Vaishnavi Bharti and Preethi Pednekar
Abstract
Avian communities serve as critical bioindicators of ecosystem health and anthropogenic impact. This study monitored bird diversity in a tourism centric place Calangute. Comparing the avian species richness of 2021 with 2024, the species richness declined from 115 species to 107 species. The recorded taxa spanned 18 orders and 55 families, consisting of 65 non-passerine and 50 passerine species. Statistical analysis using a paired t-test revealed a highly significant reduction in Monthly Presence Frequency, indicating a loss of temporal stability in the avian population. The family Ardeidae exhibited the highest relative diversity (8.7 %), while families such as Ciconiidae (3.48%) and Alcedinidae (3.48%) also remained prominent components of the community. Notably, the study area hosts species of high conservation priority, including five Near Threatened and two Vulnerable species. The observed decline in species richness, Shannon-Wiener Index and Pielouâs Evenness suggests that increasing urban pressure is compromising local and specialist biodiversity and inflating generalist species. To mitigate these losses, we propose the integration of urban greening initiatives and the development of sustainable âavi-tourismâ as strategic tools for habitat preservation and community-led conservation.