Avian Diversity, Abundance and Habitat Suitability Index for Threatened Species in Selected Areas of Northern Pakistan

ABSTRACT Land use type changes the carrying capacity of habitats to support species diversity and maintain viable population. Avian studies provide substantial information about these changes as birds are predictor of ecological disturbances. The current research explored the avian diversity, richness, abundance and their feeding habit in selected habitats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB). Data were collected from May 2017 to October 2017 using point count technique. Thirty points were selected from each habitat. A total of 175 species and 24,933 individuals belonging to 16 orders and 55 families were recorded. Human settlements had the highest species richness (106) while Dry Temperate habitat had the highest value of species diversity (H'=3.71). The most abundant species were Common Myna Acridotheres tristis (RA=8.599), Carrion Crow Corvus corone (7.486), Large-billed Crow Corvus macrorhynchos (6.240). Two threatened bird species Steppe Eagle Aquila nipalensis and Western Tragopan Tragopan melanocephalus were observed. Habitat suitability index (HSI) of former species was maximum in rangelands (0.82) even though it was also observed in six habitats. Furthermore, Western Tragopan was found only in moist temperate habitat with HSI 0.70. The current study revealed that suitable habitat of these species is shrinking mainly due to habitat loss, its fragmentation and hunting pressure. Species prefer habitat with specific characteristics and this paper provides recommendations for the conservation and management of Steppe Eagle and Western Tragopan. Primary and secondary data based further studies are needed to manage the population of threatened species.