Avifaunal Diversity and Species Composition in Asan Barrage Wetland and Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

The present study assessed and compared avifaunal diversity and species composition between the wetland ecosystem of Asan Barrage and the forest habitat of Forest Research Institute. Field surveys were conducted using direct observation and photographic documentation during morning hours. A total of 42 bird species comprising 308 individuals were recorded from both study sites. Among these, 26 species with 206 individuals were documented from Asan Barrage, while 16 species with 102 individuals were recorded from the Forest Research Institute campus. The wetland habitat supported greater avifaunal diversity and abundance than the forest ecosystem. Migratory waterbirds such as Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina), Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), and Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) were commonly observed at Asan Barrage, whereas the Forest Research Institute was mainly dominated by resident terrestrial birds including Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata), and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). The study indicates that wetlands support higher diversity of migratory and aquatic birds due to the availability of water resources, aquatic vegetation, and food supply, while forest habitats mainly support resident bird communities.