International Journal of Zoology and Applied Biosciences
Volume (2) - Issue (1), 2017 pp 8-13
Title
Biodiversity and seasonal variation of sea gull birds at Kadalundi-Vallikkunnu community reserve, South India
Author
Shaheer Ansari, V., Sathick, O. and Ali Akshad, M.
Abstract
Kadalundi community reserve area is a large wetland located at the mouth of the river Kadalundi which drains into the Arabian sea on the west coast of Kerala, which provides dwelling of different species of native water birds and migratory birds. The present study examines the habitat characteristic, present status and abundance of different species of migratory Gull birds such as Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans Pallas, Brown-headed Gull, Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Pallas's gull Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus, Heuglin's gull Larus heuglini and native water birds like Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, Indian Pond-Heron Ardeola grayii Sykes, Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis (Bosc), etc. The study conducted during the period of June 2015 to July 2016. The methodology was direct observation and counting by the help of binocular and observed birds were photographed. During the study 40 species of birds were recorded. Among them, 5 types of Gull species, and 15 other types were migrant and 19 species are residential. Gull species was recorded highest in number (10500 N) during the month of December. It revealed that maximum arrival of Gull species occurred in the year of 2015 than other past 10 years.
Keywords
Biodiversity, Sea gull birds, Community reserve, Conservation problem.
Article History
Received on 12/10/2016, Accepted on 17/11/2016, Published on 29/01/2017