Diversity of Birds in Ousteri Wetland, Puducherry, India

Abstract

Wetlands are very fragile and constitute treasure of biodiversity. The avifaunal diversity in Ousteri freshwater wetland, Puducherry, India, was studied to form a baseline data about several local and migratory bird species of this wetland. Birds are surveyed by direct sighting, calls and variable width line-transect method was carried out in December, 2009 to January, 2010. It resulted in total of 109 species of both migratory and local birds. Such unique diverse systems are under threats like reduction in water retention in this pond in summer, weed infestation; variations in food availability in different seasons, hunting, poaching and threat of predation on the breeding activity of birds affected the avifauna diversity in the study area.DOI: 10.3126/on.v8i1.4335