Bird Community of Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences ISSN: 2455-9571 Volume 6, Issue 3, pp: 168-177, 2021 http://www.ijzab.com https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5156078 Research Article BIRD COMMUNITY OF KOONTHANKULAM BIRD SANCTUARY, TAMIL NADU, INDIA 1Rajakumari, M., 1, 2Paramanantha Swami Doss, D., 1Balamurugan, S., 1Nivetha, S. and 1*Suthakar Isaac, S. 1 PG and Research Department of Zoology, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai - 627002, Tamil Nadu, India 2 Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Tirunelveli Division, Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai - 627007, Tamil Nadu, India Article History: Received 22nd May 2021; Accepted 20th June 2021; Published 30th June 2021 ABSTRACT The study on avifauna of Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu, India) was carried out for a period of two years (May 2009 to April 2011). Our study revealed that a total of 117 species of birds belonging to 14 orders and 24 families were recorded. Out of which 63 species (53.9 %) were resident, 26 species (22.2 %) were resident migrant and 28 species (23.9 %) were migrant. Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary is numerically dominated by Ciconiiformes. Considerable variation in the number of birds/species from month to month was observed. Bird species richness and abundance was greater during winter than Southwest and North East monsoon seasons. Birds of the study area showed a bimodal annual seasonality that was related to the rainfall with the peak in a month’s time lag. Bird species richness and abundance was greater during winter than Southwest and North East monsoon seasons. Keywords: Avifauna Richness, Abundance, Seasonality, Koonthakulam, Bird Sanctuary. INTRODUCTION wetlands for food and other life-support systems (Bellrose & Trudeau, 1988). Species such as European Spoonbill Wetlands are complex water-land interactive systems and (Platalea leucorodia) and long tailed Cormorant are supposed to be most fertile and productive sites in the (Phalacrocorax africanus) occur where there are lakes with world (Bhat & Hosetti, 2009). The Ramsar Convention a sandy bottom, clear water and a large diversity of fish (Anon, 1971) has defined wetlands as “areas of marsh, fen, species. Other species prefer wetlands on clay with a high peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent nutrient loading, e.g. Crowned Cranes (Balearica or temporary with water that is static or flowing, fresh, pavonina), Spotted Redshanks and Stilts. Palearctic ducks brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth and rails prefer larger waterbodies with aquatic and woody of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”. Wetlands vegetation on sandy bottoms with a relatively high nutrient constitute a treasury of biodiversity. One of the best-known loading (Brouwer & Mullié, 1994). functions of wetlands is to provide habitat for birds. Wetlands are important bird habitats, and birds use them Wetlands in India cover an area of 58.2 million for breeding and nesting rearing young. Birds also use hectares (Prasad et al., 2002). Wetland birds, include sea wetlands as a source of drinking water and for feeding, birds, shore birds and waders, are vital components of resting, shelter, and social interactions (Stewart, 2001). The wetland ecosystems (Kumar et al., 2003). Of 1340 bird relationship between wetlands and birds is shaped by many species found in India (Ali et al., 1987; Ranjit Manakadan factors. These include the availability, depth, and quality of & Pittie, 2001), 310 species are known to be dependent on water; the availability of food and shelter; and the presence wetlands (Arun Kumar, 2005). Out of which, 125 are or absence of predators. Birds that use wetlands for migrants, which constitutes of 102 species of winter breeding depend on the physical and biological attributes of migrants, 10 species of summer migrants and 3 passage the wetland. Birds have daily and seasonal dependencies on migrants. There are about 465 important habitats in India *Corresponding Author: Dr. S. Suthakar Isaac, Associate Professor PG and Research Department of Zoology St. John’s College, Palayamkottai Tirunelveli - 627 002Tamil Nadu, India, Email: [email protected] 168 Rajakumari et al. Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 6(3), 168-177, 2021 (Islam & Rahmani, 2004), which are wetlands and provide (Aponogeton spp.) slender submerged weed (Hydrilla habitats for migrant as well as resident water birds. Chilika verticillata), and marshy plants (Cyperus rotundus, Lake in Orissa hosts 211 bird species, of which 86 are Marselia sp., etc.). The main wooded vegetation of water birds (Balachandran et al., 2005; Hussain et Koonthakulam wetland is 35.5 hectares of Acacia nilotica al.,1985). Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur hosts atleast plantation. The naturally grown woody plants on the bund 350 bird species (Saxena, 1975). are Ficus bengalensis, Azadirachta indica, and Borassus flabellifer. Apart from this, the sanctuary harbours 14 In India, wetland bird studies are mostly concentrated species of grasses, 16 species of trees and several species of on the check listing of wetland birds of the Ramsar sites. herbs, shrubs, creepers and climbers. The Acacia nilotica Manakadan (1992) recorded 54 waterbird species in the Great Vedaranyam Swamp. Ramsar Site Report (Lake, trees in the shallow areas of the Koonthakulam wetland and 2002) indicated that 119 waterbirds and 138 terrestrial birds the Prosopis juliflora around the houses in Koonthakulam visit the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary. Baruah (2005) provide suitable nesting sites for many species of resident gathered a list of 269 species of birds in Point Calimere birds. Wildlife Sanctuary, of which, 103 species were migratory water birds. Bhat & Hosetti (2009) reported 44 species of Field Observations birds in Anekere wetland, Karkala, Karnataka. In India, The study is based on the observations of two years from most of the studies on wetland birds conducted in the May 2009 to April 2011. Regular visits were made to these Ramsar sites and the wetlands that are equally important, to areas. The study area covered mash lands extending to the harbour migratory as well as resident water birds are adjacent areas that included residential areas and open mostly ignored. Very few studies have been conducted on lands. Field survey was conducted twice a day, between such wetlands till date with less data (Reginald et al., 0600 hrs - 1000 hrs and 1700 hrs - 1900 hrs. The birds were 2007). For the present study one such wetland, identified by direct sighting with the help of binocular Koonthankulam Bird sanctuary, was selected. It is reported (with the zoom capacity of 10 x 50). Observation was that it ranked 5th among the top ten Heronries of Tamil carried out on the fixed path in a 1km radius by using the Nadu (Subramanya, 2005). This wetland is of regional Line transect method (Buckland et al., 1997). The importance to transcontinental migratory waders and is opportunistic counts during other times were also included comparable to the other known wetlands and Ramsar sites. in the checklist. The identification of birds was done with The present study, explores the spatial and temporal the help of standard field Guides (Ali, 2002; Ali et al., variability that influence the diversity and seasonal 1995). The checklist was prepared using the scientific distribution of wetland birds. This study also attempts to names and common names given in the Book of Indian answer the following objectives, to study the composition Birds by Roselino et al. (1996). The status of birds was of birds in Koonthakulam Bird community. To examine the categorized as Resident (R), Migrant (M) and as Resident seasonal variation of bird community structure between the Migrant (RM) based on Ali (2002) and Grimmett et al. months, seasons and years. To investigate the impacts of (1999). environmental factors on bird community. Statistical Analysis MATERIALS AND METHODS The biodiversity indices such as abundance, richness and evenness were calculated using Biodiversity Pro (version 2.0) and the statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Study Area software package. Koonthakulam Bird Sanctuary is located at Koonthakulam village (7.58101944ºN; 77.76138889ºE) in Nanguneri Taluk of Tirunelveli District. The sanctuary comprises two RESULTS AND DISCUSSION adjacent freshwater wetlands, namely Koonthakulam The study on bird community of Koonthakulam Bird (71.02 ha) and Kadankulam (58.31.0 ha) together constitute Sanctuary revealed that a total of 117 species belonging to a total extent of 129.33 ha. These wetlands act as buffer 14 orders and 49families were recorded from the study area irrigation reservoir for paddy cultivation and receive water during the study period. Altogether, a total of 88734 birds supply from Manimuthar Irrigation system on alternate were encountered. Out of which 63 species (53.9 %) were years. The sanctuary comes under the tropical dry climatic resident, 26 species (22.2 %) were resident migrant and 28 zone of India that is, hot and dry. The maximum species (23.9 %) were migrant. Of the total of 117 species temperature during the hottest period (April to September) observed, 71 % (83 species) breed in the study area (Table ranges from 30.7° C to 41.0° C. The relative humidity in 24 hours duration varies from 32% to 90%. This area receives 1). Out of 14 orders, the order Ciconiiformes (88.50%) was rainfall mainly from the Northeast Monsoon, which occurs most abundant followed by the Anseriformes (4.96%) and between October and December. The average annual Passeriformes (3.98%) respectively. Apodiformes, rainfall varies from 544.5 mm to 1147.6 mm. The aquatic Coraciiformes, Columbiformes, Gruiformes, Cuculiformes, vegetation of the wetlands has extremely limited variety Galliformes, Piciformes, Upupiformes, Strigiformes, and abundance. The typical group of tropical fresh water Charadriiformes, and Psittaciformes were the orders flora found in these wetlands is such as perennial plant recorded in less than 1% abundance (Table 2). 169 Rajakumari et al. Int. J. Zool. Appl. Biosci., 6(3), 168-177, 2021 Ciconiifrormes (38.46%) was the most speciose order richness (Margalef = 11.502) was observed during the followed by the Passeriformes (27.35%), Anseriformes month of February 2010.