Article 1: BIRD SPECIES (AVIFUANA) COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION IN PANDAM WILDLIFE PARK, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA (Vol. 1, Iss. 2; pp. 87-95 )

Uloko Johnson Ikaa and Yager Gabriel Ortyom

Text | Abstract | PDF

BIRD SPECIES (AVIFUANA) COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION IN PANDAM WILDLIFE PARK, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

           

Uloko Johnson Ikaa* and Yager Gabriel Ortyom

Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Benue State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author E-mail: juluko4u@yahoo.com, gbrlyager@gmail.com

 

 

A R T I C L E  I N F O

Article Type: Research

Received: 15, Oct. 2018.

Accepted: 21, Oct. 2018.

Published: 21, Oct. 2018.

 

 

 A B S T R A C T

The survey was carried out to provide an update on wild birds’ species in the Park. Ten (10) transect lines of 500metres each were established in the terrestrial ecological zone of the park at an interval of 50metres apart, and observation at swampy/ dykes along the edge of Pandam lake. Data were collected by carefully walking through the dykes and along the transect lines. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, non-paired t-test and independent t-test for the diversity between terrestrial and aquatic birds. A total of fifteen birds’ species of 13 families were encountered. The birds’ composition was more in the terrestrial 2,242 against 1,736 for aquatic area. Motocilla flava was dominant, while Tackus erthrorhynchus was the lowest at the terrestrial zone and Ardeola ibis was dominant and Ceryle rudis the least at the aquatic zone. The family Ploceidae was the highest and the least was corvidae. Birds were however, more in the dry season of the survey. The birds observed were mainly local resident species; Such as Actophilormis africana, Clamator Jacobimis, Centropus Senegalensis, just to mention a few. However, there was no significant difference in the number of species at both habitats. Conservation awareness and community participation is paramount.

 
Keywords:

Avifauna, species composition, terrestrial, aquatic

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