Avian composition and distribution in the bird sanctuary planning zone of Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9940.17.11.27889-27896Keywords:
Can Gio, waterbirds, avifauna, mangrove forestAbstract
Six field surveys were conducted from July 2024 to May 2025 in six sessions (three during dry and three during wet seasons) along 10 fixed transects (five in the core zone and five in the buffer zone) to assess the bird species composition and spatial distribution in the bird sanctuary planning zone of the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, after 47 years of restoration (1978–2025). A total of 57 bird species, representing 11 orders, 32 families, and 45 genera were recorded, including 18 waterbird species. Four species are listed as threatened and prioritized for conservation by the IUCN Red List: Porzana paykullii as Near Threatened, Vietnam Red List Book: Anhinga melanogaster and Mycteria leucocephala as Vulnerable, and Vietnamese law: Milvus migrans and Anhinga melanogaster as prioritized for conservation. The order Passeriformes was the most species-rich (21 species), while Pelecaniformes had the highest number of individual encounters (2,427). Overall, bird diversity in the area was relatively high (Shannon-Wiener index H’ = 2.60 ± 0.34), with a moderate level of dominance (Simpson D = 0.12 ± 0.06). Species abundance was uneven across seasons and transects, with higher diversity and abundance during the wet season, although the differences were not statistically significant. Only the transect L8 in the buffer zone showed statistically significant differences in diversity and abundance, representing a newly recorded breeding area dominated by waterbird species such as Nycticorax nycticorax, Egretta garzetta, Ardea intermedia, and Microcarbo niger. Compared to a 2019 study, the number of breeding species in the core zone declined to seven species with approximately 1,000 individuals, while a new breeding area in the buffer zone was identified with eight breeding species and approximately 1,500 individuals. Continuous monitoring and conservation efforts are necessary to sustain and manage avian biodiversity in this critical wetland ecosystem.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Huynh Duc Hieu, Huynh Duc Hoan, Bui Nguyen The Kiet, Dang Ngoc Hiep, Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh, Nguyen Dang Hoang Vu
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