Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF BIRD FAUNA OF GARHWAL HIMALAYA

M. S. Bisht, Manish Kukreti and Shantibhusan

Abstract

Survey in 24 sites along the altitudinal gradient (from the foothills of the terrai to the alpine scrub region) of Garhwal Himalaya resulted in identification of 290 bird species representing 14 orders and 51 families. Passerriformes is the most crowded order and Turdidae being the largest family represented by 32 species.The fauna includes 3 threatened, viz. Gyps indicus, Gyps bengalensis and Catreus wollichii, 17 endemic and 6 near endemic species of the Indian sub continent. 21 species were found to have widespread distribution and common to very common; and six of the sites, viz.,Tewakhal, Panduwakhal, Mandal, Maitakund,Gairsain and Chopta, have rich bird fauna as indicated by species richness index (SRI) of >9.0.