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Distribution, Status and Current Trends in the Population of Coastal Birds of Balochistan

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Distribution, Status and Current Trends in the Population of Coastal Birds of Balochistan Canadian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 3853-3864, June 2016 Online ISSN: 1920-3853; Print ISSN: 1715-9997 Available online at www.cjpas.net DISTRIBUTION, STATUS AND CURRENT TRENDS IN THE POPULATION OF COASTAL BIRDS OF BALOCHISTAN *Abeda Begum, M Zaheer Khan, Syed Ali Ghalib, Roohi Kanwal, Afsheen Zehra, Ghazala Yasmeen, Saima Siddiqui, Babar Hussain, Iqbal Saeed Khan, Amtyaz Safi, M Usman A Hashmi, Tahira Lateef, M Asif Iqbal and Uzma Manzoor Wildlife Section, Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan ABSTRACT Studies were carried out on Balochistan Coast to record the distribution, status and current trends in the population of coastal birds. The birds were observed in the coastal areas along with their preferred habitats and status. As many as 133 species of birds were recorded from the area, out of which 83 species were migratory. Major threats to coastal birds are habitat degradation, loss of habitat due to land reclamation, hunting and some other anthropogenic activities. The population of Oyster catcher Haemotopus ostralegus, Sanderling Calidris albus, Curlew Sandpiper Calidris testaceus, Broadbilled Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus, Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris, Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris, Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria and Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola has been declining on the coast in recent years. Based on the present study, species of special conservation interest have been listed and priority actions for the conservation of threatened coastal birds and their habitats are suggested. Possible proposed actions include development of coastal bird`s network, appropriate management of network site, monitoring of coastal birds population and initiation of projects on coastal bird’s migration. Keywords: Balochistan, coastal birds, migratory waterbirds, population trends. INTRODUCTION coastal belt, Lasbella, lies between the Hingol River and the Hub River which forms the border with Sindh. The The coastline of Pakistan lies in the provinces of Sindh coastline is dominated by Sonmiani Bay and Miani Hor, a and Balochistan. The coastal morphology is characterized large lagoon formed at the mouth of the Porali River, is a by a network of the tidal creeks and several small islands distinctive feature of the Sonmiani Bay. Some of the work with scattered mangrove vegetation (UNESCAP, 1996). done on wetlands and the coastal birds of Balochistan Balochistan is geographically the largest of the four includes Ahmed et al. (1992), Arshad et al. (2002), provinces with an area of about 347,000 k m2, comprising Ghalib and Hasnain (1997, 1999), Ghalib et al. (2004, 44% of the total area of Pakistan (Survey of Pakistan, 2006, 2008, 2009), Grimmett et al. (2008), Groombridge 1985). Balochistan is generally recognized as a land of (1989), Hassan and Khan (2005, 2009), Khan and Ghalib diversity. About 80% of the area is classified as (2006), Khurshid et al. (1995), Khurshid and Jabeen mountainous, and the remaining 20% is comprised of (2000), Pandrani et al. (2005), Rasool and Hasnain (2008, flood plains and alluvial deposits with high potential for 2009), Scott (1989), Scott and Poole (1989) and Siddiqui cultivation (Noor, 1989). et al. (2008). Some useful data about coastal areas and their biodiversity have also come through UNSECAP, The Balochistan coast extends 760 km from the mouth of (1996). The objective of the present study was to review the Hub River in the east to the Iranian Border in the the distribution, status and current trends in the population west. Administratively, the coastal belt falls into two of coastal birds of Balochistan. districts viz Gwadar (The Makran Coast) and Lasbella, each with its distinctive physical, biological, social and MATERIALS AND METHODS economic environment. The coastline in Gwadar district (Fig. 1 and 2) is about 600km long running from the The important habitats for the biodiversity were found to Iranian border Ras Jiwani to the Hingol River in the east. be the sand flats, salt marshes, brackish pools, lagoons, Bays, beaches and hand lands characterize the coast. sand dunes, mangrove areas, gravel and pebbles, rocky Gwadar, Ormara (Fig. 3), Jiwani and Pasni are the four beaches, cliffs, rocky islands, wastelands and built up main urban centers on this part of the coast. The second areas. Field surveys were undertaken along the *Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] Balochistan Coast from Miani Hor to Ras Malan to 3854 Canadian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Ormara, Pasni, Astola Island, Gwadar, and up to Jiwani spotting the birds quite far away or high up in the sky. (Fig. 4). Identification of birds was made from calls and sight records. Secondary information had been collected from Line Transect method was used to record the species local communities and published materials. along the coast above the high tide water marks taking into consideration the half km parallel area towards the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION land ward side. Point Transect count method was also employed to record the species of water birds found in Pakistan has 670 bird species (Grimmett et al., 2008) large concentrations and along inaccessible sites. including 380 species in Balochistan (Khan et al., 2010). Binoculars with 999980 XS power had been used for In this study, a total of 133 species of birds have been Fig. 1. Coastal area of Gwadar (Courtesy by: http://visitpak.com/). Fig. 2. View of Gwadar- A coastal city. Begum et al. 3855 Fig. 3. Coastal area of Ormara (Courtesy by: http://www.savairacity.com/). Fig. 4. Map Coastal areas of Balochistan. recorded from the coastal and allied areas (Table 1). Balochistan Coast These comprise of five main groups including the water Lasbella Coast birds, birds of prey, game birds, passerines and others. Miani Hor The Waders are the dominant and widespread group on Miani Hor is an important site for coastal birds along the the coastal areas, followed by the Ardeids and the birds of Lasbella Coast. It is a large shallow sea bay and estuarine prey. The other group of birds available in the nearby and area with several low-lying islands and extensive offshore areas comprises of Seabirds including the mangrove swamps and intertidal mudflats, separated from Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Red billed Tropic Bird, Masked the adjacent Sonmiani Bay by a broad peninsula of sand Booby, Arctic Skua and Pomarine Skua. dunes. The Hor receives freshwater input from a number 3856 Canadian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Fig. 5. Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in Gwadar coastal area. Fig. 6. Heuglin's Gull (Larus heuglini) in Gwadar coastal area. of seasonal streams rising in the hills of eastern observed on inter-tidal mudflats and the estuaries. Balochistan to the north, and empties into Sonmiani Bay Flamingos have been recorded nesting in the area and the through broad channel at its eastern end. evidence of breeding of Greater Flamingos has been recorded on the mudflats during May to August. In one It is a very important area for staging and wintering water study 70 species of birds have been recorded from the birds (Scott, 1989). It is a Ramsar site. In Miani Hor, area (Rasool and Hasnain, 2008). Oystercatcher is observed in abundance from December to January. Common and Demoiselle Cranes use the area The Makran Coast on passage. Pelicans stay here from September to March It forms the western part of Makran from Lasbella Coast every year. Great Knot is a rare winter visitor and is to Jiwani. The following are the main sites on this coast. Begum et al. 3857 Hingol National Park low population of Gulls and Terns are recorded during the It is located 252 km west of Karachi on the Arabian migratory season extending from October to April. Seacoast. There are arid rocky hills down to the sea, with the Hingol River providing some scattered Oleander and Ganz deciduous Tamarisk. Artemisia and dwarf Mazri palm It is a small coastal village with long sandy beach grow on the surrounding hills. connected with Pishukan in the east. Small groups of water birds mainly gulls and terns are found visiting the The bird fauna consists of Pallid Swift, Black-bellied coast during the migratory season. Sandgrouse, Sooty Falcon, Brown-necked Raven, Hooded Wheatear, Chestunt-shouldered Petronia. In winter, Jiwani Dalmatian Pelican, Great White Pelican, Lagger Falcon, The Jiwani Coast provides important passage and Eurasian Hobby, Finsche’s Wheatear and many waders wintering in habitats for the migratory waterbirds. Arshad are recorded (Grimmett et al., 2008). et al. (2002) recorded 125 species of birds from Jiwani Wetland Complex and Pandrani et al. (2005) recorded 81 Ormara species of waterbirds from this area. Pelicans, Flamingos, It is situated on a sandy strip of land 10 km in length, Waders, Gulls and Terns are commonly seen in winter. connecting a large mountain block-Ras Ormara, some Migratory Ducks also visit the nearby water ponds and 20km long and about 8km wide on the mainland. There is reservoirs in the area in winter. See-see Partridge, Grey an extensive bay on each side- the West and the East Bay. Partridge and Sand grouses are important game birds The West Bay has cliffs of low mountain range-Kamgar being widely distributed and quite common (Rasool and Hills at its western end and a 25 km long coastal ridge on Hasnain, 2009). Jiwani Coastal Wetland is also a Ramsar the eastern end known as Ras Sakani. Both Bays are site. flanked by a sandy beach extending for about 24km between Ormara and Kamgar hills on the western bay Astola Island (Goombridge, 1989). The site is very important for It is situated at a distance of about 20 nautical miles east marine turtles but it also supports a large number of of Pasni. It is locally known as “Haft Talar”.
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