Avifaunal diversity in the Deer Park of Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Abstract

Avian diversity of the Deer Park located at Hauz Khas in New Delhi was studied from May 2017 to April 2018. Direct observations were followed to study the different habits of the birds. Photographs of the spotted birds were taken for identification. A total of 20 bird species of 19 Genus belonging to 15 different families placed in 10 different orders were observed. The Muscicapidae (n=3) was the most abundant family while order Passeriformes (n=10) supported highest number of species (50%). The 45% species (n=9) exhibited the stable population trend. Omnivorous birds (n=9) were the most dominant birds in the park. All the found birds were resident species falling in the least concerned category of the IUCN conservation status. This pilot study indicates the Deer Park an important habitat for the resident species of the area. K E Y W O R D S Avian diversity | Deer Park | New Delhi C I T A T I O N Singh, Jagjeet; Nupur; Goyal, Vivek; Dalal, Poonam and Malik, Vinay (2018): Avifaunal diversity in the Deer Park of Hauz Khas, New Delhi. ESSENCE Int. J. Env. Rehab. Conserv. IX (1): 34—37. https://doi.org/10.31786/09756272.18.9.1.105 https://eoi.citefactor.org/10.11208/essence.18.9.1.105 Original Research Article Avifaunal diversity in the Deer Park of Hauz Khas, New Delhi Singh, Jagjeet; Nupur; Goyal, Vivek; Dalal, Poonam and Malik, Vinay Department of Zoology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, India Govt. National College, Sirsa, Haryana, India Govt. SSS Gochhi, Jhajjar, Haryana, India Corresponding Author: vinaymalik71@gmail.com International Journal for Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation ISSN: 0975 — 6272 IX (1): 34— 37 www.essence-journal.com A R T I C L E I N F O Received: 30 January 2018 | Accepted: 22 April 2018 | Published Online: 15 August 2018 DOI: 10.31786/09756272.18.9.1.105 EOI: 10.11208/essence.18.9.1.105 Article is an Open Access Publication. This work is licensed under Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) ©The Authors (2018). Publishing Rights @ MANU—ICMANU & ESSENCE—IJERC. ESSENCE—IJERC | Singh et al. (2018) | IX (1): 34—37 35 Introduction New Delhi the national capital of India faces huge anthropogenic activities since independence. It is the second most populated city of India having semi arid type of climate. Rapid expansion in population by constant immigration poses severe threat to Delhi’s life supporting systems. Constant urbanisation is deleteriously affecting the species biodiversity of the expanding cites of India. The major associated effects include the change of land use, destruction of habitat, pollution and altering of geochemical cycles (Michael, 2002). All these activities disturb the natural harmony of the ecosystems and favour a new interdepend ence among the wild life species colonizing that place. In spite of all these bird species due to heterogeneous feeding habits and flying ability invade and customize the inhabitable urban areas. Mostly the generalist species dominate such areas. There are only a few studies listing the avian fauna of various artificial green landscapes, spaces or parks of New Delhi (Chhikara and Hooda, 2007; Khera et al. 2009; Prakash and Manasvini, 2013; Turaga, 2015). The present study evaluates the avian diversity supported by the Deer Park, Hauz Khas of New Delhi. Study site The study was carried out in and around Deer Park Figure 1. It comes under the Southern Ridge of Delhi which has coordinates 28.5566 0 N and 77.1959 0 E. It makes up a total area of 60 hectares including the District Park and Rose Garden. The entire area supports good diversity of trees belonging to Fabaceae, Verbenaceae, Apocyanaceae, Meliaceae, Rubiaceae, Moracaea, Myrtaceae, Bignoniaceae and many other families. Material and Methods Field survey was conducted from May 2017 to April 2018 by making weekend visits from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and 04:00pm to 6:00pm. Observation of birds was done through naked eyes and photographs were taken by camera – Canon 6d Mark 2. Identification of species was done with the help of following Ali and Ripley, 1987; Kazmierczak, 2000; Grimmett et al., 2007. Birds were clicked from two or three different angles for correct identification of species. IUCN Red List, 2018 was used as references to find out ecological level and population trend. Feeding habits were based on direct observation of birds in Deer Park, New Delhi. Percent (%) = number of species of particular family × 100 occurrence Total number of species Results and Discussion A total of 20 species of birds belonging to 10 orders and 15 families were observed in this preliminary study of one year in the Deer Park, Hauj Khas, New Delhi, Table 1. All the reported birds were resident species and are commonly found nearly all over the India. Order Passeriformes with 10 species in 6 families has the highest diversity accounting 50% of the spotted species in the park, commonly found nearly all over the India. Order Passeriformes with 10 species in 6 families has the highest diversity accounting 50% Table 1: Bird species sighted at Deer Park, New Delhi of the spotted species in the park, The Muscicapidae (n=3) was the most abundant family with 20 percent occurrence followed by Corvidae, Sturnidae and Columbidae with 2 species each while rest all the eleven families were represented by single species each, Table 2. Percentage occurance of families is clear indication of the dominancy of families over other. Percentage ocurance Fig 1: Satellite Map of Deer Park, Hauz Khas, New Delhi ESSENCE—IJERC | Singh et al. (2018) | IX (1): 34—37 36 O rd er F a m il y C o m m o n n a m e S ci en ti fi c n a m e P o p u la ti o n t re n d F ee d in g h a b it P as se ri fo rm e s C o rv id a e H o u se C ro w C o rv u s sp le n d en s ( V ie il lo t, 1 8 1 7 ) S ta b le O m n iv o ro u s R u fo u s T re ep ie D en d ro ci tt a v a g a b u n d a ( L at h a m , 1 7 9 0 ) S ta b le O m n iv o ro u s M u sc ic a p id a e O ri en ta l M a g p ie -r o b in C o p sy ch u s sa u la ri s (L in n ae u s, 1 7 5 8 ) S ta b le In se ct iv o ro u s In d ia n R o b in S a xi co lo id es f u li ca tu s (L in n ae u s, 1 7 6 6 ) S ta b le In se ct iv o ro u s R ed B re as te d F ly ca tc h er F ic ed u la p a rv a ( B ec h st ei n , 1 7 9 2 ) In cr ea si n g In se ct iv o ro u s S tu rn id a e C o m m o n M y n a A cr id o th er es t ri st is ( L in n ae u s, 1 7 6 6 ) In cr ea si n g O m n iv o ro u s B an k M y n a A cr id o th er es g in g in ia n u s (L at h a m , 1 7 9 0 ) In cr ea si n g O m n iv o ro u s E st ri ld id a e In d ia n S il v er b il l E u o d ic e m a la b a ri ca (L in n ae u s, 1 7 5 8 ) S ta b le G ra n iv o ro u s P y c n o n o ti d a e R ed V en te d B u lb u l P yc n o n o tu s ca fe r ( L in n ae u s, 1 7 6 6 ) In cr ea si n g O m n iv o ro u s L e io tr ic h id a e Ju n g le B ab b le r T u rd o id es s tr ia ta (D u m o n t, 1 8 2 3 ) S ta b le O m n iv o ro u s C o lu m b if o rm es C o lu m b id ae C o m m o n P ig eo n C o lu m b a l iv ia G m el in , 1 7 8 9 D ec re as in g G ra n iv o ro u s E u ra si a n C o ll ar ed D o v e S tr ep to p el ia d ec a o ct o F ri v al d sz k y , 1 8 3 8 In cr ea si n g G ra n iv o ro u s G al li fo rm es P h as ia n id ae In d ia n P ea fo w l P a vo c ri st a tu s L in n ae u s, 1 7 5 8 S ta b le O m n iv o ro u s P o d ic ip ed if o rm e s P o d ic ip ed id ae L it tl e G re b e T a ch yb a p tu s ru fi co ll is ( P al la s, 1 7 6 4 ) D ec re as in g C ar n iv o ro u s A n se ri fo rm e s A n at id ae In d ia n S p o t B il le d D u ck A n a s p o ec il o rh yn ch a F o rs te r, 1 7 8 1 D ec re as in g O m n iv o ro u s A cc ip it ri fo rm e s A cc ip it ri d ae B la ck K it e M il vu s m ig ra n s ( B o d d ae rt , 1 7 8 3 ) U n k n o w n C ar n iv o ro u s C h ar ad ri if o rm es C h ar ad ri id ae R ed -W at tl ed L ap w in g V a n el lu s in d ic u s ( B o d d ae rt , 1 7 8 3 ) U n k n o w n In se ct iv o ro u s P ic if o rm es M eg al ai m id ae B ro w n -H ea d ed B ar b et P si lo p o g o n z ey la n ic u s (G m el in , 1 7 8 8 ) S ta b le F ru g iv o ro u s P si tt ac if o rm e s P si tt ac id ae R o se -R in g ed P ar ak ee t P si tt a cu la k ra m er i ( S co p o li , 1 7 6 9 ) In cr ea si n g G ra n iv o ro u s C u c u li fo rm e s C u c u li d ae G re at er C o u ca l C e n tr o p u s in en si s (S te p h e n s, 1 8 1 5 ) S ta b le O m n iv o ro u s T a b le . 1 S .n o . F a m il y N o . o f sp ec ie s P er ce n t o cc u ra n ce 1 C o rv id a e 2 1 3 .3 3 2 M u sc ic a p id a e 3 2 0 .0 0 3 S tu rn id a e 2 1 3 .3 3 4 L e io tr ic h id a e 1 0 6 .6 6 5 E st ri ld id a e 1 0 6 .6 6 6 P y c n o n o ti d a e 1 0 6 .6 6 7 C o lu m b id ae 2 1 3 .3 3 8 P h as ia n id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 9 P o d ic ip ed id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 0 A n at id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 1 A cc ip it ri d ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 2 C h ar ad ri id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 3 M eg al ai m id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 4 P si tt ac id ae 1 0 6 .6 6 1 5 C u c u li d ae 1 0 6 .6 6 T a b le 2 : F a m il y w is e d is tr ib u ti o n o f b ir d s o f D e e r P a rk , N e w D e lh i ESSENCE—IJERC | Singh et al. (2018) | IX (1): 34—37 37 also reveals about local ecological distri also reveals about local ecological distribution of resources. Those natural resources are abundant which are supported by family having highest percentage occurrence. Birds showed high adaptation to environment and exhibit different feeding habits. Feeding habits are reliable indicator of bird’s behaviour. Variety of feeding habits were observed in the spotted birds. The highest obsereved avian species were omnivorous (9 species, 45%) followed by insectivorous and granivorous with equal (4 species, 20%) each, carnivorous (2 species, 10%) and least were frugivorous (1 species, 5%) Fig. 2. The high percent of omnivorous species feeding upon grains, fruits, insects and human food remains indicated unpredictability and low availability of the preferred food resource. Insectivorous and gr