Avian diversity and their status in and around Bhindawas bird sanctuary, Haryana (India)

Abstract

One year survey conducted in and around Bhindawas bird sanctuary in district Jhajjar, Haryana (India) from January, 2015 to December, 2015; revealed a total of 104 bird species belonging to 15 orders and 39 families. Of these, 67 bird species were resident, 32 species were winter migrants and only 5 species were summer migrants. Based on their frequency of sighting, 33 bird species were categorized as Abundant, 27 species as Common, 32 species as Uncommon and 12 species as Rare. Maximum number of species belonged to order Passeriformes and least number of species belonged to order Podicipediformes and Strigiformes. Among the recorded birds, 4 species namely, Darter, Anhinga melanogaster; Black-necked Stork, Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus; Oriental White Ibis, Threskiornis melanocephalus; and Alexandrine Parakeet, Psittacula eupatria were near threatened and 2 species namely, Common, Pochard, Aythya ferina and Sarus Crane, Grus antigone were vulnerable. In early 1990s, a study was conducted on Bhindawas bird sanctuary and thereafter, a great deal of infrastructure, development and urbanization has occurred. However, scanty information is available on the avian diversity periodic monitoring of Bhindawas bird sanctuary, Haryana. Therefore, present study was planned to monitor and document the avian species.