An Investigation on the Birds and Their Habitat Requirements in a Tropical Rainforest of Western Ghats, India

The study addressed how altitude affected the distribution of birds. Three variants of the evergreen forest at an altitude of 900 to 2200 m two variants of the montane wet temperate (shola) forests between 2000 and 2200 m and the broad-leaved hill forests (BLHF) located between 1500 -1700 m were the habitat types. Study resulted in 5253 birds of 108 species, including 14 endemic species. Bird community structure of various habitats in corresponding altitudes varied significantly in terms of composition, abundance and diversity. The maximum species (59.2%) and individuals (27.2%) were in evergreen forest habitat and minimum in BLHF (22.8 % and 5.73% respectively). Shola habitats located at higher altitudes in the study area possessed higher species richness than mid-elevation broad-leaved hill forest, which occurs within the altitudinal range of 1500- 1700 m. The significant difference in tree species richness of BLHF with adjacent EG and SHOLA habitats partly explain the reduction in number of bird species in this transitional zone. The study showed increased abundance of birds at mid-elevation evergreen habitats and the highest shola habitats with a unique dip at the intermediate broad-leaved hill forests. Apart from the new understanding on the nuances of vegetation-bird community interaction, the study has brought into focus the importance of maintaining and enriching the vegetation complexity as a major objective of the overall Park Management plan