The role of kopjes in bird species’ conservation within an agricultural matrix west of the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania

Abstract

This study was conducted in unprotected agricultural land located just west of the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem to assess 1) avian community composition in four different habitat types, and 2) the importance of kopjes found in agricultural areas in conservation of birds. All species recorded during this study have been recorded in the nearby Serengeti Ecosystem suggesting that the study area is a subset of this ecosystem. The density of bird species and individuals were higher in the kopjes than in the surrounding human-impacted habitats. Thus the kopjes in farmland increase regional avifaunal diversity, and this is likely due to the provision of diverse habitats. The kopjes as well as the surrounding habitats are important for bird species conservation even though they are found in agricultural areas.