Avifauna richness in aquatic habitats of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Bird species offer important ecological indicator options to evaluate habitat quality. We therefore assessed avifauna richness/diversity indices and attendant effects of time of day, transect and season in three aquatic habitats within International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan namely; John Craig reservoir, golf lake and rice paddies. Two line transects 1km each were placed on the east side of the reservoir and subdivided into 200m sections. Focal survey was used to monitor birds on the golf lake and six rice paddy plots. Both sections and focal surveys were conducted for five minutes and visited between 0700hrs to 0900hrs and 1600hrs to 1800hrs. All birds seen were identified to species with the aid of a binoculars, digital camera and Helms field guide to the birds of Western Africa. Analysis of variance and T-tests were used to determine difference in bird abundance and diversity indices (Shannon and Simpsons). A total of 48 bird species from 25 families were recorded. Bird species diversity and species richness were higher during the morning survey. The wet season had a higher bird species diversity and species richness. Dendrocygna viduata had the highest relative abundance on both reservoir (41.28%) and the golf lake (96.81%). Though 40% of species sighted in the study were observed only at the reservoir, three species were observed only at the rice paddies Rostratula benghalensi, Saxicola rubetra and Spermestes cucullatus. The reservoir had a higher bird species richness, abundance and diversity than the rice paddy and golf lake. Avitourism options abound at the site.

Keywords: Avifauna, John Craig reservoir, Rice paddies, species richness, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture