STATUS AND DIVERSITY OF COASTAL AVIAN FAUNA IN GWADAR PENINSULA, BALOCHISTAN

Abstract

The 1050 km long coastline of Pakistan, extends from Sir Creek in the southeast of Indus delta to Gwadar Bay in the west. This article is based on diversity, habitat, status and distribution of different species of coastal birds present in the Gwadar coast. Observation of birds was done during winter season at four different sites. The habitat is important for different coastal birds like terns, gulls, pelicans and waders including resident and migratory species. A total of 55 species were recorded from the entire area. The species richness was higher at two sites. The birds were seen in higher numbers at uninhabited points compared to those near the populated area or the port. Shannon diversity index for bird community was calculated for four sites namely Shabi Estuary, Gwadar East Bay, Gwadar West Bay and Gurab, where the diversity was found to be 2.82, 2.27, 2.33 and 2.40 respectively.
Birds of Common Sandpiper (Actitishy poleucos), Common Teal (Anas crecca), Wigeon (Anas Penelope), Shoveller (Anas clypeata), Pochard (Aythya ferina), Common Coot (Fulica atra), Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola), Kentish Plover (Charadrius alexandriunus), Dusk Red Shank (Tringa erythropus) and Great White Pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) have been recorded in large numbers during the study period. Some vulnerable species for e.g. Pochard (Aythya ferina) and endangered species for e.g. Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus), and two near threatened species Oyster catcher (Haematus ostralegus) and Dalmation Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) were also recorded. The major threats to the ecosystem are habitat degradation due to port construction, urbanization, hunting, poaching and other anthropogenic activities.