Avian diversity in agricultural habitats of Punjab state

Avian diversity surveys in relation to agricultural habitat stratification have added 24 species of birds belonging to 5 orders, 14 families and 21 genera to the existing ‘Checklist of Birds’ of Punjab State; 14, 5, 17 and 15 bird species were recorded in various habitat types i.e. Type A (Agricultural Habitat); Type B (Residential area - Urban/Rural); Type C (Aquatic Habitat/ponds/canal/river/wetland) and Type D (Uncultivated area/forest/barren land), respectively. Some of these species were observed having overlapping habitat types. Out of these 24 bird species, 10 were resident species, 5 resident migrant and 9 migrant species. Three species were found in critical endangered category; one vulnerable (Sarus Crane Grus antigone) and two near threatened (Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and Greater Grey-headed Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus) species. Consolidated checklist of 213 species of birds has been compiled in relation to different habitats under the agroecosystem.