Diversity and conservation status of water birds at Upper lake, Bhopal – A Ramsar site in central India
Abstract
Wetlands support considerable biodiversity including water birds. In central India, the Upper lake of Bhopal is designated as a Ramsar site and IBA status concerning to its diverse avifauna. At present, a detailed study regarding avian diversity of entire Upper lake is lacking. Considering the increasing population pressure leading to land use changes in immediate catchment of Upper lake and affecting the lake ecology, such monitoring is essential. The present work has been carried out from June 2010 to June 2012. Monthly observations of birds were made with the aim to identify and enlist various species of water birds of Upper lake. Total 68 species of water birds belonging to 14 families are reported with Anatidae as the most dominating family with 16 species. Of these, 43 species were migratory and 25 species were residents. Also, 11 important species in terms of their conservation status are reported. Of these, eight species of Near Threatened status, two species of Vulnerable status and one species of Endangered status are reported. The presence of internationally important birds, migratory, local migratory and resident species of birds in this area indicates the importance of Upper Lake as a year round habitat for water birds. The increasing human population in the area is placing strain on this valuable inland freshwater resource and the related avifauna and thus more conservation efforts are desperately needed.
References
Ali S and Ripley SD. 1988. Compact handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan together with those of Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka. Oxford University Press 2nd Edition, Delhi, 890.
Balapure S, Dutta S and Vyas V. 2012. Avian diversity in Barna \wetland of Narmada basin in central India. Journal of Research in Biology. 2(5): 460-468.
Bird Life International 2014. IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdife.org on 20/08/2014.
Chinchkhede KH and Kedar GT. 2012. Avifaunal diversity of Koradi lake in Nagpur district of central India. Journal of Research in Biology. 2(2): 070-076.
Cowardin LM, Carter V, Golet FC and La Roe ET. 1979. Classification of wetlands and deep water habitats of the United States. U. S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C. 131.
Das J and Saikia PK. 2011.Conservation threats to the water birds in Deep or Beel. Assam Journal of Research in Biology. 1(6): 435-439.
Del Hoyo J, Elliott A and Sargatal J. 1996. Handbook of the birds of the world, vol. 3: Hoatzin to Auks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. p 821.
Deshkar S, Rathod J and Padate G. 2010. Avifaunal diversity and water quality analysis of an inland wetland. Journal of Wetlands Ecology. 4: 1–32.
Dudgeon D, Arthington AH, Gessner MO, Kawabata Z, Knowler DJ, Leveque C, Naiman RJ, Prieur-Richard AH, Soto D, Stiassny ML and Sullivan CA. 2006. Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservation challenges. Biological Reviews. 81(2): 163-182.
Joshi PS. 2012. An annotated checklist of aquatic avifauna of Rajura, Godada and Dhanora lakes of Buldhana district of (M. S.) India. Science Research Reporter. 2(1): 30–33.
Kumar P and Gupta SK. 2009. Diversity and abundance of wetland birds around Kurukshetra, India. Our Nature. 7(1): 212–217.
Kumar P and Gupta SK. 2013. Status of wetland birds of Chhilchhila Wildlife Sanctuary, Haryana, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 5(5): 3969–3976.
Kushlan JA. 1978. Feeding ecology of wading birds. In: Wading Birds. Sprunt, A. IV, Ogden, J. C. and Winckler, S. (Eds.), National Audubon Society. Research Report No. 7. New York, 249-297.
Maheswaran G and Rahmani AR. 2001. Effects of water level changes and wading bird abundance on the foraging behaviour of black necked storks Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus in Dudwa National Park, India. Journal of Bioscience. 26(3): 373-382.
Manakadan R and Pittie A. 2001.Standardised common and scientific names of the birds of the Indian subcontinent. Buceros. 6(1): 1-37.
Mitsch WI and Gosselink IG. 1986. Wetlands. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 539.
Nandi PK. 2003. Management of Upper Lake Watershed. First Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds, October 27-30, Benson, Arizona.www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/icrw/Proceedings/Nandi.pdf
Surana R, Subba BR and Limbu KP. 2007. Avian diversity during rehabilitation stage of Chimdi Lake, Sunsari , Nepal. Our Nature. 5(1): 75–80.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2.www.iucnredlist.org.
Verma A. 2009. Occurrence and abundance of water birds at Bundh Baretha reservoir, Bharatpur, north-western India. Indian Birds. 4(5): 150–153.
Vyas V. 1992. Waterfowl community of Bhoj of Bhopal with reference to its management and conservation. Environment and Biodegradation. 155-162.
Vyas V, Vishwakarma M and Dhar N. 2010. Avian Diversity of Bhoj Wetland : A Ramsar Site of Central India. Our Nature. 8(1): 34–39.
