bird community structure in urban, periurban and rural areas of ludhiana

102 Pages·2016·3.06 MB·English

by  Aakriti Arora

BIRD COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN URBAN,
PERIURBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF
LUDHIANA

Thesis

Submitted to the Punjab Agricultural University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
ZOOLOGY
(Minor Subject: Agronomy)

By

Aakriti Arora
(L-2013-BS-287-M)

Department of Zoology
College of Basic Sciences and Humanities
©PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
LUDHIANA – 141004
2016
CERTIFICATE I
This is to certify that the thesis entitled “BIRD COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN
URBAN, PERIURBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF LUDHIANA” submitted for the
degree of M.Sc., in the subject of Zoology (Minor subject: Agronomy) of the Punjab
Agricultural University, Ludhiana, is a bonafide research work carried out by Aakriti Arora
(L-2013-BS-287-M) under my supervision and that no part of this thesis has been submitted
for any other degree.
The assistance and help received during the course of investigation have been fully
acknowledged.

_______________________
(Dr. Manoj Kumar)
Major Advisor
Assistant Ornithologist
Department of Zoology
Punjab Agricultural University
Ludhiana -141004
CERTIFICATE II
This is to certify that the thesis entitled, “BIRD COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN
URBAN, PERIURBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF LUDHIANA” submitted by Aakriti
Arora (L-2013-BS-287-M) to the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of M.Sc. in the subject of Zoology (Minor subject:
Agronomy) has been approved by the Student‟s Advisory Committee along with Head of the
Department after an oral examination on the same in collaboration with external examiner.

_____________________ ___________________________
(Dr. Manoj Kumar) (Prof. Dinesh Bhatt)
Major Advisor External Examiner
Dean, Faculty of Life Science
Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya
Haridwar – 249404, Uttrakhand

_____________________
(Dr. S.S. Hundal)
Head of the Department

_______________________
(Dr. Neelam Grewal)
Dean Postgraduate Studies
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This thesis could not have been realized without God’s grace
and a great deal of guidance and both mental and practical
support. I would like to deeply thank those people who, during the
several months in which this research work was lasted, provided
me everything I needed.
First of all, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Manoj
Kumar, Astt. Ornithologist, Department of Zoology, for his
guidance during the entire research. Despite the length of this
research, you never hesitated to answer my questions to help me
out . I really appreciate your support.
I am grateful to Dr. G.K Sangha, Dean, College of Basic
Science and Humanities, for being an inspiration to excel in life.
I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. S.S Hundal, Head,
Department of Zoology for being as a role model.
I also express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Tejdeep Kler,
Ornithologist, Department of Zoology for guiding and teaching
me with love and care. I also express my sincere thanks to Dr.
Neena Singla, Zoologist, Department of Zoology and Dr. S.S Walia,
Agronomist, Department of Agronomy who as members of my
advisory committee provided me necessary ideas for my research
work
I am greatly indebted to my father, Mr. Rajneesh Arora for
putting his efforts for helping me in my research work. I also
express my sincere thanks to my mother, Sonia Arora and brother,
Ankit Arora for being so caring and providing me moral support
whenever I needed.
I would like to devote my worthy thanks to two most
influential persons of my life Dr. Rachita Pathania and Sameer
Arora for being with me always through thick and thin.
It is said that “Friends are the family who we choose for ourselves”.
I owe my special thanks to my bestie Jashan, Anmol, Ashish,
Sameer, Prateek, Aastha and Chandan who have made this
journey an unforgettable one.
I am also thankful to non teaching staff of Department of
Zoology for providing me necessary facilities whenever required.

Date: __________________ (Aakriti Arora)
Title of the thesis : BIRD COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN URBAN,
PERIURBAN AND RURAL AREAS OF LUDHIANA
Name of the student and : Aakriti Arora
Admission No. (L-2013-BS-287-M)
Major Subject : Zoology
Minor Subject : Agronomy
Name and Designation of : Dr. Manoj Kumar
Major Advisor Assistant Ornithologist
Degree to be awarded : M.Sc.
Year of award of degree : 2016
Total pages in Thesis : 80 + VITA
Name of the University : Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141004,
Punjab, India.
ABSTRACT
The major human activities that have transformed the earth include agriculture and
urbanization. Habitat structure and complexity are two main components determining bird
community and its diversity. The present study was conducted for a period of one year
(March 2014-February 2015) to determine the bird community structure in urban, periurban
and rural areas of Ludhiana. Highest species richness was recorded in periurban areas (23
species) followed by urban areas (21 species) and rural areas (19 species). Migrant bird
species such as Common Hoopoe, Spot-billed Duck and White Wagtail were recorded from
periurban and rural locations. House Crow and Blue Rock Pigeon were recorded to be most
abundant in urban location while Cattle Egret was recorded to be most abundant in periurban
and rural locations. Bird species such as Ashy Prinia, Brown-headed Barbet, Black-headed
Munia and Yellow-legged green Pigeon were recorded to be least abundant during the study
period. Insectivorous bird species recorded from urban, periurban and rural locations were
six, seven and five respectively. Omnivorous bird species recorded from urban, periurban and
rural locations were six, seven and seven respectively. Total of Granivorous bird species
recorded from urban, periurban and rural locations were six, six and five respectively. Nests
of Common Myna, House Crow, Rose-ringed Parakeet and Blue Rock Pigeon were recorded
from urban location whereas nests of Hose Crow and Common Myna were recorded from
periurban locations. Species diversity was recorded to be highest i.e. 2.61, 2.40 and 2.18 in
the month of March (2014), January (2015) and June (2015) in urban, periurban and rural
locations respectively. Species Evenness was recorded to be highest i.e 0.92, 0.94 in the
month of February (2015) and November (2014) respectively from urban, periurban locations
whereas it was recorded to be highest i.e 0.93 in two months of May (2014) and July (2014)
in rural locations. It was concluded from the study that food availability is a key driver of
differences in avian demography. However, better targeted research and monitoring is needed
in the future for precised results.
Keywords: Bird abundance, urban, periurban, rural areas, species richness, species
diversity, species evenness.

_______________________ _____________________
Signature of Major Advisor Signature of the Student
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CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE NO.
I INTRODUCTION 1 – 3
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 4 – 12
III MATERIAL AND METHODS 13 – 15
IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 16 – 71
V SUMMARY 72 – 73
REFERENCES 74 – 80
VITA
LIST OF TABLES
Table Title Page
No. No.
1 Tree diversity in study area-I (Urban) 16
1a Distribution of different bird orders at study area-I of urban location 20
1b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-I 21
of urban location
2 Tree diversity in study area-II (Urban) 23
2a Distribution of different bird orders at study area-II of urban location 28
2b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-II 29
of urban location
3 Tree Diversity in study area-I (periurban) 31
3a Distribution of different bird orders at study area-I of periurban location 33
3b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-I 34
of periurban location
4 Tree Diversity in study area-II (periurban) 35
4a Distribution of different bird orders at study areas-II of periurban location 38
4b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-II 39
of periurban location
4c Abundance of different bird species at various stages of paddy crop in 41
periurban location
5a Distribution of different bird orders at study area-III of periurban location 45
5b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area- 46
III of periurban location
6 Tree Diversity in study area-I (rural) 48
6a Feeding Habits of different bird species recorded at study area-I of rural 51
location
6b Distribution of different bird orders at study area-I of rural location 51
6c Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-I 52
of rural location
7 Tree Diversity in study area-II (rural) 54
7a Distribution of different bird orders at study areas-II of rural location 56
7b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area-II 57
of rural location
7c Abundance of different bird species at various stages of paddy crop in 60
rural location
Table Title Page
No. No.
8 Comparison of Average Abundance of different bird species at different 62
stages of Paddy in periurban and rural agricultural fields
9a Distribution of different bird orders at study area-III of rural location 64
9b Bird community structure and relative abundance observed at study area- 65
III of rural location
10 Statistical analysis of common bird species at residential sites of urban, 67
periurban and rural locations respectively
11 Statistical analysis of common bird species at agricultural fields of 67
periurban and rural location
12 Statistical analysis of common bird species at (p<0.05) different stages of 68
Paddy at agricultural fields of periurban and rural areas
13 Statistical analysis of common bird species at pond site of periurban and 68
rural location
14 Total bird species observed at urban, periurban and rural locations during 70-71
study period with their migratory status
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. Title Page
No. No.
1 Annual abundance of bird species related to their feeding habits at study 22
area-I of urban location
2 Annual abundance of different bird orders at study area-I of urban location 22
3 Annual abundance of different bird species related to their feeding habits 30
at study area-II of urban location
4 Annual abundance of different bird orders at study area-II of urban 30
location
5 Annual abundance of different bird species related to their feeding habits 35
at study area-I of Periurban area
6 Annual abundance of different bird orders at study areas-I of Periurban 35
area
7 Annual abundance of bird species related to their feeding habits at study 40
area-II periurban location
8 Annual abundance of different bird their orders at study area-II of 40
periurban location
8a Abundance of different bird orders at various stages of paddy crop at 43
agricultural fields of periurban location
8b Abundance of bird species related to their feeding habits at different stages 43
of Paddy in agricultural fields of Periurban location
9 Annual abundance of bird species related to their feeding habits at study 47
area-III of periurban location
10 Annual abundance of different bird orders at study area-III of periurban 48
location
11 Annual abundance of bird species related to their feeding habits at study 53
area-I of rural location
12 Annual abundance of Different orders at study area- I of Rural location 53
13 Annual abundance of Bird species related to their feeding habits at study 58
area-II of rural location
14 Annual abundance of different bird orders at study area-II of Rural 58
location
15 Abundance of different bird orders at various stages of paddy crops at 61
study area-II of Rural location
16 Abundance of different bird species related to their feeding habits at 62
different stages of paddy at study area-II of rural location
17 Annual abundance of different bird species related to their feeding habits 66
at study area-III of rural location
18 Annual abundance of different Bird orders at study area-III of Rural 66
location