalacca Passeridae Passeriformes LC 0 2 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 9 0.27 55 Spotted Munia Lonchurapunctulata Passeridae Passeriformes LC 9 2 2 1 2 0 1 7 2 0 0 5 22 0.65 56 Thick-billed Flowerpecker Dicaeum agile Nectariniidae Passeriformes LC 3 1 2 2 1 0 2 4 0 0 2 1 15 0.44 57 Purple -Rumped sunbird Nectariniazeylonica Nectariniidae Passeriformes LC 10 3 2 4 6 4 6 2 11 6 7 7 58 1.72 58 Purple Sunbird Nectariniaasiatica Nectariniidae Passeriformes LC 0 2 3 2 3 4 6 7 30 36 3 5 101 2.99 59 Asian paradise flycatcher Cypsiurusbalasiensis Monarchidae Passeriformes LC 1 5 1 0 2 0 1 1 12 0 0 0 22 0.65 60 Pied kingfisher Cerylerudis Alcedinidae Passeriformes LC 3 1 2 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 0 8 0.24 61 Blyth's Reef warbler Acrocephalusdumetorum Acrocephalidae Passeriformes LC 2 0 3 2 6 4 1 3 3 1 0 2 25 0.74 Total 113 154 132 279 384 378 399 389 362 417 232 247 3373 100 Note: Abn- Abundance ; VC- Very Common; C - Common; UC- Uncommon; R- Rare; VR- Very Rare; LC- Least Concern
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Fig. 4: Graph showing relative frequency of occurrence of the 61 Species of birds that were recorded on the surveyed area
However, the study we recorded some rare species REFERENCES like, Crested serpent-Eagle, Indian Pitta, Forest wagtail and Large pied wagtail are less in numbers during our 1. Rahul Kait, Rajesh Manhas, SamritiAggrwal and field visit. And five species of birds are very rarely D.N. Sahi, 2014. Birds of Srinagar City, Jammu and recorded during our study period i.e. Black- headed Kashmir, India. International Journal of Biodiversity Munia, Little Egret, Grey- breasted Prinia, Pied kingfisher and Conservation, 6(3): 210-216. 6(3): 217-221. and Oriental Honey Buzzard. Red- whiskered Bulbul (2 2. Rudhra, N.P., D. Udit Pratap, K.M. Rajesh and individuals) was sighted in the study area after end of K.M. Arun, 2013. Checklist of Birds in and Around the census. In present survey one habitat and 61 species Ansupa Lake, Odisha, India. International Research were recorded, it shows great avian biodiversity which Journal of Environment Sciences, 2(11): 9-12. can attract the attention of bird watchers and 3. Wanjari, A.J., S.S. Pawar and K.G. Patil, 2013. Birds of ornithologists. Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra, India. Int. Res. J. Science & Engineering, 1(3): 79-84. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4. Khaleel Basha, S., D. Niaz Parveen, S. Gopi Krishna and G. Sudarsanam, 2014. Impacts of climate change We are grateful to the Pitchandikulam Forest on Yerramalais forest of Eastern Ghats of Kurnool (Unit of Auroville Foundation) specially Mr. Joss Brooks, District andJournal of Biodiversity and Conservation, Director, Pitchandikulam Forest, for their co-operation to 6(3): 210-216. carry out field studies. We thank Mr Eric Ramanujam, 5. Anula, J., 2015. Studies on the Status of the birds Principal Investigator, Pitchandikulam Forest, for this InhabitatingSirpur Lake Indore, MP, with Reference valuable advice and support during this programme. to the Changing Environment. Research Journal of We thank to V. Rishi, D. Arulkumaran, M. Karthikeyan, Recent Sciences, 4(IYSC- 2015), pp: 18-21. T. Kathiravan, Kavitha Urvasi, Edward, Anandi, K. Kathir, 6. Ramanujam, M.E., 2005. A preliminary report on the B.Vanitha, R.Siva, R.Anand, R.Prakash, Sekar Babu, Ichthyofauna of Kaliveli floodplain and Uppukalli Kannyappan, Arulnadi, Veeramani and N. Pretheshwari creek, Pondicherry, India, with some notes on from Birds’ Friends Club members, who accompanied habitat, distribution, status and threats. Zoos’ Print along with the survey. Journal, 20: 1967-1971.
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