Species diversity and abundance of avifauna in the university of agriculture, Benue state, north central Nigeria

Abstract

Avifauna is a general name for bird species. Birds are feathered, winged, egg–laying vertebrates. They belong to the Kingdom “Animalia,” Phylum Chordata and class Aves. They have a worldwide distribution, living in and around oceans, rivers, forest and mountains. They are the most noticeable group in the animal kingdom.1 Their bright colours, distinct songs and calls, and showy displays add fun to human life. Many people derive great pleasure from watching birds and listening to their beautiful songs. Birds are social animals that communicate with visual signs, calls and songs. They display social behaviours such as cooperative breeding and hunting, flocking and mobbing of predators. Birds live and breed in most terrestrial habitats and on all the seven Continents. Nigeria is blessed with many species of birds scattered throughout the different ecological regions.