Avian species diversity in the southern Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

Abstract

Avian study in the southern Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia, was conducted from June 2018 to April 2019 during the wet and dry seasons to explore species composition, relative abundance, and habitat association of birds. The study area was classified based on its vegetation cover and composition and thus three habitat types namely, swampy, open wetlands, and forest habitats were identified for data collection. The point count method was used to gather information about the diversity and abundance of birds. A total of 131 avian species belonging to 15 orders and 53 families were identified. The avian species recorded in the study area showed 122 and 108 species during the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Black-winged love birds (Agaporinis taranta) and the Abyssinian oriole (Oriolus monachal) were endemic avian species to both Ethiopia and Eritrea recorded in the area. Moreover, two resident species; the African sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) and the black kite (Milves migrans), and two Palearctic migrants; common house martin (Delichon urbicum) and yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) were also identified in the area. The highest avian diversity was recorded in the open wetland habitat (H’=3.96), while the lowest was in the swampy habitat which is located all the way adjacent to the southern Gulf of Lake Tana (H’=3.22). The abundance score showed that 54.8% of the avian species were uncommon and there is a significant difference in the abundance of birds between the wet and dry seasons (p<0.05). Anthropogenic activities and urbanization are the main threats to birds in the area. Therefore, appropriate management actions should be designed and implemented to ensure the conservation of birds in the southern Gulf of Lake Tana and its surrounding habitats.