A Checklist of Birds of Prey of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Adjacent Areas

Wildlife is declining worldwide due to loss of habitat, pollution, introduction of exotic species, climatic changes etc. Birds of prey are believed to be rapidly declining in Pakistan though no reliable recent data is available and the available literature suggests its previous wide distribution throughout Pakistan. This current study was carried out in the Rawalpindi, Islamabad and some adjacent areas (latitude N 33o27.34-33o48.05 longitude E 72o59.34-73o27.30) to make a checklist of previously and newly existing prey birds as well as to study their general behaviors and biology. Targeted areas were studied at different times of day in different seasons of the year. After identification of prey birds through photographs taken during the study, presence and absence of prey birds was also recorded. Some species, which were formerly not reported in region, were also identified and the relative abundance among different species was calculated.