Megha Udayan

INTRODUCTION
 Wetland are ecotones or transitional zones .

 Posses characters of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

 Wetlands are complex and productive ecosystem in the world.

 They are known as “Kidneys of the earth” & “Biological supermarkets”.

 Kole wetlands : Thrissur and Malappuram.

 High avian species richness is found in Kole wetlands.

 BIRDS DIVERSITY INDICATES THE HEALTH OF AN ECOSYSTEM .

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
 To study the avifauna of kole wetlands, Thrissur.

 To identify the current status of birds of kole wetland.

 To identify the threats of birds in kole wetland.

METHODOLOGY
 Study area : Thrissur kole wetlands.

 Direct observation method was adopted.

 Study period : February 2018 to April 2018.

Study Site : 1
Konthipulam padam
Site : 2
Muriyad
Site : 3
Palakkal
Site 4
Enamavu
Site :5
Pullu
 Plate 1

White breasted Little grebe Ashy wood

waterhen swallow

Lesser whistling Ashy prinia Large pied wagtail

duck
 Plate2

White throated Lesser pied

Large pied wagtail
kingfisher kingfisher

Common myna Intermediate Red whiskered

egret bulbul
 Plate 3

Stork billed
Whiskered tern
kingfisher Green bee eater

Cotton pigmy goose Great coucal

Spotted dove
 Plate 4

Indian pond heron Watercock Purple heron

Bronze winged Common

jacana kingfisher Pied cuckoo
 Plate 5

Little cormorant Rose ringed

Cattle egret
parakeet

Asian open Grey headed Little egret

billed stork swamphen
 Plate 6

Pheasant Black drongo

Woolly necked
tailed jacana stork

Black crowned Yellow wagtail

Purple heron
night heron
 Plate 7

Ruddy breasted Eurasion

Tricoloured munia
crake moorhen

Black winged stilt Paddy field pipit Sitting

cisticola
 Plate 8

Oriental darter Spot billed duck Garganey

Clamorous reed
Common tailor bird Common coot
warbler
 Plate 9

Brahminy kite Great egret Grey heron

Streaked weaver Yellow bittern Black headed ibis

Results
 A total of 62 species of 28 families and 13 different orders were observed.

 According to IUCN classification ;

 LC : 59 sp.

 NT : 2 sp. (Anhinga melanogaster & Plegadis falcinellus).

 Vulnerable : Ciconia episcopus.

Continuation.

 Dominant order : Passeriformes and Ciconiformes .

 Dominant family : Ardeidae with 9 species.

 Resident birds : 44 species.

 Local Migrants : 12 species.

 Migrants : 5 species.
Graph : 1 showing order wise composition of birds.
30

25

20

15

No. of Species

10 Percentage%

0
Diagram : 2 Showing the family wise composition of birds.
Number of species

Podicipedidae
Phalocrocoracidae
Anhingidae
Ardeidae
Ciconiidae
Threskiornithidae
Anatidae
Accipitridae
Rallidae
Jacanidae
Charadriidae
Scolopacidae
Recurvirostridae
Laridae
Columbidae
Feeding habits of birds.
 Terrestrial feeders : 33.3%
 Large waders : 21.66%
 Small waders : 20%
 Divers : 8.33%
 Swimmers : 6.66%
 Arboreal aquatic feeders : 6.66%
 Aerial foragers : 3.33%
 Aerial aquatic feeders : 1.66%
 Arboreal aquatic foragers : 1.66%
Conclusion
 The study in the kole wetland showed a good number of
globally threatened, vulnerable, migrants, local migrants
and residant birds.
 Kole wetland come under the ‘Central Asian Fly Way Route’
of migratory birds, so it is the duty of every citizen to
protect these wetland along with the birds.
 Anthropogenic activities like pollution, clay mining, sand
mining, construction of buildings in wetlands, poaching of
birds etc. should be banned.
 No development is sustainable unless it includes nature.
 By
Megha Udayan