EVALUATION OF AVIFAUNA DIVERSITY IN HYGAM WETLAND (RAMSAR SITE

Frontiers in Environmental Research ISSN: 2960-026X DOI: 10.61784/fer3002 EVALUATION OF AVIFAUNA DIVERSITY IN HYGAM WETLAND (RAMSAR SITE) Bilal Bashir Bhat Environmental Specialist, ABC Techno Labs India Pvt. Ltd., India. Corresponding Email: bhatbilalb32@gmail.com Abstract: Jammu and Kashmir are rich in natural resources, especially in Wetlands. These Wetlands provide wintering, feeding and breeding grounds for millions of resident (local), and non-resident summer migrants and Migratory birds especially waterfowl (ducks, geese and swans) visiting from different countries. The research studies the status & diversity of various avifauna populations of (Resident, Summer Migrants & Migratory) in Hygam Wetland Reserve a Ramsar Site in Jammu & Kashmir. The study was conducted in 4 seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and winter) from January 2022 to December 2023. Visual basis and strip-transit methods were used for the counting of avifaunal populations in the study site. With the help of a expert field guide, monographs and Standard books identification of birds was done. In the study area the Species diversity of the identified birds showed variation between the sites. The highest number & density of avifauna was observed at 1 – site (emergent & dense vegetation) followed by 2-site (Radhiam/Akhnoonpora). Out of the total identified avifauna population in winters (winter miratory birds), Mallards were counted highest followed by Northern Pintail and Gadwall. The other species (Residents/Summer mirants) observed were Pond heron, little egret, common coot, Purple swamphen, common teal, Northern Shoveller and goose were also observed in te study area. Out of 42 species of birds recorded from the study area, 19 species were the residents, 11 species found were summer migrants and 12 species represented the winter migrant community. From residential birds, the grey pigeons makes up 70% of the bird diversity followed by the golden finch, blue billed magpie, Streaked laughing thrush, blue whistling thrush & Purple Moorhen. From summer migrants Starlings, dominate the area followed by Tickle’s thrush, Indian ring dove, Indian Whiskered tern, European hoopoe etc. The total number of Winter migratory birds that make up 75 to 80% of bird diversity in winter are Mallards, Northern Shoveller, Common Teal, Pin Tail, Geese and common coots. Keywords: Present status of water birds; Bird diversity; Hygam wetland; Ramsar Site; Migratory birds; Resident and non-resident birds; Threats; Conservatio; Kashmir 1 INTRODUCTION Wetlands are are the most productive and important habitats as they perform a variety of functions and are found throughout the biosphere. Wetlands act as a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are highly diverse and productive habitats [1]. Wetlands provide a home for a large diversity of wildlife including birds, mammals, fish, amphibians, insects and plants [2]. Wetlands in India cover an area of 58.2 million hectares [3]. Approximately 23% (310 of 1340) of the bird species found in India [4] are known to be dependent on wetlands [5]. Birds are forestanding species of global biodiversity found in every habitat [6] and key indicators of ecosystem health and stress [7]. Knowledge of the composition of bird communities is crucial to determining the ecology and health of the local ecosystem or regional landscapes[8]. Understanding bird community structure and diversity is therefore essential to recognize the importance of landscapes for avian conservation [9]. Jammu and Kashmir is an avian-rich state [10] with about 28 vital bird areas [11] and is home to 12 threatened bird species and six near-threatened species globally. A high degree of eco-climatic variability and distinctive, varied biogeographical and ecological features are responsible for this spectacular bird diversity [12]. A network of wetlands covering an area of more than 7,000 hectares is located in the Valley of Kashmir. The Valley of Kashmir is renowned for its fully blossomed wetland ecosystems and wide variety of avifauna diversity. Over 3 lakh migratory waterfowl, including graylag geese, mallards, pochards, Eurasian coot, and gadwall & goose travel to Kashmir's wetlands in the winter seasons for feeding and spawning. All of these birds depend on the wetlands for their survival. It is known that 37 species of waterfowl breed in western Siberia. Ten of these species were seen in Haigam Wetland, while fifteen have been reported from Hokersar Wetland. In Jammu and Kashmir, eleven out of twenty-one Important Bird Areas meet Ramsar requirements and five wetlands are designated as Ramsar sites two in 2022 like Shalbug & Hygam [13]. Ramsar sites have already been designated for Wular and Hokersar because of their significance for biodiversity. Also, Haigam, and Shallabug, were declared as Ramsar Sites in 2022, and these above wetlands have been documented in the network of Important Bird Areas [13] and [14]. Numerous aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation may be found in the Hygam wetland, which serves as a suitable home for a range of resident, summer and migratory birds. Since Hygam Wetland supports a larger number of Mallards than other waterbodies in Kashmir, it has earned the nickname "Queen of the Mallards". © By the Author(s) 2024, under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0). Bilal Bashir Bhat 26 Many investigators have studied the diversity, distribution, seasonal migration etc. of birds in various wetlands and lakes of Kashmir [15], [16], [17], [18] but little is known about the birds of Hygam wetland in the recent past. This study aims to determine the current status of avifauna populations (Resident, Summer & Migratory birds in the wetland. Anthropogenic activities have led to growing environmental deterioration in the Kashmir-Himalayan valley, which is well-known for its diversity of wetlands. Overexploitation of resources (e.g., harvesting, fishing, and hunting) of several Kashmir wetlands has caused the decline or the near disappearance of many plant and animal species [19]. Increased siltation, eutrophication (run-off from catchment areas), agricultural conversion, receding open water areas, expanding reed beds, construction of canals, weirs, and over-grazing are the major threats to wetlands of Jammu and Kashmir [20]. During the present study, only a few thousand bird populations (residential, summer migrants and Migratory) were observed & recorded in the study area, due to low water levels as most of the wetland area is walkable by foot and barren due to high siltation and low open water in winters for birds. In near future, we may lose many important avifauna populations and some important winter migratory guests visiting this site if important measures are not taken immediately. 2 STUDY AREA Haigam wetland or Rakh or Jhil (Ramsar Site) is named after a village Haigam Tehsil Sopore district Baramulla of Jammu & Kashmir. The wetland is ovoid. From Baramulla district in the north, It is located 22 km away and from Srinagar, it is 45 km away. It has an area of about 14 km (1400 hectares) with about 4 km of reed beds but the total area of the wetland has shrunk to 7.25 km due to encroachment, siltation & reed beds. In 1945. The area was notified as a game reserve for duck shooting. The Department of Wildlife Jammu & Kashmir is maintaining the wetland. The wetland is dominated by extensive reed beds [21]. 3 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION With a maximum depth of 1.2 meters, the wetland is situated on the flood plains of the Jhelum River. At a height of 1585 meters above sea level, the site's coordinates are 34°13′30′′…34°16′4′′N latitudes and 74°30′27′′ - 74°32′33′′E longitudes. The average temperature is between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. This area receives between 900 and 1000 mm of rain annually. This wetland gets its water from several smaller streams, including Balkul and the flood spill stream of Ningli Nallah. As shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 Study Area 4 MATERIAL AND METHODS A sampling technique was used to examine the current state of birds in the wetland season (January 2022 to December 2023) while considering the size of the study region. The study area has been divided into four sampling sites. Site –I ( Scattered Salix trees with dense and emergent vegetation), II- site (Wandakpora/ Aakhanpora & Raidagam side), IIIsite (Village Hygam side with Salix plantations) and site barren with scattered and dense Salix plantation (Andergam & Lolipora). Six distinct observation locations were set up in the wetland plantation zones, spaced 50–100 meters apart. Six observation locations were set up in the wetland's interior. The study region was divided into three categories: vegetation type, water depth, and habitat type. Out of the Six study sites, four were aquatic and 2 were terrestrial sites. For the estimation of the avifauna population in in wetland following scientific methods were employed for research: Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024 Evaluation of avifauna diversity in hygam wetland (Ramsar Site) 27 4.1 Strip Transect Method The strip transect method was employed for bird counting while travelling in a boat through the narrow water channels. With each transect, a distance of 100 meters was covered to count the number of birds on the left and right sides of the boat. 4.2 Visual Counting Method For estimation of avian fauna population the visual counting method with the help of Binoculars (10×50X) was employed. 4.3 Point Count Method Since the majority of the wetland is dried out and most of it was easily accessible on foot, The point count method was employed for counting birds. By keeping track of the birds that flew into and out of the study plots throughout the research, double counting was avoided. Transect monitoring was done in the early morning and late evening, Since birds are visible and at its peak as done by [22] and [23]. Using a Canon 1300d camera with a 250mm to 400mm zoom lens, photographs of birds were also taken. An expert field guide was also employed for bird identification in order to obtain accurate visuals. Observations were made from 6:00 a.m., when the birds were feeding, to 7:00 p.m., when they leave for their resting places. 5 RESULT AND DISCUSSION From January 2022 to December 2023 the avifauna populations were observed. The Spring summer, autumn and winter seasons were used to measure variations in the avifauna population. Of the 41 bird species (both Residential, summer migrants and Winter migrants) that were identified from the site—representing residential, summer, and winter migrants —19 species were found to be residents, 11 species were discovered to represent summer migrants, and 11 species represented winter migrants (Table & Figure 2-4). The identified avifauna varied throughout the sites in the study area in terms of species richness and diversity. In site I (which has dense, emergent vegetation and open water surrounding it) has the highest density of migratory birds. Because it has been less affected by human activity, this site serves as a favorable habitat for migratory and other birds to nest, breed, and rest. Site II (Wadakpora/ Akhnoonpora & Radigam side) is where residential and summer migrants are found in large numbers in summer and autumn seasons due to availability of food and space for nesting in the trees and residential houses. The site is towards the residential side of the wetland. In Autumn season the number of summer miratory birds decrases as summer migrants go for migration and no of residential birds incrases as they move towards these residential areas and nearby paddy fields for food and resting. In this study site it was observed that several bird species (ducks, geese and cormorants) were attracted by the fish species like carp and seeds produced by various aquatic vegetation [24], reported that there is a positive correlation between the avian species diversity and richness with the vegetation cover. Mallards prefer Areas having dense vegetation of emergent macrophytes. Whereas open water was preferred by pochards, coot, gadwall and geese. From the total number of identified birds, Mallards were the most counted at I-site (200), Northern pintail at (150 species) at II - site. Within the wetland, other species observed included Common Teal (90) at site I and (60) at site II (Graph 2). Graylag geese (100), Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveller, purple moorhen and Swamphen were also observed from the study sites. Of all the aquatic bird species found in the area , over 55% were migratory. Table 1 Residential Birds Diversity Found in the study area (Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2023) English Name Scientific name Total No of species Found 1 2 Number of Residential Birds House crow Common Myna Corvus splendns Acridotheres tristis 150 60 3 4 Sparrow Halk White Cheeked Bulbul Accipiter nisus Holpestes leucogenys 07 40 5 Kashmir house sparrow Passer domestics 100 6 Common pariah kite Milvus migrans 17 7 Little grebe (Dabchick) Tachybatus ruficollis 40 8 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 40 9 Pond Heron/Paddy bird Ardeola grayii 80 10 Little Egret Casmerodius albus 20 11 12 Green Sandpiper Night Heron Tringa ochropus Nycticorax nycticorax 10 15 Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024 Bilal Bashir Bhat 28 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Total Blue kingfisher Purple swamphen White-breasted Kingfisher Grey Wagtail Northern Lapwing common kingfisher Common Moorhen Fantail snipe Common Sandpiper Pied Kingfisher Kashmiri grey tit European little ringed plover Common eagle Common Pigeon Red-Waltted Lapwing European goldfinch Streaked laughing thrush Red-billed blue magpie Blue whistling thrush Woodpecker Alcedinidae Porphyrio phorphyiro Halcyon smyrnensis Motacilla cinerea Vanellus vanellus Alecdo atthis Gallininula chloropus Gallinago gallinago Actitis hypoleucos Ceryle rudis Parus major Charadrius dubius Accipitridae Columba livia Vanellus indicus Carduelis carduelis Trochalopteron lineatum Urocissa erythoryncha Myophonus caeruleus -- 30 150 50 20 20 20 15 120 100 40 40 30 40 150 50 200 400 150 150 50 2404 Figure 2 Diversity of Residential Birds (Jan. 2022- Dec. 2023) Table 2 Summer Migratory Birds Diversity in the study area (Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2023) S.NO English Name Summer Migrants in Hygam 1 Pheasent tailed jacana 2 Gold franted finch 3 Slaty headed parakeet 4 Indian Oriole 5 Owl 6 Rufous backed shrike 7 Little bittern 8 Starlings 9 Common swallow Scientific name Total No of Species Found Hydrophasianus chirurgus Metoponia pusilia Psittacula himalayana Oriolus oriolus kundoo Strigiformes Lainius schach erythonotus Ixobrychus minutus sturnidae Hirundo rustica 2 5 20 0 6 10 0 100 70 10 11 European hoopoe Indian ring dove Upupa epops Streptopelia decaota 50 70 12 Paradise Flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi 5 13 Golden blacked woodpecker Dinopium benghalense 12 14 White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 40 15 Whistling thrush Myophonus 50 Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024 Evaluation of avifauna diversity in hygam wetland (Ramsar Site) 29 16 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 30 17 Common swallow Hirundinidae 40 18 Eurasian lapwing Upupa epops 20 19 Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus 60 20 Rufous backed Shrik Lanius schach 50 21 Eastern grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea 30 22 Tickle’s thrush Turdus unicolor 60 23 Indian Whiskred tern Chlidonias hybrida 40 24 Gloden oriole Oriolus oriolus 20 24 Red shank Tringa totanus 30 26 Blue tailed bee eater Merops philippinus 20 Total 1063 Figure 3 Diversity of summer Migrant Birds Species-wise (Jan. 2022- Dec. 2023) S.NO Table 3 Number of Migratory Birds found in in the study area (Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2023) English Name Scientific Name IUCN Conservational Status Total No of Species Found Winter migratory Birds visiting Hygam 1. Northern Pintail Anas acuta Least Concern 5000 2. 3. Common Teal Mallard Anas crecca Anas platyrhynchos Least Concern Least Concern 8000 9500 4. Gadwall Anas strepera Least Concern 6000 5. Northern Shoveller Anas clypeata Least Concern 1500 6. Common Coot Fulica arta Least Concern 2500 7. 8. Grey leg Goose Red crested Pochard Anser anser Rodonnessa rufina (Pallas) Least Concern Least Concern 10 10 9. Pallas Fish eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus Endangered 0 10. 11. 12. Total Geese Weigon Garganey Teal Anser domesticus Mareca Spatula querquedula Least Concern --Least Concern Least Concern 100 900 150 33670 Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024 Bilal Bashir Bhat 30 Figure 4 Species-wise number of Migratory Birds (Jan. 2022- Dec. 2023) 6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS The research aimed to find out the current status of the avifaunal population in the wetland. There is seasonal variation in the bird population as well as variation among the study sites. The government have paid less attention to the wetland Reserve, despite its socio-economic and ecological significance. Dense growth of reeds and other emergent vegetation are dominant in the study area. The area of the wetland was about 1400 hectares (14 km) earlier but now the total area of the wetland has shrunk to 725 hectares (7.25 km) [25]. This decline in wetland areas led to the loss of waterbird populations due to habitat destruction and loss of food. The migratory bird species that were not observed in the current study but were previously discovered in the wetland included the ferruginous duck, red-crested pochard, Palla's fish eagle, and garganey. During the current investigation, no sightings of the Little-bitten, Gold-finned Finch, or Indian Oriole were observed among the summer migrants. The little grebe, green sandpiper, grey and night Heron & white-breasted kingfisher were found in fewer numbers from residential birds, due to less open water surface and drying of the wetland in the summer season which leads to less food available for these species. Shrinking areas, siltation, eutrophication, pollution, encroachment and people using this wetland as a shooting site in winter are other reasons for dwindling avifauna populations from this wetland. Another main cause for the decline of the avifauna populations from the study area is the cutting and burning of the reed beds in the summer and autumn seasons by the local people for fodder which destroys the nests of the residential and summer migrants. Due to these reasons, the birds migrate to other areas are their number may remain very low which may be the reason that these birds may not be seen from this reserve. From past research, it was found that lakhs of water birds were visited in this wetland, but now only a few thousand avifauna diversity visited the site due to the above reasons. For the maintenance of species diversity and abundance regulation of water levels and creation of open water, areas are important to cater to the requirements of many avifauna species, for feeding to diving ducks and for resting to many other species. Many species that are crucial to the wetland will lost soon if immediate measures are not taken to protect the dying Wetland. COMPETING INTERESTS The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose. REFERENCES [1] Mitsch, W.I. and I.G. Gosselink. Wetlands. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 1986. [2] Buckton, S. Managing wetlands for sustainable livelihoods at Koshi Tappu. Danphe. 2007, 16: 12-13. [3] Prasad, S.N., Ramachandra et al. Conservation of wetlands of India- A review. Tropical Ecology. 2002, 43: 173186. [4] Manakadan, R., Pittie, A. Standardized common and scientific names of the birds of the Indian subcontinent. Buceros, 2001, 6: 1-37. [5] Kumar, A., Sati, J.P., Tak, P.C, Alfred, J.R.B. Handbook on Indian waterbirds and their conservation. Zoological Survey of India, 2005. [6] Olechnowski, B.F. An examination of songbird avian diversity, abundance trends, and community composition in two endangered temperate ecosystems: riparian willow habitat of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and a Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024 Evaluation of avifauna diversity in hygam wetland (Ramsar Site) [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] 31 restored tallgrass prairie ecosystem, Neal Smith National Wildlife. RefugeIowa State University. Lowa State University. 2009. Taper, M.L., Bohning-Gaese, K, Brown, J.H. Individualistic responses of bird species to environmental change. Oecologia. 1995: 478-486. 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Bhat, B.B. Impact of anthropogenic activities on Haigam wetland using remote sensing and GIS. ECONSPEAK: A Journal of Advances in Management IT & Social Sciences. 2017, 7 (2): 11-30. Thakur et al. Bird diversity in Sarkaghat valley, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh), India. Asian J. Exp. Biol. Sci. 2010, (4): 940-950. Shah et al. Study on Distribution of Avian Fauna of Dachigam National Park, Kashmir, India. IJCR. 2013, 5(2): 266-270. Petersen, K.L., Westmark, A.S. Bird Use of Wetlands in a Midwestern Metropolitan Area in Relation to Adjacent Land Cover. Am. Midl. Nat. 2013, 169(1): 221-228. P.R.Holmes, A.J.Parr, Kashmir.J.of Bom. Nat.His. Soc. 1988. Volume 2, Issue 2, Pp 25-31, 2024