Composition of avian communities in Ranjit Sagar Conservation Reserve, Punjab, India

: The Ranjit Sagar wetland, a critical aquatic ecosystem supporting diverse flora and fauna, has been the subject of investigation from January 2013 to January 2015. The study revealed the presence of 167 avian species across 19 orders and 52 families. Notably, areas with minimal disturbance within the wetland serve as key niches for a substantial avian population, encompassing 47.31% migrant and 52.69% resident species. Significantly, 10 Near Threatened species, alongside the Vulnerable Common Pochard Aythya ferina and the Endangered Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus , underscore the wetland’s conservation value. Dominated by order Passeriformes (55 species), followed by Charadriiformes (29 species), and Anseriformes (20 species), the avian community exhibits varied feeding guilds, with insectivores (37.13%), omnivores (18.56%), aquatic animal feeders (16.16%), carnivores (14.97%), frugivores (5.39%), granivores (4.79%), and herbivores (3%) comprising its composition. This study elucidates the intricate avian ecosystem’s dynamics in Ranjit Sagar wetland, emphasizing its conservation significance and ecological structure, thereby contributing valuable insights for preservation and future research.


INTRODUCTION
Wetlands serve as a crucial transitional zone bridging terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, characterized by a shallow water table or the presence of shallow water covering the land's surface.They play a pivotal role in providing habitat for diverse biota and offer a range of ecological services (Coppes et al. 2018;Kakati et al. 2021;Wu et al. 2021).India, in particular, boasts an impressive avian diversity, with 1,353 documented bird species, of which approximately 310 are known to be dependent on wetlands (Kumar et al. 2005;Praveen & Jayapal 2023).Wetlands hold special significance for birds, serving as essential sites for roosting, foraging, drinking, resting, shelter, and social interactions (Singh & Banyal 2013;Kumar & Sharma 2019;Yao et al. 2020;Casazza et al. 2021;Joshi et al. 2021;Teng et al. 2021).
Birds are reliable indicators of water quality and wetland health (Yao et al. 2020;Anand et al. 2023).In wetland ecosystems, birds can be broadly classified into two categories: wetland specialists, which exclusively nest, feed, and roost in wetlands and are entirely reliant on aquatic habitats, and generalists, which frequent wetlands but also inhabit other environments.The development of an avifaunal baseline checklist specific to this habitat plays a pivotal role in shaping site and species-specific conservation strategies, applicable to both protected and unprotected areas, as supported by previous research (Bibby 1998;Anand et al. 2023;Byju et al. 2023a,b).Birds offer a valuable avenue for assessing biodiversity, often indicative of a healthy ecology through their diverse populations.Enumeration of avian diversity also contributes to our understanding of the status of endangered or threatened species.Furthermore, it holds educational value, fostering greater regional species and ecosystem appreciation, while encouraging community participation in conservation initiatives.Multiple researchers have conducted extensive studies on bird diversity in Punjab's wetlands, yielding noteworthy findings (Ali et al. 1981;Robson 1996;Kazmierczak et al. 1998;Robson 1999;Sawant & Sudhagar 2013;Prasad 2008a,b;Singh & Brraich 2021).This comprehensive study serves to elucidate the importance of wetlands and their relevance in shaping effective conservation strategies.

Study area
The Ranjit Sagar wetland came into existence in 2004 with the construction of a barrage on the river Ravi of the Indus River system a freshwater wetland (32.442°N and 75.725°E, at the altitudes of 540 m) located near Pathankot City, Punjab (Figure 1).This wetland falls into three states, i.e., Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, and is spread over an area of 87.60 km 2 with a catchment area spread over 6,086 km 2 .In and around this wetland, several habitats, including marshy parts, shallow areas, riparian vegetation, deep areas, islands, large trees (for the roosting of birds), fallow fields near the banks (for the breeding purposes) have developed over the time, generally preferred by migratory birds.It also provides food for different birds in the form of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, insects, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and weeds.

Methods
Field surveys were conducted from January 2013 to January 2015, utilizing visual counting methods following Gaston's (1975) methodology for bird observation.To ensure comprehensive coverage of the wetland area, about 12 vantage points were established.Data collection was conducted year-round, with observations made on five days each month, both in the morning (0700-1000 h) and evening (1600-1830 h).Species identification was based on references from bird identification guides, including works by Ali & Ripley (1983), Grimmett &Inskipp (2010), andGrimmett et al. (2012).Bird species were categorized into three groups: annual, winter, and summer birds, following Mavi & Tiwana's (1993) classification system.The checklist was meticulously compiled using standardized common and scientific names, adhering to guidelines by Clements et al. (2022) and Praveen & Jayapal (2023).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
In the present study, which focused on avian diversity at Ranjit Sagar Wetland, a total of 167 species were observed.The majority, accounting for 157 species, fall within the IUCN's Least Concern category, while the remaining 10 species are classified as threatened.Concerning dietary preferences, the observed species display diverse feeding habits.The majority, comprising 37.13% (62 species), are insectivorous, followed by 18.56% (31 species) categorized as omnivorous, 16.16% (27 species) primarily feeding on aquatic animals, and 14.97% (25 species) displaying carnivorous tendencies.Additionally, 5.39% of species are frugivorous (9 species), while 4.79% are granivorous (8 species).
Herbivorous birds constitute only 3% (5 species) of the observed population, as detailed in Table 1.
The Ranjit Sagar Wetland, characterized by its extensive open spaces in comparison to other wetlands in the region, provides an ideal habitat for waterfowls and aquatic birds.Furthermore, the presence of 44 fish species within this wetland area may attract piscivorous birds classified as Aquatic animal feeders.Adjacent agricultural lands offer ample opportunities to attract herbivorous migratory birds, including the Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus and Greylag Goose Anser anser.Nevertheless, the study underscores the negative impact of anthropogenic activities such as mining, poaching, and sewage discharge on wetland health.To mitigate these concerns and enhance the future attraction of migratory birds, it is recommended to implement conservation efforts that include conservation efforts, including habitat restoration, bans on sand mining and   poaching activities, as well as the regulation of land reclamation and fishing practices, as detailed in the work by Brraich & Saini (2019).The intricate relationship between wetlands and avian populations is influenced by various physical and biological attributes of wetland environments.Birds rely on wetlands for their daily and seasonal needs, including food and other lifesustaining activities.Therefore, effective conservation and management measures are essential to attract migratory birds to wetland areas.A comprehensive examination of wetland ecosystems and migratory bird populations is necessary to better understand their interaction.Public awareness regarding the vital role of wetlands in supporting migratory birds is crucial, and support for restoration and maintenance initiatives aimed at safeguarding these vital habitats is highly encouraged.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Ranjit Sagar Wetland on the map.