A Study on Avifaunal Composition in and around Hiremagaluru Lake, Chikkamagaluru Taluk, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Wetlands are the unique and most productive ecosystem of the world. They support a wide range of flora and fauna. The present study deals with the study of the Avifaunal diversity of Hiremagaluru Lake and adjoining area in Chikkamagaluru. The survey was carried for the period of one year i.e. from February 2024 to January 2025. During the study period sixty one species of birds, belonging to 16 orders and 29 families were recorded. This includes both local and migratory birds. Birds belonging to the order Passeriformes were found to be dominated by the representation of 20 species followed by Pelicaniformes (9 species), Accipitriformes (5 species) Coraciiformes and Columbiformes (4 species each), Suliformes and Gruiformes (3 species each), Charadriiformes, Cuculiformes, Ciconiiformes, Apodiformes ( 2 species each), and Strigiformes, Bucerotiformes, Galliformes Psittaciformes and Piciformes, and Psittaculidae with 1 species each. The study also revealed that the study sites harbour many resident as well as migratory birds. Two species like Black headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) and Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) were near threatened and have a protected status under the schedule IV of Indian Wild life Protection Act,1972.

Introduction

Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide important ecological, economic, and social benefits, including groundwater recharge, water purification, flood regulation, agriculture, fisheries, biodiversity conservation, and habitat for wildlife. They are particularly important for birds, serving as feeding, breeding, nesting, and roosting sites. Because birds respond quickly to environmental changes, they are widely regarded as bioindicators of wetland health. India supports over 1,300 bird species, of which nearly 23% depend on wetlands. Karnataka, with its diverse ecosystems ranging from the Western Ghats to wetlands and forests, hosts approximately 560 bird species, making it one of India's richest regions for avifaunal diversity.

Although several studies have documented bird diversity in Karnataka's wetlands, Hiremagaluru Lake in Chikkamagaluru has received little scientific attention. Therefore, this study aimed to prepare a comprehensive checklist of bird species inhabiting the lake and evaluate their diversity, residential status, feeding guilds, and conservation status.

The study was conducted at Hiremagaluru Lake, located about 3.5 km south of Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka. The lake covers 98.74 hectares, including a 26.70-hectare water spread area, with a catchment area of 8.20 km². Bird surveys were carried out twice each month from February 2024 to January 2025 during peak activity periods (6:30–10:00 AM and 4:00–6:00 PM). Birds were observed using binoculars and a digital camera, identified using standard field guides, and classified according to IUCN conservation status and feeding guilds. Population monitoring employed point count and line transect methods, while Microsoft Excel and GraphPad were used for data analysis and visualization.

The survey recorded 61 bird species belonging to 29 families and 16 orders. Passeriformes was the most dominant order with 20 species, reflecting the adaptability of passerine birds to agricultural and fragmented habitats where they exploit diverse food resources. Other well-represented orders included Pelicaniformes (9 species), Accipitriformes (5 species), Coraciiformes and Columbiformes (4 species each), followed by several other aquatic and terrestrial bird orders.

Among the bird families, Ardeidae (herons and egrets) was the most dominant, comprising 8 species (27.58%), followed by Accipitridae (5 species) and Columbidae and Motacillidae (4 species each). The dominance of Ardeidae reflects the abundance of wetlands, agricultural fields, and open habitats that provide rich food resources such as fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates, as well as suitable nesting and roosting sites.

Analysis of residential status showed that the avifauna was largely composed of resident birds, with 48 species (78.68%), followed by 8 local migratory species (13.11%) and 5 winter visitors (8.19%). This indicates that Hiremagaluru Lake provides a stable habitat capable of supporting bird populations throughout the year while also serving as a seasonal refuge for migratory species.

Based on feeding habits, carnivorous birds formed the largest feeding guild with 28 species (45.94%), followed by omnivores (20 species, 32.78%), insectivores (8 species, 13.11%), and herbivores (5 species, 8.19%). The predominance of carnivorous species reflects the lake's rich aquatic ecosystem, which supplies abundant fish, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles, and other prey items. Omnivorous birds utilized both animal and plant food resources, while insectivorous species fed mainly on aquatic insects, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and insect larvae.

Assessment of conservation status using the IUCN Red List showed that 59 species (96.72%) were classified as Least Concern (LC), while 2 species (3.27%)—the Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) and the Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)—were categorized as Near Threatened (NT) due to declining populations caused by wetland degradation, habitat disturbance, and hunting.

Conclusion

The present study of Avifaunal composition in and around Hiremagaluru Lake, in Chikkamagaluru, District highlights the ecological importance of the avifauna in the study area. In spite of mere anthropogenic pressure due to immense agricultural practices, and extensive deforestation, the study recorded 61 bird species. The highest diversity of Passeriformes and the presence of wetland birds in the study area reveal the area’s diverse habitats, supporting both resident and migratory species. The presence of \'Near Threatened\' species according to the IUCN Red list, offers the preference for conservation of such neglected ecosystems.

References

[1] H. R. Abhilash and C. Sylvester, “Avian species richness and feeding guild patterns in urban lakes of Mysore, Southern India,” Indian Journal of Ecology, vol. 52, 2026. [2] S. Ali and S. D. Ripley, Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan, 2nd ed. Bombay, India: University Press, 1995. [3] S. Ahmad, G. Yousuf, and S. Majagi, “Diversity and ecology of avifauna in some selected lakes of Tumakuru City, Karnataka, India,” Journal of Experimental Zoology India, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 2297–2309, 2024. [4] G. Asha, B. P. Deepthi, and K. N. Achyuth, “Evaluation of water quality and sustainable management strategies for Varthur Lake, Bengaluru,” International Journal of Innovation Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 345–354, 2025. [5] C. J. Bibby, N. D. Burgess, D. A. Hill, and S. Mustoe, Bird Census Techniques, 2nd ed. London, U.K.: Academic Press, 2000. [6] Bird Life International, “Species factsheet/data entry,” 2023. [Online]. Available: [https://www.birdlife.org](https://www.birdlife.org) [7] A. Biswas et al., “Investigating avian fauna diversity and exploring their possible threats in and around wet-landscape of Rudrasagar Lake: An Indian Ramsar site,” Wetlands Ecology and Management, vol. 33, no. 2, art. 22, 2025. [8] R. Grimmett and T. Inskipp, Birds of Southern India. New Delhi, India: Om Books International, 2013. [9] M. N. Harisha and B. B. Hosetti, “Status and conservation issues of wetland birds in Komaranahalli Lake, Davanagere District, Karnataka, India,” Journal of Threatened Taxa, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 11290–11294, 2018. [10] M. N. Harisha, K. A. Samad, and B. B. Hosetti, “Conservation status, feeding guilds, and diversity of birds in Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Karnataka, India,” Journal of Threatened Taxa, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 18738–18751, 2021. [11] IUCN, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Version 2013.1), 2013. [Online]. Available: [https://www.iucnredlist.org](https://www.iucnredlist.org) [12] J. Jason, “Habitat selection studies in avian ecology: A critical review,” The Auk, vol. 118, no. 2, pp. 557–562, 2001. [13] H. Jamakhandi and G. G. Kadadevaru, “Avifaunal diversity and feeding guild structure in and around Unkal Lake: A semiarid urban wetland in Karnataka, India,” Indian Journal of Ecology, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 453–467, 2024. [14] P. S. Joshi, “An annotated checklist of aquatic avifauna of Rajura, Godada and Dhanora lakes of Buldhana district (M.S.), India,” Science Research Reporter, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 30–33, 2012. [15] R. Manakadan and A. Pittie, “Standardized English and common names of the birds of the Indian subcontinent,” Newsletter for Bird Watchers, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 1–36, 2002. [16] H. D. Neelgund and G. Kadadevaru, “Avifaunal diversity of some selected water bodies of Khanapur Taluka, Belagavi District, Karnataka, India,” Journal of Threatened Taxa, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 15572–15586, 2020. [17] J. Praveen, R. Jayapal, and A. Pittie, “A checklist of the birds of India,” Indian BIRDS, vol. 11, no. 5–6, pp. 113–172, 2016. [18] S. D. Puri and R. S. Virani, “Avifaunal diversity from Khairbandha Lake in Gondia District, Maharashtra State, India,” Bioscience Discovery, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 140–146, 2016. [19] S. Rajashekara and M. G. Venkatesha, “Community composition of aquatic birds in lakes of Bangalore, India,” Journal of Environmental Biology, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 77–83, 2011. [20] C. Srinivasulu and S. Reddy, “A checklist of avifauna of Telangana, India,” Journal of Threatened Taxa, vol. 17, no. 7, pp. 27249–27282, 2025. [21] R. E. Stewart, “Technical aspects of wetlands: Wetlands as bird habitats,” in National Water Summary on Wetland Resources, U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 2425, 200 [22] M. W. Weller,Wetland Birds: Habitat Resources and Conservation Implications. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Annapoorneshwari H, Parimala B. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.