Bird Species Diversity, Distribution, and Community Composition in Different Forest Types in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

This study investigates the species diversity, distribution, and community composition of birds in different forest types in Papua New Guinea in response to environmental factors. The study further focused on individual feeding guilds. The analyzed data originate from 13 sites across the country. Each site was surveyed by standardized point count methods (seven point count 50-m radius points, 15 min per point). In total, we recorded 6,835 bird individuals belonging to 231 bird species. Specifically, this article addresses the results of surveys of bird communities of Forest Inventory from 13 sites that include the Eastern Highlands, Western Highlands, Morobe, and Madang provinces. We analyze these data in respect to various forest types that include disturbed and undisturbed selections. Across the complete study, the number of species rose rapidly for the first 40 point counts and then decelerated but continued to increase for the entire sampling, which means that not whole regional diversity of birds was surveyed. Yet, the species accumulation curves within each study site demonstrate a slow but steady increase in species diversity, with observed numbers close to those predicted by Chao 1. Species diversity was not consistent with elevation. Insectivores dominated bird communities, followed by frugivorous, nectarivores, and especially carnivores more rarely observed. Individual species have shown preferences in their distribution for specific elevations, but less so for a particular disturbance intensity.