Assessment of raptor species relative abundance in Hadejia Nguru Wetlands, Nigeria

Bashir Babura Sabo; Salisu Mohammed; Sule Ibrahim Danladi

doi:10.54117/gjpas.v1i2.37

Authors

Bashir Babura Sabo Department of Forestry Technology, Binyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia, Nigeria
Salisu Mohammed Department of Geography, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
Sule Ibrahim Danladi Department of Geography, Federal University Dutsin Ma, Nigeria.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54117/gjpas.v1i2.37

Keywords:

Relative abundance, Protected area, Unprotected area, raptors, wetlands

Abstract

Birds of prey are some of the most threatened vertebrate taxa, and in the last three decades many species have experienced severe population declines or faced extinction. The global loss of raptors per se is worrying, not just because of their charisma and flagship role, but also because reduced abundance of raptors can have cascading effects on ecosystem functioning. Raptor decline may also lead to loss of ecosystem services, sometimes acutely impacting human well-being. Therefore, population distribution, diversity and abundance of birds of prey demand investigation for potential conservation interventions. The study aimed to determine the abundance of birds of prey in Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, carried out in March to August, 2021, with a view to providing information in a bid to establish a baseline for conservation for this group of birds. Transect line method was used for the bird survey. This involved moving slowly along the transect line and recording all birds seen in and around the transect line. The survey was carried out for a period of six (6) months and each site was surveyed twice every month during the study period. Bird observation was carried out twice daily; morning between 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. and evening between 3pm to 6p.m. A pair of binoculars with magnification 7X50 was used for identification of birds visually alongside with field guide “Birds of West Africa” for identification of birds. Relative abundance and t-test were used for data analysis. The total number of birds was calculated as the number of birds seen. Transect line survey method detected a total of 1,562 individual birds of prey that belong to twenty four (24) species of 2 families. Accipitridae with 20 species and Falconidae with 4 species. The most abundant species, Yellow billed kite, black shouldered kite and gabar goshawk comprised 68.5% of all individuals seen in all wetlands in all seasons. Out of the 24 species recorded 16 are resident, 5 Palearctic migrant and 3 intra-African migrant. Four species of global conservation concern were also recorded; the Vulnerable Tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) the near threatened Red-necked falcon (Falco chicquera) and Pallid harrier (Circus macrourus) and the endangered Martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus ). Public awareness should be raised to inform the local populace about the importance of these species to the environment vis-à-vis protecting the man-made structures used by the bird species.

Author Biographies

Salisu Mohammed, Department of Geography, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.

Proffessor Salisu Mohammed

Proffessor of Biogeography

Depaertment of Geography

Bayero University, Kano

Nigeria

Sule Ibrahim Danladi, Department of Geography, Federal University Dutsin Ma, Nigeria.

Dr. Ibrahim Danladi Sule

Lecturer

Department of Geography

Federal University

Dutsin Ma

References

Arjun, A. and Daniel, C. (2017). Quantifying the Decline of the Martial Eagle Polemaetus bellicosus in South Africa. Bird Conservation International, 1-12.

Aynalem, S. and Bekele, A. (2008). Species Composition, Relative Abundance and Distribution of Bird Fauna of Riverine and Wetland Habitats of Infranz and Yiganda at Southern Tip of Lake Tana, Ethiopia. Tropical Ecology 49(2):199-209.

Bibby, C. J., Burgess, N., Mustoe, S.H. and Hill, D.A. (2000). Bird Census Techniques. London Academic Press.

BirdLife International (2018). State of the World’s Birds: Taking the Pulse of the Planet. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.

Birdlife International, (2006): Birdlife international 2005 Birdlife’s on line World Bird Database: Birdlife IBA Fact sheet. Version 2.0. Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International. Available: http://www.birdlife.org (accessed 27/6/2022).

Borrow, N. and Demey, R. (2014). Field Guide to the Birds of Western Africa. Princeton University Press, United State.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2022). Birds of Prey. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/bird-of-prey.

Buechley, E.R. (2019). Global Raptor Research and Conservation Priorities: Tropical Raptors Fall Prey to Knowledge Gaps. Divers. Distrib. 25: 856–869.

Ceballos, P. R., Ehrlich, P. H. and Raven, C. (2020). Vertebrates on the Brink as Indicators of Biological Annihilation and the sixth Mass Extinction. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117: 13596–13602.

Chiatante, G. and Panuccio, M. (2021). Environmental Factors Affecting the Wintering Raptor Community in Armenia, Southern Caucasus. Community Ecology 22: 79–92

Cresswell, W., Boyd, M. and Stevens, M. (2009). Movements of Palearctic and Afrotropical Bird Species During the Dry Season (November–February) within Nigeria. pp. 18–28. In: Harebottle, D.M., Craig, A.J.F.K., Anderson, M.D., Rakotomanana, H. & Muchai. (eds). Proceedings of the 12th Pan African Ornithological Congress, 2008. Cape Town, Animal Demography Unit.

Demeke, A., Tamene, S., Kifle, E., and Mengesha, G. (2019). Diversity and Relative Abundance of Birds in Loka Abaya National Park, Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 11(8): 230-240.

Donazar, J. A., Hiraldo, F. and Bustamante, J. (2016). Roles of Raptors in a Changing World: From Flagships to Providers of Key Ecosystem Services. Ardeola, 63: 181–234.

Fuller, R. J. (2010). Responses of Woodland Birds to Increasing Numbers of Deer: A Review of Evidence and Mechanisms. Forestry 74: 289-298.

Khobe, D. and Kwaga, B. T. (2017). Checklist of Birds Species of Jos Wildlife Park, Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture. 2(4): 216-229.

Koh, L. P., Sodhi, N. S. and Brook, B. W, (2004). Prediction Extinction Proneness of Tropical Butterflies. Conservation Biology, 18: 1571—1578.

Kruger, O. and Radford, N. (2014). Doomed to Die? Predicting Extinction Risk in the True Hawks Accipitridae.Animal Conservation 11: 83-91.

Kwaga, B.T., Iliya, D., Ali, A. and Khobe, D. (2017).Avifauna Abundance and Diversity in Jos Wildlife Park, Nigeria (2017). International Journal of Agricultural science and Technology. Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, Stara Zogara, Bulgaria. 9(3): 234-239.

Manasvini, P.S. (2013). Urban Avifaunal Diversity: An Indicator of Anthropogenic Pressures in Southern Ridge of Delhi. Advances in Bioresearch, 4(2):135-144.

McCain, C.M. (2009). Global analysis of Bird Elevational Diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 18: 346–360.

McClure, C.J. (2018). State of the World’s Raptors: Distributions, Threats, and Conservation Recommendations. Biol. Conserv. 227: 390–402.

Mengesha, G. and Bekele, A. (2008). Diversity and Relative Abundance of Birds of Alatish National Park, North Gondar, Ethiopia. Intl J Ecol Environ Sci 34 (2): 215-222.

Mengesha, G., Mamo, Y. and Bekele, A.(2011). A Comparison of Terrestrial Bird Community Structure in the Undisturbed and Disturbed areas of the Abijata Shalla lakes National Park, Ethiopia. International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation 3(9): 389-404.

Nabaneeta, A. and Gupta, A. (2010).Avian Community Analysis in Fragmented Landscapes of Cachar District, Assam. Assam University Journal of Science and Technology 5(1): 75-84.

Odewumi, O.S., Adekola, O.E. and Aladesiun, O.A. (2020). Diversity and Abundance of Birds of Prey in Akure Metropolis, Ondo State, Nigeria, Journal of Forest Science and Environment. 5: 1 – 10.

Peterson, A.T., Soberon, J., Pearson, R.G., Anderson, R.P., Martinez- Meyer, E., Nakamura, M. and Araujo, M.B. (2011). Ecological Niches and Geographic Distributions. Princeton and Oxford: University Press.

Pomeroy, D.E. (1975). Birds as Scavengers of Refuse in Uganda. Ibis, 117 (1): 0019-1019.

Rodriguez, R.A., Herrera, A.M., Riera, R., Santander, J., Miranda, J.V., Quiros, A., Fernandez-Rodriguez, M.J., Fernandez-Palacios, J.M., Otto, R., Escudero, C.G., Jimenez-Rodriguez, A., Navarro-Cerrillo, R.M., Perdomo, M.E. and Delgado, J.D. (2015). Distribution of Species Diversity Values: A Link Between Classical and Quantum Mechanics in Ecology. Ecol. Model. 313: 162–180.

Ssemmanda, R. and Pomeroy, D. (2010). Scavenging Birds in Kampala: 1973–2009. Scopus 30: 26–31.

Thiollay, J.M. (2006). The Decline of Raptors in West Africa: Long-Term Assessment and the Role of Protected Areas. Ibis (London 1859) 148: 240–254.

Thiollay, J.M. (2007). Raptor Declines in West Africa: Comparisons between Protected, Buffer and Cultivated Areas. Oryx 41: 1–8.

Virani, M., Kendall, C., Njoroge, P. and Thomsett, S. (2011). Major Declines in the Abundance of Vultures and other Scavenging Raptors in and around the Masai Mara Ecosystem, Kenya. Biol.Conserv., 144: 746—752.

Welsh, D.A. (1987). Birds as Indicators of Forest Stand Condition in Bored Forest of Eastern Canada. In: Diamond AW and Filion FL. The value of Birds.International council for Bird preservation. Cambridge, England, 259-266.

Yallop, M.L., Connell, M.J. and Bullock, R. (2003). Waterbirds Herbivory on a Newly Created Wetland Complex: Potential Implication for Site Management and Habitat Creation. Wetland Ecol. Manage., 12: 395-40.

Zakaria, M., Rajpar, M.N. and. Sajap, S.A. (2009). Species Diversity and Feeding Guilds of Birds in Paya Indah Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia. Intl. J. Zoological Res., 5 (3): 86–100.