Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

AVIFAUNAL DIVERSITY OF THE WETLANDS OF VASAI-VIRAR KONKAN AREA, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

S.G. Gupta, C.G. Roy and P. Deb

Abstract

Topographic and climatic heterogeneity makes India a bio diversely rich country. India is habitat to around 13% species of birds documented worldwide. Avifauna plays an important role in the food chain and are considered as biological indicators of ecosystem. Birds are scavengers, pollinating agents, seed dispersers and pest controllers. The avifaunal documentation of study area, Gogte saltpan (19°23’42" N, 72°48’38" E) and Viva wetland (19°27’35" N, 72°47’41" E) which are located in the northern part of Mumbai in Palghar district was done during the months of November 2021 and January 2022 by line transact and point count method. Overall, 84 species of birds including 15 orders and 36 families were recorded from both the study areas. Order Passeriformes (32%) was dominant followed by Charadriiformes (17%) and Pelecaniformes (12%), while family Scolopacidae (10%) was dominant followed by Ardeidae (10%), Anatidae (6%) and Accipitridae (6%). Both the study areas were dominated by order Passeriformes and family Ardeidae. Viva wetland recorded large number of avian diversities with count of 65 species, while 45 species were recorded in Gogte saltpan. IUCN Redlist species such as Black-tailed Godwit (NT), Lesser Flamingo (NT), Painted Stork (NT) and Greater Spotted Eagle (VU) were also observed during the study period. Both the study areas show similar habitat namely marshy wetland and grassland. Rapid urbanization as well as other anthropogenic activities are degrading and destroying the terrestrial as well as wetland habitats and are the major threats to birds. Proper monitoring of the same is required for sustainable development. The study highlights on the anthropogenic activities which are destroying these ecosystems and stresses on the need of sustainable utilization of these ecosystems to conserve biodiversity.