Diversity and Habitat Selection of Wetland Birds in Nilgiris, South India

Wetlands are defined as transitional lands between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. Water birds are an important component of most of wetland environment, as these occupy several trophic levels in the food web of wetland nutrient cycles also wetland, birds play a significant cultural and social role in local communities as well as being an important component of wetland ecosystem. The study sites are selected adjacent to Gudalur Taluk of Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. Bird population was estimated using total count method. Food and feeding behavior was investigated using the observational method. Pond ecosystem is mostly preferred by the water birds followed by river and stream habitats. Overall analysis of the birds sighted in five month periods shown that the cattle egrets were sighted more in number. More number of birds seen in pond followed by river and stream. Very few bird species were seen in agricultural fields. The study proved that if the present ecological characteristics of wetland continue, the birds were unable to inhabit this habitat in the immediate future. Proper awareness regarding the importance of birds to the local people, through different programmes will ultimately help the protection of birds of this region.