Avian Diversity and Abundance in Ololunga town, Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to determine bird abundance and diversity within Ololunga town, Narok County, Kenya. Using point counts and line  transects, a rapid assessment of three habitats, based on levels of human disturbance was conducted. A total of 394 (n=394) birds  belonging to 25 families and 34 species were recorded, with bushland recording the highest abundance and species richness (43.15%;  and 26), followed by farmlands at 31.47% and 15; and human settlement recording the least (25.38% and 10). The Tukey HSD test  established a significant difference in bird abundance between bushlands and human settlement areas (p = 0.014), with no significance  between bushlands and farmlands (p = 0.082); nor between farmlands and human settlements (p = 0.356). Jaccard index / similarity  coefficient across habitat scores noted a reducing similarity across avian sighted habitats at 0.316, 0.281 and 0.2 for human  settlementsfarmland; farmland-bushlands; and human settlement-bushland, respectively. Study results demonstrate that human  influence has an impact on avian species composition, distribution, and abundance, especially within peri-urban areas of Narok, Kenya.  Our study proposes creation of avian sensitive buffer zones within the habitats and ecotones; targeted community education on impacts  of anthropogenic activities on avian diversity; and a deeper appraisal on seasonal and functional diversity in habitat types and  overlapping ecotones on avian species, with a lens on resource availability.