Bird Community Structure in Phakot and Pathri Rao Watershed Areas in Uttarakhand, India

Tanweer A Dar, Bilal Habib, Jamal A Khan, S P S Kushwaha

Abstract


We sampled bird communities in two watershed areas namely Phakot and Pathri Rao, located in Garhwal Himalaya,using Point Count and Species Listing Method from 2005 to 2007. We sampled 109 and 116 bird species fromPhakot and Pathri Rao Watersheds, respectively. Chao 1 overestimated species number for Phakot whereas all fourestimators were within 95% confidence limits for Pathri Rao. In terms of bird diversity, Pathri Rao was more diverseas compared to Phakot. Bird density was highest in Phakot (30.48 individuals ha-1 ± 1.77) than in Pathri Rao2,6 (16.82 individuals ha-1 ± 1.60). Bird density varied significantly across different seasons (F = 14.87, P<0.0005)but not across different habitats in Phakot watershed area whereas no significant difference was found across seasons1,6 (F = 0.57, P>0.47) and across different habitat types in Pathri Rao. Bird density, diversity and richness showedU type pattern in Phakot whereas in Pathri Rao it showed steep decline along the altitudinal gradient. Based onguild structure, Phakot bird community was more complex as compared to Pathri Rao watershed area because ofvariation in altitude and complex vegetation structure.

Keywords


Bird Community, Richness, Diversity, Guild, Vegetation Structure.

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