POPULATION TREND OF HERONS AND EGRETS (FAMILY: ARDEIDAE) IN MARALA HEAD FROM OCT 2000- SEP 2001

The species cited from Pakistan included Ardea goliath, Ardea cinerea cinerea, Ardea cinerea rectirostris, Ardea purpurea manilensis and Butorides striatus javanicus, Ardeola grrayii grayii and Bubulcus ibis coromandus, Ardea alba alba, Ardea alba modesta, Egretta intermedia intermedia, Egretta garzetta garzetta and Egretta gularis schistacea, Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax, Ixobrychus minutus minutus, Ixobrychus sinensis and Ixobrychus flavicollis flavicollis. The study was carried out from October 2000 to September 2001, spanning the area from Kikar Post to Head Marala. Point count method was used to record the number of birds observed (Ralph et al., 1995). The birds were further identified using literature. Cattle egret ( Bubuleus ibis ), little egret ( Egretta garzetta ), intermediate egret ( Egretta intermedia ) and pond heron ( Ardeola grayeii ) were present at river Jammu Tawi, river Chenab and river Manawar Tawi throughout study period. However, Egretta alba was only observed from December to January.