Avian diversity in urban, periurban and rural residential areas of Ludhiana

Aakriti Arora; Manoj Kumar; Tejdeep Kaur Kler

Volume : VI, Issue : II, February - 2016

Avian diversity in urban, periurban and rural residential areas of Ludhiana

Aakriti Arora, Manoj Kumar, Tejdeep Kaur Kler

Abstract :

Habitat structure and complexity are the two main components for determining community and its diversity. As urbanization continues, urban avifauna is becoming increasingly appropriate target for research and conservation efforts. As a result of urbanization, landscapes and land–use patterns are changing the world over. The extreme form of land use alteration has affected species composition and abundance, moulding few species to dominate the urban environment. In this paper we look into species richness and abundance of bird species and their variation along urban–rural gradient. Three residential areas of different locations were studied. During the study, total of eleven, eight and six bird species were recorded from urban, periurban and rural residential areas. Abundance of granivorous and omnivorous birds were recorded to be highest in urban and semiurban areas respectively. City planners need to pay more attention towards preserving habitats in urban areas as they provide suitable corridors for various activites of birds and their movement.