Journal of Threatened Taxa |
www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 April 2022 | 14(4): 20821–20827
ISSN 0974-7907
(Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7607.14.4.20821-20827
#7607 | Received 05
August 2021 | Final received 11 November 2021 | Finally accepted 14 February
2022
Population
abundance of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus
roseus (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) in district
Gurugram of Haryana, India
Amit Kumar 1 & Sarita Rana 2
1 Department of Zoology,
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana 136119, India.
2 Department of Zoology, Institute
of Integrated and Honors Studies, Kurukshetra
University, Kurukshetra, Haryana 136119, India.
1 kdamit8@gmail.com (corresponding
author), 2 saritarana20@gmail.com
Editor: H. Byju, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Date
of publication: 26 April 2022 (online & print)
Citation: Kumar, A. & S. Rana (2022). Population abundance of Greater
Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus (Aves: Phoenicopteridae) in district Gurugram of Haryana, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 14(4): 20821–20827. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.7607.14.4.20821-20827
Copyright: © Kumar & Rana 2022. Creative Commons Attribution
4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproduction, and
distribution of this article in any medium by providing adequate credit to the
author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: Council of Scientific
& industrial Research (CSIR).
Competing interests: The authors
declare no competing interests.
Author details: Dr. Sarita Rana is an Assistant professor in
Department of Zoology, Institute of Integrated and Honors Studies, Kurukshetra
University, Kurukshetra. Her field of research includes ornithology, Animal
ecology and Wildlife conservation. Mr.
Amit Kumar is a research scholar and pursuing his PhD from Department of
Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.
Author contributions: SR and AK conceived and designed
the study. Both the authors equally contribute in field data collection,
preparation of draft of the manuscript and data analysis.
Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to the
CSIR, New Delhi for providing financial support to carry out the present study
and to the Department of Zoology, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra for
providing the necessary facilities to carry out this study.
Abstract: We quantified the population
abundance of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus
roseus in Najafgarh Drain (Jheel), Basai Wetland, and Sultanpur flats of district Gurugram,
Haryana from October 2018 to December 2020. A total of 72 visits were made to
the study sites. In this study, we explored the uses of an unmanned aerial
vehicle (UAV) equipped with a 5-megapixel camera to census the population and
distribution of Greater Flamingos. The Nikon 10 x 50 field binoculars were used
for observations. A photographic record was taken using a Canon Powershot sx70hs camera. To estimate the population size,
point count method was used and videos and image analysis were carried out for
a more accurate count in densely packed flocks. The mean population of Greater
Flamingos was 267 ± 47 observed throughout the study period from the three
sites. For three years, the highest mean population of Greater Flamingos
recorded was 745 ± 76 at Najafgarh Drain and the lowest was 19 ± 8 at Sultanpur
Flats. The Greater Flamingos were found to be residents at Najafgarh Drain. At
the Basai Wetland, two major human activities were
the construction of highways along wetlands and wetland drainage have been
observed that resulted in habitat fragmentation and shrinkage, which is
responsible for the huge decline in their population. While at Najafgarh Jheel fishing activities and overgrowth of water hyacinth
were a major threat that affect the Greater Flamingo population. The findings
in this study will be beneficial for the
conservation efforts of the flamingos in this area.
Keywords: Distribution, drone, population
abundance, Najafgarh Drain, UAV.
Introduction
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus is a significant
species of the family Phoenicopteridae, it is one of
the long-legged water-wading birds belonging to the order Phoenicopteriformes
(Ali et al. 1987). Flamingos are gregarious birds that are found in
groups, extending from a few to thousands or lakhs and their group is termed
‘Pat’ (Tere 2005; Johnson & Cezilly
2007). Presently, six species of
flamingos are known globally, among which four species namely the Caribbean
Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber,
the Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus
chilensis, the James Flamingo Phoenicopterus
jamesi, and the Andean Flamingo Phoenicopterus andinus
are found in Asia, Europe, South America, and North America (Ogilvie &
Ogilvie 1986). Two species of flamingos, namely, the Lesser Flamingo Phoenicopterus minor and Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus are found In India (Grimmett et al. 1998).
Flamingo groups extend from a few
individuals to thousands and are seen in freshwater, saltwater, brackish water
habitats, shallow lagoons, alkaline lakes, saltpans, and mudflats (Del Hoyo et al. 1992; Grimmett et al.
1998). Greater Flamingos continuously cluster in large feeding flocks or groups
during the non-breeding season (Allen 1956). Both of these flamingo species are
known to breed at Little Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat
in large colonies (Rameshchandra 2014). Greater
Flamingos are reported continuously from western Africa to southwestern and southern
Asia, and throughout the sub-Saharan region of Africa.
The population of western Africa,
Iran, and Kazakhstan seem to be expanding, while the Asian and sub-Saharan
African populations seem to be constant (Delany & Scott 2006). The Rann of Kutch in Gujarat,
India is a well-known breeding location at the India-Pakistan border
(Ali & Ripley 2001), where the world’s largest aggregation of Greater
Flamingos can be seen (Shivrajkumar et al. 1983).
Greater Flamingos have been recorded from Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha,
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu (Grimmett et al. 1998; Ramesh & Ramachandran 2005; Tere 2005; Kidwai &
Bhattacharjee 2016; Arjun & Roshnath 2018; Parasharya & Gadhvi 2020).
Limited studies have been
reported on the Greater Flamingo in India (Ramesh & Ramachandran 2005; Tere 2005; Arjun & Roshnath
2018) and most of the studies are limited to the coastal wetlands.
From the literature reviewed it
was found that no previous work has been made so far in Haryana, to study the
distribution pattern and population size of Greater Flamingos apart from Kumar
& Rana (2021). The present study was undertaken to assess the pattern of
distribution of Greater Flamingos in Gurugram, Haryana. As a part of a detailed
ecological study of flamingos, we surveyed the selected sites in Gurugram
Haryana; their numbers were counted from 2018 to 2020 to understand their
abundance and population size.
Study Area
Primary visits were made to a few
wetlands of Gurugram (Haryana) to select a suitable investigation site.
Finally, three sites in Gurugram—Basai wetland
(28.471N, 76.985E), Najafgarh Drain (28.498N, 76.946E), and Sultanpur Flats
(28.455N, 76.890E)—were selected (Figure 1).
Basai wetland is a perennial shallow-water wetland,
located in the village of Basai on the outskirts of
the Gurugram district of Haryana. Najafgarh drain, located at Delhi-Haryana
border, is estimated around 7 km long and is the part of dying Sahibi river. Much of the region covered by the Najafgarh Drain
is located in two villages, Kherki Majra and Dhankot. As untreated
sewage flows into it, the Najafgarh drain is one of the most contaminated, but
productive habitats for many species of birds and plants. Sultanpur flats are
the area around Sultanpur National Park and include various habitats such as
grasslands, fields, and uncultivated lands. Paddy fields, wheat, and mustard
were the dominant vegetation observed in each study area.
MATERIAL
AND METHODS
Monthly visits were made to
selected sites. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system (drone) was used to
study the population and distribution of Greater Flamingos in Gurugram
(Haryana). In the present study, the DJI Tello UAV drone (Image 1) in combination
with Apple iPhone 11 mobile devices were used. This drone, a quadcopter (having
four rotors) equipped with a 5MP HD camera with 720p recording. The drone is
controlled by the smartphone app ‘Tello’. The Nikon 10 x 50 field binocular was
used for observations. Photographic records were taken using a Canon Powershot sx70hs camera. The total count method has been
used to count flamingos for small congregations (Bibby et al. 2000; Sutherland
2006). To make an accurate count of densely packed flock drone was used to
capture aerial photographs and videos, then an analysis of aerial photographs
and videos was done. A manual tally counter was used for the census of large
colonies of Greater Flamingos for an accurate count (Rameshchandra
2014). To reach study sites various modes of transport were used. For each
sighting of Greater Flamingos, GPS coordinates were taken using the handheld
GPS device Garmin Etrex 30x.
RESULTS
A total of 24 visits were made to
each site for three years (Oct 2018–Dec 2020). The summary of Greater Flamingo
numbers (N) observed at each site during sampling years (2018–2020) is enlisted
in Table 1; 19,230 flamingos were observed during the visit, out of which the
highest mean population of flamingos (745 ± 76) was recorded in Najafgarh Drain
followed by Basai Wetland (34 ± 6) and Sultanpur
Flats (19 ± 8). For the three years, the maximum number of Greater Flamingos
counted per visit was 1,350 individuals at Najafgarh Jheel,
118 individuals at Basai Wetland, and 170 individuals
at Sultanpur Flats.
Among three years of study, the
highest mean population of individuals was observed at Najafgarh Drain in 2019
(969 ± 123) while the highest mean population in Basai
Wetland (56 ± 34) and Sultanpur Flats (61 ± 95) was recorded during the year
2018. The mean number of individuals at Najafgarh Drain was similar during 2019
and 2020. In the case of Basai Wetland, the lowest
mean population was recorded during the year 2020. The present study shows that
Najafgarh Drain holds the maximum number of individuals (> 400) of Greater
Flamingos in all three years as compared to other sites. There is a decline in
the number of individual sightings observed during 2020 which may be associated
with an increase in road construction and fishing activities at Basai Wetland and Najafgarh Jheel.
DISCUSSION
To implement the conservation
measures for any species current population size and frequented habitats must
be determined before management steps can be implemented. Earlier studies indicated that the Greater Flamingos
favored coastal wetlands, but they can live in inland
wetlands as well (Tere 2005). They are known to
migrate in large flocks to the south-eastern coasts of India during the winter
(Nagarajan & Thiyagesan 1996; Balachandran 2006;
2012); and all year surveys are required to differentiate migratory populations
from the resident ones. Greater Flamingos are the winter visitors in Lalitpur
(Uttar Pradesh). The current research was conducted on various Greater Flamingo
inhabiting sites of Gurugram (Haryana) covering the freshwater bodies. The
Greater Flamingos were found to be residents at Najafgarh Drain. As previously
reported, flamingo abundance fluctuated in response to water level and rainfall
patterns (Vargas et al. 2008). Najafgarh Drain is the major stronghold
of Greater Flamingos in the area. Flamingos use various parts of the Drain for
foraging predominantly in the shallow areas (Image 2A).
The Greater
Flamingos were also found to be distributed at Basai
Wetland and Sultanpur Flats, but only till water levels were adequate for their
sustenance. The unavailability of water in these areas is one of the major
reasons for their low abundance. We observed that flamingos leave these sites
as water levels start to decline with the end of the rainy season.
It was reported that when the
wetland dried up or when food became scarce, they were forced to relocate to a
new environment, such as a nearby perennial water body or a location that was a
long distance away (Johnson 1989). Najafgarh Drain supports the maximum
population of Greater Flamingo as its large area and the availability of water
is one of the main reasons for their large aggregation throughout the year. The
Najafgarh Drain is a freshwater reservoir that provides a vast expanse of
shallow water and food to sustain Flamingos all year round. On the other hand,
a minimum number of flamingos counted in Basai
Wetland and Sultanpur Flats. The availability of water in these areas is one of
the major reasons for their minimum aggregation. At the end of rainy seasons
when water levels start to decline and these sites start dry out, flamingos
start to leave these sites. Any ecosystem that provides food in sufficient
quantity and quality contributes significantly to the survival of its fauna. As
a result, differences in the number of Greater Flamingos inside and among lakes
may be due to seasonal access of diet.
Utility of UAVs in surveying flamingoes
UAVs have a wide range of uses in
ecological and behavioral studies but have been used
infrequently in India. Outside India, UAVs technology has been used for avian
research for example, to count the number of nesting Wood Storks Mycteria americana
(Rodgers et al. 1995), assessing the nesting success of species of
canopy-nesting birds (Weissensteiner et al. 2015),
common terns (Chabot et al. 2015), Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Rush et al.
2018), breeding population of Glossy Ibis Plegadis
falcinellus (Afán et
al. 2018), to survey five species of
colonial marshbirds (McKellar et al. 2021) and
waterfowl (Dundas et al. 2021). UAV technology has been also used for the study
of other animal species such as to survey Nile Crocodile populations (Ezat et al. 2018) and basking freshwater turtle species (Bogolin et al. 2021). We used UAV, DJI Tello, for surveying
densely packed Flamingos Group at Najafgarh Drain (Image 1). Aerial counting,
for example, was more precise and reliable than ground counting using aerial
photographs of penguin colonies (Fraser et al. 1999); geese (Boyd 2000), and
similar advantages have been shown for imagery obtained by drones (Hodgson et
al. 2016).
In this study, recent
technological advancements such as the UAV were used. This will be fruitful to
develop new field approaches for monitoring the population status and abundance
of Greater Flamingos in Haryana, India. The advanced UAV system unmanned aerial
vehicles, or drones, collect exceptionally high spatial resolution data with
temporal versatility (Anderson & Gaston 2013). Drones equipped with a
camera provide new opportunities for the study of population census and
distribution of species (Koh & Wich 2012).
Analysis of drone video data enabled us to review and pause on larger flocks,
making them easier to count and recognize, resulting in more accurate counts
(Dundas et al. 2021).
In the aerial photograph, each
individual is easily recognizable as shown in Image 2A. Furthermore, the aerial
picture made Greater Flamingo enumeration even simpler. Aerial imagery makes
counting the densely packed flocks easier as compared to visual ground count.
Flamingos were found to forage in various parts of the Najafgarh Drain,
particularly in the shallow water areas (Image 2A) whereas in the area of
Sultanpur Flats flamingos were found occasionally whenever the availability of
water is sufficient for these birds (Image 2C). When compared to traditional
ground counts, drone-derived counts are more precise (Dundas et al. 2021).
With the use of UAVs, the
accuracy of manual waterbird colony counts has
increased drastically. This eliminates visual interpretation bias and ensures
that data is similar throughout time. Drones, in particular, can help to census
the population of waterbirds and overcome the
difficulties of assessing areas that are difficult to reach on foot.
CONCLUSION
The present study was carried out
at three selected sites in Gurugram (Haryana) to find out the population of
Greater Flamingos. The Greater Flamingos were found to be residents at
Najafgarh Drain. There is a continuous decline observed in the population of
flamingos. At the Basai Wetland, there was a drastic
decline observed in the flamingo population and road construction along the
wetland was one of the major threats responsible for the decline in their
population. We used a UAV drone to census the population of Greater Flamingos.
At Najafgarh Jheel, drones proved to be an excellent
tool for surveying the Greater Flamingos population and were found to be more
accurate than ground counts. The findings in this study will be extremely
beneficial to undertake conservation efforts of the flamingos in this area.
Table 1. Greater Flamingos in the
various reservoirs of Gurugram censused from October 2018 to December 2020.
|
Location |
Coordinates |
Year |
Number of visits |
Mode of flamingos seen |
Mean ± SE |
1 |
Basai Wetland |
28.478 N 76.982 E |
2018 |
3 |
118 |
56 ± 34 |
2019 |
12 |
88 |
46 ± 8 |
|||
2020 |
9 |
69 |
19 ± 9 |
|||
2 |
Najafgarh Drain |
28.774 N 76.622 E |
2018 |
3 |
957 |
794 ± 100 |
2019 |
12 |
1350 |
969 ± 64 |
|||
2020 |
9 |
937 |
430 ± 123 |
|||
3 |
Sultanpur Flats |
28.468 N 76.892 E |
2018 |
3 |
170 |
61 ± 54 |
2019 |
12 |
51 |
13 ± 5 |
|||
2020 |
9 |
70 |
13 ± 8 |
*SE = Standard Error
For figure &
images - - click here
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