DIVERSITY, DISTRIBUTION AND CONSERVATION

OF AVIAN SPECIES IN AND AROUND CENTRAL

KARAKORUM NATIONAL PARK, GILGIT-
BALTISTAN, PAKISTAN

THESIS SUBMITTED

FOR PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE

THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ZOOLOGY

(WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES)

BY

SAEED ABBAS

DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF KARACHI, KARACHI-75270,
PAKISTAN
2017

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CERTIFICATE

To Whom It May Concern

It is certified that this thesis titled, “Diversity, Distribution and Conservation of Avian
Species in and around Central Karakorum National Park, Pakistan”, submitted to the
Board of Advance Studies and Research, University of Karachi by Saeed Abbas, satisfies the
requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) in Zoology
(Wildlife and Fisheries).

______________________
Research Supervisor

_______________________
External Examiner

_______________________
Chairman

_______________________
Dean Faculty of Science,
Univeristy of Karacih,
Karachi-Paksitan.

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 DEDICATION

This Thesis is Dedicated to My Loving and Devoted Parents (Mr. Ghulam Nabi and Ms.
Nahida Khatoon), My Son Mr. Adeeb Abbas and my Wife Ms. Asifa Abbas, my father
in law (Aman Ali Shah (Late) and all Members of My Family and inlaws.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to the Almighty, Allah, whose blessings have
made me to do this piece of research. I would say that this study of mine, far from exclusively
being a personal effort, is the result of the supervision and support of several individuals and
organizations. I am most grateful to Dr. Rahila Tabassum, my Research Supervisor at the
Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Dr. Babar Khan, Head WWF-Pakistan,
Gilgit-Baltistan region and Dr. Muhammad Zafar Khan, Assistant Professor at Karakorum
International University, Gilgit-Baltistan for mentoring and for their comprehensions and
assistance, even at the short notices.

I am also very grateful to Dr. Muhammad Arshad Azmi, Chairman, Department of Zoology,
University, Karachi for allowing me to carry out my research work in the northern most
fringes of Pakistan.

I would like to specifically thank the Social Economic and Environmental Development
(SEED) project of WWF-Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan for technically, logistically and
financially assisting me in my research field work. My sincere gratitude also goes to Mr.
Imran Shah, a renowned bird photographer of Gilgit-Baltistan and Ghulam Rasool Mughal
for allowing me to use images of birds taken from my study area for my thesis. Thanks are
also due to Community-based organizations (CBOs) in almost all valleys around CKNP for
guiding in the field and sharing the indigenous knowledge about avian diversity of the study
area.

Additionally, I am extremely grateful to Dr. Sarfraz for boosting my courage, Mr. Garee
Khan (Ph. D. Scholar) for his assistance in preparing Geographical Information System based
images for avian diversity, abundance and distribution in the study area and Mr. Shahid
Hussain Sikandari (Ph. D. Scholar) for his valuable suggestions in the statistical analysis of
the data and for accompanying me even till late hours throughout my thesis write up.

I would also like to recognize the efforts of all the panelists at seminars for broadening my
knowledge and making me to learn and excel. I would also like to thank Mr. Muhammad
Asif, M. Sc, for his for accompanying me throughout my thesis write up. I sincerely thank my
colleagues Mr. Abbas Ali Kaseer, Mr. Fazal Karim, Mr. Yawar Abbas, Mr. Ejaz Hussain,
Mr. Farasat Ali and others, who shared many laughs while during field trips. Last but not the

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least, I would like to thank my family for their unconditional love, prayers, cheerfulness, and
support and I would say that, without them, life would be much more challenging.

SAEED ABBAS
KARACHI, 2017

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ACRONYMS
BLI Birdlife International
GB Gilgit-Baltistan
CBO Community-Based Organisation
CMCA Community-managed Conservation Area
CCHA Community Control Hunting Area
KNP Khunjerab National Park
CKNP Central Karakoram National Park
DNP Deosai National Park
KPK Khyber Pakhtun Khaw
NAs Northern Areas
WWF-P World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan
IUCN The World Conservation Union
CITIES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and
flora
CMS Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species
PAs Protected Areas
KKH Karakorum High Way
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
HSNP Handrap Shandur National Park
QNP Qurumber National Park
RCPM Rakaposhi Community Park Management
Ho Null Hypothesis
H1 Alternate Hypothesis
HWC Human Wildlife Conflict
Ex Extinct
Ew Extinct in Wild
CR Critically endangered
E Endangered
Vu Vulnerable
NT Near Threatened
LC Least Concern
DD Data Deficient
NE Not Evaluated
SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences
ANOVA Analysis of variance

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H’ Shannon-Weiner Index
E Evenness
1-D Simpson Diversity Index
SV Summer Visitor
WV Winter Visitor
R/SV Resident with summer influx
R/WV Resident with winter influx
R Resident
Ra Rare
UC Uncommon
C Common
VC Very Common
HKH Himalaya-Karakorum-Hindu Kush

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Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................................... xiv
CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1
1 Background Information ............................................................................................................. 1
1.1.1 Avian Diversity ............................................................................................................... 1
1.1.2 Avian Species Composition and Geographical Distribution.......................................... 2
1.1.3 Natural Bird Refugees “The High-Altitude Wetlands” ................................................. 3
1.1.4 Avian Migration .............................................................................................................. 3
1.1.5 Threats and Conservation of Avian species ................................................................... 7
1.1.6 Protected Areas ............................................................................................................. 11
1.2 Problem Statement and Justification ...................................................................................... 13
1.3 Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 15
1.3.1 General objective .......................................................................................................... 15
1.3.2 Specific objectives ......................................................................................................... 15
1.3.3 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER 2 ...................................................................................................................................... 17
LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 3 ...................................................................................................................................... 32
MATERIAL AND METHODS .............................................................................................................. 32
3.1 Description of the study area .................................................................................................. 32
3.1.1 Central Karakorum National Park .............................................................................. 32
3.1.3 Vegetation and Ecological Zones of Gilgit-Baltistan.................................................... 34
3.1.3.4 Dry Temperate Coniferous Forest ............................................................................... 35
3.1.3.5 Dry Temperate Evergreen Oak Scrub ......................................................................... 35
3.2 Research Methods ................................................................................................................. 35
3.2.1 Study design .................................................................................................................. 35
3.3 Data Collection...................................................................................................................... 35
3.3 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 45
3.3.1 Systematic Species richness and abundance ........................................................................ 45
3.3.2 Statistical analyses ........................................................................................................ 45
3.3.3 Diversity index .............................................................................................................. 45
CHAPTER 4 ...................................................................................................................................... 46
RESULTS .......................................................................................................................................... 46
4.1 Bird Diversity and Abundance ............................................................................................... 46
4.2 Distribution of Birds Species within and Around CKNP ........................................................ 47

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 4.2.1 Distribution with Respect to Habitat Types ................................................................. 47
4.2.2 Distribution with Respect to Locations/Districts ......................................................... 53
4.3 Status of Birds in the study area ............................................................................................. 57
4.3.1 Residential status of the Avian Species......................................................................... 57
4.3.1 Relative Abundance ...................................................................................................... 58
4.3.3 IUCN Red List Status ................................................................................................... 58
4.5 Important bird areas in the study area..................................................................................... 59
4.6 Important species of Conservation Interest in and around the CKNP ...................................... 60
4.6.1 Critically Endangered ................................................................................................... 61
4.6.2 Vulnerable ..................................................................................................................... 61
4.6.3 Near Threatened ........................................................................................................... 61
4.6.4 Rare Species .................................................................................................................. 61
4.6.5 Introduced Species ........................................................................................................ 61
4.7 Systematic Checklist of Birds in and around CKNP ............................................................... 62
CHAPTER 5 ...................................................................................................................................... 72
DISCUSSION .................................................................................................................................... 72
5.1 Bird Diversity, Abundance and Distribution in and around CKNP ......................................... 72
5.2 Distribution of birds with respect to habitat Types in and around CKNP ................................ 74
4.4 Correlation between Avian Species Abundance and Habitat Types ........................................ 78
5.4 Species Diversity index and evenness of birds’communities in and around CKNP ................. 83
5.5 Over view of biodiversity Conservation and Avian Diversity in CKNP .................................. 84
CHAPTER 6 ...................................................................................................................................... 86
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................... 86
6.1 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 86
6.2 Main Threats to the Birdlife Diversity in and around CKNP................................................... 87
6.2.1. Exploitation of vegetation .......................................................................................... 87
6.3 Recommendation ................................................................................................................... 89
6.3.1 Short-term measures..................................................................................................... 89
6.3.2 Long-term measures ..................................................................................................... 90
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................... 93
APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................. 105

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 Land cover Map of Study Area ...................................................................................... 33

Figure 2 Map of Study Area Showing Observation Point and Distribution of Avian Species .... 44
Figure 3 Order-wise Number of Species in and around CKNP ................................................... 46
Figure 4 Order-wise Number of Individuals in and around CKNP ............................................ 47
Figure 5 Habitat Type-wise Distribution of Avian Species in and around the CKNP ................ 47
Figure 6 Habitat-wise Distribution of Avian individuals in and around the CKNP ................... 48
Figure 7 Location Wise Comparison of Avian Species Abundance in Farmland and Settlements
(±SE) .............................................................................................................................................. 49
Figure 8 Location Wise Comparison of Abundance of Avian Individuals in Farmlands and
Settlements (±SE) .......................................................................................................................... 49
Figure 9 Location Wise Comparison of Number of Species in Pasturelands (±SE).................... 50
Figure 10 Location wise Comparison of Abundance of Individuals in Pasturelands (±SE) ....... 51
Figure 11 Location wise Comparison of Avian Species Diversity in Wetlands (±SE)................. 52
Figure 12 Location wise Comparison of Abundance of Avian Individuals in Wetlands (±SE) .. 53
Figure 13 District wise Distribution of Avian Species in and around CKNP .............................. 54
Figure 14 GIS Map of Study Area Showing District Wise Distribution of Birds........................ 54
Figure 15 District wise Number of Individuals of the Avian Species........................................... 55
Figure 16 Location wise Shannon index of diversity for avian communities (Mean±SE)........... 56
Figure 17 Location wise Simpson index of diversity for avian communities (Mean±SE) ........... 56
Figure 18 Location wise evenness for avian communities (Mean±SE) ........................................ 57
Figure 19 Residential Status of Avian Species found in and around CKNP ............................... 57
Figure 20 Relative Abundance of Avian Species Found in and around CKNP........................... 58
Figure 21 IUCN Redlist Status of Avian Species found in and around CKNP ........................... 58
Figure 22 GIS Map of Borith Lake, IBA for Migratory Waterfowls .......................................... 59
Figure 23 GIS Map of Hoper Pastures, IBA for Pastureland birds ............................................ 60
Figure 24 Scatter Plot of Avian Individual flocks encountered in and around CKNP ............... 73

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Points of Observations during the survey ............................................................................ 36

Table 2 Analysis of Variance (ANOV) for number of Individuals of Farmland and Settlements with
locations.......................................................................................................................................... 48
Table 3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for number of avian individuals in Pasturelands with
locations.......................................................................................................................................... 50
Table 4 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for number of avian individuals in Wetlands with locations
....................................................................................................................................................... 51
Table 5 Location wise Distribution of Birds in the study area .......................................................... 55
Table 6 Location wise Distribution of number of individuals ........................................................... 56
Table 7 Systematic list of Avifauna of Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) ........................... 62
Table 8 Pearson Correlation Between Bird abundance in different habitat types............................... 79

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 LIST OF APPENDICES

A. Order wise Images of Avian Species found in and around CKNP

B. Research Article from Thesis Published in HEC recognized journals
C. List of Publications

xiii
ABSTRACT

The Current study was carried out in and around the largest national park of Pakistan, the
Central Karakorum National Park (CKNP) forthe period of six years from March, 2011 to
Decmber 2016 using the point count and line transect methods. For the determination of
relationship between habitat types and different locations, the Shannon-Wiener diversity
index (H′) and Simpson diversity Index (1-D) were used while the Pearson correlation was
used to determine the relationship between avian species and individuals found in different
habitat types, locations and avian order. During the study, a total of (N=15519 individuals)
belonging to (n=214 species), 94 genera, 45 families and 16 orders were recorded. Order
Passeriformes was dominating possessing 55.6% species out of the total, followed by
Charadriiformes 10.3%, Anseriformes 7.01%, Accipitriformes 6.5%, Columbiformes and
Coraciformes 3.3% each, Galliformes, Pelecaniformes and Falconiformes 2.3% each,
Caprimulgifromes 1.9%, Gruiformes 1.3%, Phoenicopteriformes, Strigiformes, Piciformes
0.9% each, Cuculiformes and Bucerotriformes 0.46% respectively. Out of the total (n=214
species) observed, 111 were found year-round or residents with increased population
numbers in summer or some in winter, 62 visit the area during warmer period of the year,
thus were considered assummer visitors and 44 visit the area during the winter season, called
winter visitor. Similarly, relative abundance showed that out the total (n=214 species), 75
species were found to be commonly distributed across all locations, 67 species were found tio
be rare or scarcely distributed in the study area, 62 species were found to be uncommon or
with scattered populations and only 14 species were very commonly distributed across all
locations. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the number of species found in the
three main selected habitat types (Wetlands, Farmland and Settlements and Pasturelands) of
the study area were significantly varying (p<0.000, F=13.35, df=5). The Shannon-Weiner
diversity indices for different locations/districts fluctuated between 4.814 for District Gilgit
being the highest and lowest at 4.49 for District Ghanche, similarly the Simpson diversity
indices ranged between 0.9909 for District Gilgitas highest value and lowest at 0.807 for
District Skardu and Ghanche. Evenness of the species was found to be between (0.856 and
0.724) with highest for district Gilgit and Lowest for District Nagar. Pearson correlation for
habitat types also showed highly significant value (<0.000, df=5, F=1.17) and birds species
observed showed varied positive and negative correlations with the habitat types. The core
pressures to the avifauna of the study area were found to be excessive and illegal shooting,
poaching, trapping followed by use of pesticides and degradation of habitat due to rapid
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development. The findings from this study provide evidences that the birds act as important
component of ecosystem, wetlands of the study area serve as a refuge for migratory birds and
birds of Farmland Settlements although the most diverse and being the most neglected need
immediate attention.

Keywords: CKNP; Avian Diversity; Species; Birds; Trapping; Poaching; Pesticides

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1 Background Information
1.1.1 Avian Diversity

As described by (Abbas et al., 2014) the term avian diversity means the different forms of avi
fauna present at different habitat types in the world including the species which became
extinct over the time and that are alive. Birds represent the only group of vertebrate animals
with feathers which belong to the species that have backbone and vertebrae, included in
phylum chordata. Birds are distributed all over the world in range of habitats and locations.
According to (Sato et al., 2002) birds are capable of flying over the highest mountain peaks
on earth and are present in both of the poles of the palnet of earth. They can also dive into
water to the depths of more than 250 m (850 ft), and can inhabit the planet’s most extreme
locations with harsh climates, the coldest like arctic tundra and the warmest like Sahara (Sato
et al., 2002; Abbas et al., 2014).

As documented by (Abbas et al., 2014) there are some 10,064-avian species present globally;
out of which 130 species have become extinct. Roberts (1991) in his book, “The Birds of
Pakistan, Volume 1 and 2” has documented 660 avian species, out of which he estimated 230
species for Gilgit-Baltistan formerly known as the Northern Areas (NAs). Species for
Pakistan include the residents, wintering and summer visitors, passage migrants, irregular
visitors and breeding birds. Gilgit-Baltistan offers a variety of habitats ranging from fresh
water rivers, streams, lakes, alpine and sub-alpine forest patches, snow cover areas, alpine
meadows, peatlands, grasslands, agricultural field and settlements and various other habitats
for Avifauna. (Khan and Rafiq, 1998) reported 109 avian species from the Deosai plateau.
Likewise, some 87 species were reported from Khunjerab National Park (KNP) by (Khan,
1996). Sheikh (2001) studied the bird life diversity and bio ecology of birds in Nalter valley
and lower Hunza area, parts of Gilgit and Astore valleys and described about 110 species of
birds in his study area. Some rare raptor species found to breed in Naltar are Lammergeyer,
Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Lesser Kestrel (Sheik, 2001). Abbas et al., (2014) identified
108 species of birds from the 8 selected valleys of Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP).
Almost all studies about they avian diversity of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) shows that the order

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Passeriformes is the most abundant and visible group of birds in GB. Twenty-seven (27)
species of birds from Pakistan are listed as threatened internationally by IUCN (BLI, 2001).
Many of the species of the area like the Snow Partridge and Himalayan Monal Pheasant and a
number of waterfowls are being facing local extinction from many valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan.
These species have very small, split population due to destruction of their habitat (Virk et al.,
2003). According to (Blumstein, 1995) in Gilgit-Baltistan, internationally important species
like the Snow Partridge (Lerwa lerwa), Himalayan Snow Cock (Tetraogallus himalayensis),
Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar), Snow Pigeon (Columbia leuconota), Pintail (Anas
acuta), Common Teal (Anas crecca) and many other species can be observed while visiting
the region.

1.1.2 Avian Species Composition and Geographical Distribution

According to (Abbas and Ejaz, 2012) the avian diversity of the country has a fascinating and
diverse composition due to the position of Pakistan in a unique and in-between zone amongst
the two different biological realms (Palearctic and Indo-Malayan (Oriental) realms) out of the
sphere’s 6 major biological realms: and because of the substantial habitat types, reaching zero
at coastal belts to 8611 meters at the highest stretches of K2 mountain peak in the extreme
north of Pakistan, the second highest mountain peak in the world after the Mountain Everest.
Even though Pakistan is mainly arid and semi-arid area, but still it owns a great variety of
flora and fauna and wetlands distributed almost all over the country from the coastal
mangroves and mud flats on the Indus delta to the glacial lakes of the northern fringes of
Pakistan including the high Himalayas, Karakorum and Hindu Kush of Pakistan has
predominantly Palearctic avian species with an influx of migrant wintering species.

BLI, (2004) listed a total of 729 avian species for Pakistan. Robert, (1991) investigated that
out of the total species recorded for Pakistan, 36.6% possess the Oriental affinities while
63.4% are Palearctic or Holartctic and<0.5% are truly cosmopolitan or pan-sub-tropical.

Ali, (2005) described that out of total avian species recorded for Pakistan 30% of the species
visit the country as the long distant migrants for a significant period of the year, 43% visit the
country only for the purpose of breeding which are either Palearctic or Oriental species and
28% of the species, most of them visit the Trans-Himalayan region or the northern region of
Pakistan for are regular winter visitors.

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1.1.3 Natural Bird Refugees “The High-Altitude Wetlands”

The glaciers, lakes and rivers of biosphere are undoubtedly the earth’s most significant fresh
water resources that together form about 2.5% of the globe’s water. Many fresh water flora
and fauna are highly associated with these water resources (UNEP, 1995).

Ali, (2005); Abbas and Ejaz, (2012) documented that Pakistan despite of its arid climatic
conditions supports more than 225 wetlands which probably occupy about 7,800,000 hectares
of the total area of the country and nineteen of them are of international importance, hence
designated as the Ramsar site by the Ramsar Convention Bureau.

Wetlands specifically are very important as they act as staging, wintering and breeding
grounds, migratory routes, or wintering areas for many birds’ species. According to (Bellrose,
1980) the diversity in species and individuals of birds depends on the number of wetlands in
any area.

Khurshid, (2000) and BLI, (2004) listed the threatened and of commercially important
species associated with wetlands of Pakistan which included the 20 species of mammals as
threatened species falling in different categories listed by IUCN, 25 bird species, 06 species
of reptiles, 01 species of amphibians and 198 species of freshwater fishes, which needed
serious care. As documented by (Ali, 2005) in the wetlands are used by almost one-third of
the total avian species recorded for Pakistan. These bird species use the wetlands either for
diet, shelter, and (or) breeding. Pulliam and Danielson, (1991) described that due to the
poorer quality of habitats breeding birds did not contribute to a viable population for the
whole year. Ali, (2005) documented that both winter visitors and summer breeding visitors
show inlux from the northern mountain regions and from the Indus plain to the warmer more
southern latitudes.

1.1.4 Avian Migration

Migration of birds as described in the one of the verses in Bible is:

“Is it by the wisdom that the hawk soareth?

And stretcheth her wings towards the south?”
Bible from job (39:29)

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The migration of large birds like the hawk mentioned in the Bible and other large birds like
water fowls can easily be observed, but it becomes more complex in case of smaller birds that
seemed to disappear overnight. Many strange theories were put forth regarding the
disappearance of small birds each fall and reappearance in the spring and there remained
controversies and misconceptions for thousands of years. Aristotle, a careful observer of
other bird habits, thought the European Robin was transformed into the Redstart, another
European thrush, every fall, and retrains formed in the spring, and swallows retreated to
mountain peaks in the fall to shed their feathers and hibernate through the winter. Until the
middle of the sixteenth century, no one doubted that swallows hibernated, although many
writers felt they did so in mud at the bottom of lakes rather than on mountain tops. The
misconception regarding birds’ disappearance and reappearance become more interesting
when in 1703 an anonymous essay published in England stated, “swallows flew to the moon,
a trip taking sixty days, where they hibernated until spring”. Even, Linnaeus, the most
influential naturalist of the eighteenth century, was sure swallows hibernated in mud. Not
until the nineteenth century, when many more naturalists had explored tropical parts of the
world, was the concept of migration universally accepted (Pasquier, 1977).

Weather conditions play a role in a bird’s decision to migrate on any particular day or night.
The weather factors influencing this decision are complicated, but obviously, it is harder for a
bird to travel in a violent rainstorm, in dense fog obscuring landmarks and hazards, or when
strong winds might blow it off course; birds are found migrating in all these conditions,
especially when they develop after the bird has begun flying, however, birds typically try to
take benefit of weather circumstances that make their flight easier, so most of the spring
migrants move north with a warm front and seem to prefer a slight tail wind and similarly the
fall migrants move south with a cold front and a north or northwest wind (Pasquier, 1977).

1.1.4.1 Migratory routes in Pakistan

According to (Abbas and Ejaz, 2013) the alpine regions or deserts, have acted as islands
refugee during post glacial warming-up or successive dry and cold periods, so a continuity of
similar climatic or vegetative zones have acted as bridges for the spread or colonization of
expanding bird populations. In Pakistan, there appears to be four significant invasion routes.

The first comprises two separate avenues for the colonization of oriental species into Pakistan
on either edge of the great Indian Thar desert or Rajasthan desert. One lies in the extreme

4
southeast corner of lower Sindh and the other in the northeast corner of Punjab, in Sindh, the
mitigating effect of the sea along the coastal belt, with less extreme summer temperatures and
more mesic conditions. Due to persistent sea breezes during the summer months, has
provided an avenue for colonization of such species as the yellow–wattled Lapwing (Vanellus
malabaricus) and the water–cock (Gallicrex cinerea), the jungle nightjar (Caprimulgus
asiaticus) as well as the pied crested cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus).

The second invasion route lies in the extreme southwest corner and through the Makran from
southern Iran. Mammals and birds with North African or Mediterranean affinities have
colonized along this route. Most of the sand grouse, particularly Pterocles alchata and
Pterocles orientalis have come by this route, also the bat – tailed desert lark (Ammomanes
cincturus), the eastern calandra lark (Melanocorypha bimaculata), the streaked scrub warbler
(Scotocerca inquieta) and the black – billed desert finch (Rhodospiza obsoleta).

The third invasion route constitutes an extremely narrow belt or zone along the outer
Himalayan foothills where there is an extension of a rather stunted and degenerate tropical
dry deciduous forest biotope. In sheltered ravines or north–facing slopes of these foothills
will be found as astonishingly rich association of Indo–Malaysian plant species, which
provide an avenue for the invasion of many truly oriental or Himalayan breeding birds. For
example, the blossom–headed parakeet (Psittacula cyanocephala), the long–tailed nightjar
(Caprimulgus macrurus), the Indian pitta (Pitta brachyura) etc. In this zone, these oriental
species are on the westernmost extremity of their distributional ranges in Pakistan.

The fourth invasion route is down through the northern mountain ranges which out spreads
roughly from north to south from Chitral, through the Khyber Pakhtun Khaw (KPK) via the
Safed Koh, Waziristan and down into Baluchistan. Many truly Himalayan birds have been
able to spread their range southwards through these mountains. The best examples are the
scaly–bellied green woodpecker (Picus squamatus), the blue–whistling thrush (Myiophoneus
caeruleus), the streaked laughing thrush (Garrulax lineatus), the Himalayan tree creeper
(Certhia himalayensis) and the Simla black tit (Parus rufonuchalis) (Ejaz and Abbas, 2014).

The phenomenon of migration is by no means an attribute of a particular species, applying to

all its population. There are many species occurring in Pakistan, part of whose population
appears to be sedentary, part extra–limital in breeding and present as long-distance migrants
and part locally migratory. A case in point is the Hoopoe (Upapa epops), which has a resident

5
breeding population in central Punjab, and a migrant breeding population in the far northern
mountain regions, which probably winters in east Africa. There is also a wintering population
in Sindh province which does not stay to breed but which may supplement the northern
breeding population. The house sparrow race (Passer domesticus indicus) is a resident
throughout the Indus plains, whilst part of the population of Passer domesticus parkini
invades all the northern mountain valleys of Chitral, Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit Skardu and
Ghanche districts in Gilgit-Baltistan in summer, where it often nests in colonies. Passer
domesticus bactrianus has a strong spring passage which moves across Baluchistan and the
North-West Frontier Province and breeds partly in our northern regions but mainly extra-
limitally (Ejaz and Abbas, 2013).

According to (Robert, 1991) species belonging to Timalinae or babblers used to be present

throughout the year in Pakistan in addition to many other species of both oriental as well as
the Palearctic realm. They used to be in a social pattern and like the ground feeding streaked
laughing thrush (Garrulax lineatus), which remains year-round in the same locality in the
inner cold desert mountain regions of Pakistan, the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions,
despite of the fact that the temperature falls below zero for the substantial period of the year.
Similarly, the prinias, mynas, bulbuls, and oriental lark species of they plain areas of Pakistan
are also sedentary. Moreover, the Palearcticc species like, the Alpine Chough (Pyrrhocorax
graculus), the Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus) and the Himalayan Griffin Vulture (Gyps
himalayensis) are also found year-round the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan. The great tit
(Parus major) has a locally migrate between the plains and mountainous areas of Pakistan is
also among the sedentary species. In summers, it is seen in the mountainous areas while
during winter it migrates down to the Punjab plains, but at the same time its viable
populations is also seen under snowfall conditions throughout the winter in Gilgit-Baltistan
and it has also been reported from the in the montane juniper forests of Baluchistan Palearctic
nuthatches (Sittidae) and Himalayan woodpeckers, such as Dendrocopos himalayensis and
Picus squamatus are also sedentary in winter (Roberts, 1991).

As documented by (Baker, 1980; Moreau, 1972), the migration of the avian species is full of
contradictions and the more evidence which scientific experiments clarifies, the more
unanswered questions arise. But it is very clear that birds do not track strictly demarcated
paths and may travel over a very broad front ranging in some cases to hundreds of miles.
According to (Robert, 1991) the testing of avian migrations by ringing bird recovery

6
experiments in India, Siberia and West Europe, it is concluded that the breeding population of
avian species, from the onearea may trail extensively via diverse migration routes and also
winter in relatively distinct regions. Out of many black-headed buntings ringed in 1962 at
Bhuj in Gujrat, India one was recovered in the southern Ural at Krasnodar (N 45030’ E
40045’) whilst presumably on their breeding grounds.

1.1.5 Threats and Conservation of Avian species

The World Conservation Union (IUCN), allot the categories after extensive studies on
population estimations and other aspects of the species whether they face extinction risk by
categorizing the species with different ranks like near threatened, vulnerable, endangered,
critically endangered, extinct in wild (IUCN, 2012). According to (IUCN, 1994) the
extinction rate of the species has increased in present times as compared to the pre-human
limits with the extinction rates now have become 2 to 3 orders of larger magnitudes.
According to (Collar, 2001), Asia and the new world encompasses the majority of the
globally threatened bird species with Indonesia being the top ranked country with (104) of its
species being threatened followed by the country (Brazil with 103 threatened species).
Similarly, Philippines and China with 86 threatened species each), India has 71 threatened
species, Colombia (62), Peru (60), Ecuador (50), United States (46), and Vietnam houses 45
threatened species. The main reasons for the high rates of endangerment (52%) in the area are
the habitat loss and fragmentation. Shah, (2011) is in a view that the extinction of any animal
form results in the splitting of connection with other life forms, hence, threatening human life
as well. According to Possingham et al., (2002) the threatened birds’species lists are
deliberate to set priorities resource for distribution for species recovery and protection and to
report on the state of environment. Similarly, according to (Ceballos et al., 1998; Noss, 2000)
the use of the threatened species list is one of the essential aspects in order to categorizethe
risk to any ecosystem. The threatened species have been given social and legal importance.

1.1.5.1 Endangerment

Collar, (2001) defined endangerment as, “A condition in which species are at the risk of
extinction”. According to Birdlife Internatoinal, (2004) endangerment of the species is
increasing slowly, especially since 1998. The birds of the endo-malayan region are becoming
more noticeably endangered (Butchart et al., 2004; Sodhi et al., 2004) because of the huge
habitat loss in the region. The causes of bird’s endangerment include fragmentation, scarcity

7
and loss of native habitat (95 threatened bird species), human uses (71%) and invasive
species (31%). Other threats to the avian species are environmental pollution, fire, disease,
indirect mortality and climate change (BLI, 2008 and 2010).

In Pakistan, out of the total species 25 avian species are considered as internationally
threatened bird’s species (out of which 1 critically endangered, 2 are endangered 22
vulnerable and 17 internationally near threatened birds’ species).

1.1.5.2 Threats to migrating birds

According to (Abbas and Ejaz, 2013), the migratory birds are increasingly facing human
induced threats in addition to battling with bad weather, exhaustion and various other natural
obstacles. At the same time, draining wetlands, cutting down forests, pollution in water and
air are escalating problems, many migrating species are hunted, for food, and for sport or
superstitious reasons during their migration (PWP, 2012).

Studies of many Palearctic and Nearctic bird species in temperate latitudes have indicated
that there are internal physiological responses in birds to changes in length of daylight,
particularly development of dormant or regressed gonads towards active breeding condition,
which is inturn associated with triggering instinctive urges to migrate (Lofts and Murton,
1968). This photoperiodic responsiveness is thought to be quite sensitive even to minor
changes in daylight length and to operate also upon many migrants, which winter in sub-
topical latitude such as Pakistan (Tiwary et al., 1983). In Pakistan, as in other sub-tropical
regions, which provide suitable winter feeding conditions for Palearctic migrants, the spring
is frequently a much more direct and urgent affair. For example, birds breeding in the far
northern Arctic tundra zones such as phalaropes and many Tringinae may over-fly large
distances without rest on the ground for foraging or recuperation. Such migrants are
particularly susceptible to weather hazards. Severe storms, persistent headwinds and heavily
cloudy weather are examples of factors which can blow migrants off course, unduly delay
their ground travel speed and prevent them from using navigational aids such as stellar
constellations and the position of the sun. In the case of Pakistan, the northern mountains
pose and added physical barrier for those migrants breeding in central Asia and Siberia
(Roberts, 1991).

8
Some migrants undoubtedly decease along routes from exposure and starvation, or weakened
by travel succumb to predators. But a more widespread hazard is no doubt that of undue
delay in arrival on the breeding grounds of the species concerned, which results in failure to
establish favourable breeding territories or to acquire a suitable mate. Innumerable studies
have shown that late breeders have a markedly lower reproductive success due to these and
related factors (Brooke, 1979).

It is now an established fact that most long–distance migrants rely upon reserves of stored fat
to release the energy necessary for prolonged and rapid spring migration. After the physically
exhausting activities of rearing a brood of chicks, many Palearctic migrants assemble in
staging grounds before executionof the main part of their southward migration. These staging
grounds are often traditional and generally provide the only opportunity for migratory birds
to replenish the depleted fat reserves necessary to enable them to make prolonged flights. A
few such staging areas occur in the northern parts of Pakistan and have been exploited by
man as a predator for several hundred years. Such hunting pressure up to the recent past,
according to available evidence, has not seriously affected migrating populations. Examples
are the use of duck decoys along the Kurram River as well as activities of muzzle loading
wildflowers in the Chitral, Gilgit, Gizer, Nagar, Shiger and Hunza river valleys.

However, recent economic changes have caused severe and evidently unbearable pressure
upon the populations of certain highly prized target species. For example, juvenile Goshawks
(Accipiter gentiles), which used to migrate in numbers through the Kunhar valley of Chitral
into north-west Pakistan, have since ancient times been decoyed and netted by local Chitrali
hunters. Interrogation of local sportsmen and hunters in Chitral state has corroborated the
information that this is no longer worthwhile, as insignificant numbers of this highly prized
hawk enter in Pakistan. Within the past couple of decades, it has become increasingly
fashionable amongst the local Pathan tribal populace to use captive cranes as decoys and to
catch wild cranes in large numbers (Roberts and Landfried, 1987). The rapid increase in the
prosperity of local hunters as a result of earnings from emigration to the Persian Gulf states,
together with changes in fashion, have been factors, which have increased this hunting
pressure.

9
1.1.5.3 Conservation of Avian Species

The growing awareness that we share the same environment with all plants and animals and
that what affects any living creature affects many others, including man, has led to a new
interest in wildlife conservation. Extinction is, of course, part of the natural process of
evolution; this is no justification for the highly unnatural ways in which human activities
have eliminated entire species. Most recorded bird extinctions have been due to a fairly
simple combination of direct persecution by man, and his introduced agents like rats and pigs
and habitat destruction.

Birds serve as indicator of environmental problems that affect human along with other forms
of life. The man made chemicals that have reduced or destroyed the reproductive abilities of
certain birds are also in our bodies, where their effects are still unknown. We are beginning to
see some of the dire warnings made by environmentalists about exhaustive agricultural
processes, mis-sited dams, clear-cutting of forests, badly laid pipelines and wasteful energy
practices come true. Habitat altered so that, it is unusable by birds is not necessarily put to a
use more productive to man.

No species can survive long even when fully protected in one country, if it is over hunted or
its habitat destroyed in a nation, it visits at another season. Nor can a bird last long if it is
hunted to supply a demand for feathers or pets in another part of the world.

Our country, Pakistan is a party to almost all international conventions dealing with species
like the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of wild animals (CMS)
(adopted in Boon, Germany in 1979 and to which Pakistan has been a party since 1987); and
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora
(CITES), signed in Washington in 1973, to which Pakistan has been a party since 1976 and
likewise many other convention dealing with species conservation. Under the Bon
Convention, Pakistan’s principle responsibilities are to safeguard certain endangered species
listed in Appendix-I in the of the convention and to endeavor to conclude agreements for the
protection of migratory species whose conservation status would substantially benefit from
the international cooperation deriving from an agreement (De Klemm and Shine, 1993).

10
1.1.6 Protected Areas

Khan et al., (2010) investigated that there are more than 235 Protected Areas (PAs) in
Pakistan. Out of which 22 are national parks, 99 wildlife sanctuaries, 100 game reserves and
14 unclassified areas. According to (GoGB, 2016) there are 5 national parks, 7 game Reserve,
2 game sanctuaries and 27 community managed conservation areas in Gilgit Baltistan.

1.1.6.1 National Parks of Gilgit-Baltistan

1.1.6.1.1 Khunjerab National Park

According to (Khan et al., 2010) the Khunjerab National Park (KNP) was established mainly
for the protection of the scattered populations of Marco Polo sheep migrating between China
and Pakistan, the iconic and endangered Snow Leopards and the blue sheep (Bharal) in the
area. The park was mapped by Schaller in 1974, after a short field survey. KNP was officially
established on April 29, 1979 by Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on the
recommendation of George B. Schaller aft

er his survey in the area, while his visit to the area primarily for the purpose of
mountaineering. Today, KNP is the Pakistan's third largest national park.

According to the Mir of Hunza, Mr. Jamal Khan (late) the population of Marko Polo sheep
was about 400 before the start of Karakoram Highway (KKH) but had dropped to <180 by
the time of the completion of the KKH. According to (WWF-Pakistan, 1996) there were 300
Marco Polo sheep estimated for the Khunjerab National Park before 1975 but jus in 5 years
this number was number was decreased to an estimated 100 individuals in 1980 due to
poaching and later in 1992 this number further decreased to just 52 individuals.This park is
also famous for its snow leopards, Grey Wolf and brown bear. Some reports say that it might
contain the highest density of the beautiful cats in the total Karakorum mountain ecosystem,
which is the natural habitat of the cat. Over 2,000 Siberian ibex individuals widely distributed
and are abundant in the park. Common birds in the park are: Lammegier, Goldeneagle,
Himalayan griffon vulture, Marshharrier, Eurasian sparrow hawk, Eurasian kestrel, Lesser
kestrel, Sakerfalcon, Peregrine falcon, Himalayan snow cock, Snow partridge, Chukar
(Abbas and Ejaz 2014; Qureshi et al., 2011).

11
1.1.6.1.2 Deosai National Park

According to (GoGB, 2010 and Nawaz, 2006) Deosai National Park (DNP) is at an average
elevation of 4,114 metres (13,497 ft) above sea level. Deosai Plains is considered as one of
the highest plateaus in the world. It was formed primarily for the protection of remaing
population of Brown bears. The park covers an area of 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 sq mi).
This park is well known for its rich flora and fauna. In the spring season, it is covered by
wildflowers and a wide variety of butterflies can be seen adding beauty to the area. Species
like Himalayan ibex, red fox, golden marmot locally called Phia, Grey wolf, the Ladakh urial,
the snow leopard, and over 124 resident and migratory birds are present in the area. Main
avian species present in the park include the golden eagle, lamer geyer, griffon vulture, lager
falcon, peregrine falcon, kestrel, sparrow hawk and snowcock.

1.1.6.1.3 Handarab Shandur National Park

Handarab Shandur National Park (HSNP) was established in 2012, located in Ghizer, Gilgit
Baltistan (Abbas et al., 2014). It is one of the important high altitude national parks of
Pakistan and provides home to a number of fauna and flora. There are various high-altitude
lakes that are present in and around HSNP which provide habitat for the high value trout
species like the raionbow trout and brown trout.

1.1.6.1.4 Qurumber National Park

Qurumber National Park (QNP) has been declared national park in August 2011, by Gilgit
Baltistan Government. It is located in Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan. It spread
over 740 sq km and is the first wetland based national park. Qurumber valley covering an
area of 640 sq km is located at a distance of 150 km from Gilgit city. Wild life diversity
found in the park include, endangered Snow leopard (Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia),
Himalayan ibex (Capra ibex sibricia) and wolf (Canis lupus). Birds found in the Qurumber
Valley include snow cock, partridges, house sparrow, wild pigeon, water fowls, white capped
river chat, blue rock common thrush, dove and Quail. Migratory birds are present in the area
from December to March (PWP, 2012).

1.1.6.1.5 Central Karakorum National Park

As documented by (Abbas et al., 2013) Central Karakorum National Park of Gilgit-Baltistan

comprises of around 90 avian species belonging to 13 families. Species like the common

12
snow cock, chukar, rock pigeon, snow pigeon, oriental turtle dove, booted eagle, and
common kestrel are among the common birds of the area.

According to (Abbas et al., 2014) species like common hoopoe, common cuckoo, common
swift and Eurasian nightjar represent summer breeding species of the area. Similarly, the Hen
harrier, Eurasian skylark, Spanish sparrow, Himalayan accentor, Eurasian goldfinch, and pine
bunting are winter visitors to the area. Birds like snow partridge, himalayan monal, golden
eagle, alpine accentor, mountain finch, and hume’s wheatear are among the rare species of
the park whereas floral diversity includes Blue Pine, Spruce, Birch, Juniper and variety of
medicinally important shrubs and herbs (Abbas et al., 2014).

1.2 Problem Statement and Justification

As stated by (Pathan et al., 2014) birds add beauty and charm to the planet and are one of the
most admired life forms on the planet, and their diversity leads to abundance and diversity of
other forms of life and at the same time adding attractiveness to nature. Birds have always
charmed mankind with their essentially stunning coloration/plumage, melodious songs, and
artistic behavior. As birds control the population of different insects and pests, therefore, they
are considered economically very important to the human society. In addition, birds act as
scavengers and cross-fertilizing agents for many plant species thus help in the dispersal of
seeds so regulate gene pool of almost all vegetation types (Ali and Ripley, 1983). Some of the
bird species like the game birds are also utilized as food source by the rural communities
since ages (Pathan et al., 2014).
Birds are also performing various ecological functions within their habitats, such as they act
as bioindicators and thus helpful in assessing the health of ecosystems. Insectivorous species
and birds of prey regulate disease vectors, including mosquitoes and rodents. These
ecosystem services mentioned above are all very crucial for a number of populations, and it is
also important to ensure the biological roles of birds, which are crucial for both the current
and future generations. There is a tenacious necessity to investigate about the population
dynamics and diversity and distribution of bird within and outside the protected areas
(Gatesire et al., 2014). A great variety of species of birds varying from residents, (that stay
all year around and some with summer and winter population influx), migrants who pass
through Pakistan with the seasons for different purposes like wintering birds who like to
spend a good part of the winter in Pakistan to escape colder conditions up north in the
Siberia, while many species of birds migrate to Pakistan in summer, especially with the

13
emergence of monsoon in the southern parts and blossom and harvest seasons in the north.
According to (Pathan et al., 2014) the presence of Pakistan’s avifauna belonging to the three
different zoogeographical zones (Oriental, Palaearctic, and Ethiopian regions) is quite
exclusive in the world and more than 650 species of birds are present in Pakistan.
The biodiversity Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan is very rich due to its varied climatic conditions
and variety of ecosystems. (Virk et al., 2003) Gilgit-Baltistan is home to most diverse
avifauna of the mountain regions of the birds. But due to lack of research institutions a very
little information is available on the distribution, status, diversity and ecology of many of the
bird species. Studies indicate that the area is possesses the diverse avifauna, for example 109
species of birdswere recorded from the Deosai plateau by (Khan and Rafiq, 1998). 46 avian
species from Khunjerab National Park by (Qureshi et al., 2011) 108 species from the CKNP
by (Abbas et al., 2014), 48 species from Shimshal valley by (Khan et al., 2012) and 110
species observed from Naltar and lower valleys of Hunza, Gilgit and Astore by (Sheikh,
2001). BLI, (2001) stated that 27 of the avian species of Pakistan are threatened
internationally. Virk et al, (2003) documented that out of the total threatened species for
Pakistan, numerous species are found in Gilgit-Baltistan region that have small and
fragmented populations and are threaten by loss and destruction of their habitat.
Birds representing the in the study area facing a number of threats like habitat lose and
fragmentation due to development and changing land use pattern, illegal hunting, trapping,
poaching, use of pesticides in fruit orchard and use of chemical fertilizers in the agricultural
field (Abbas et al., 2014).

Birds diversity, distribution, threats and conservation needs in and around CKNP are not yet
comprehensively documented although it is clear from our recent study that avifauna
constitutes the major part of faunal diversity in and around CKNP. Previously birds of Gilgit-
Baltistan were investigated during the British period, which were summarized by Robert,
1991, 1992; Ali and Ripley, 2005). As described above, many researchers have studied the
diversity, distribution, seasonal migration of birds from various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan but a
little is known about the birds of Western Himalayas and Karakoram region of the Pakistan.

The study on diversity, distribution, threats and conservation needs of birds with respect to
different habitat types and features is important since will provide an understanding for the
formulation of environmental management plans. In Pakistan, the association among birds

14
and their habitat is no yet comprehensively documented despite of the fact that the habitat
type and structural complexity are known to influence avian diversity and their composition.

To fulfil these gaps, the present study is the initialeffort to document the diversity,
distribution and conservation needs of avian diversity in and around Central Karakoram
National Park which will act as a milestone in the sustainable conservation and management
of CKNP.

1.3 Objectives

The rationale behind the approach to conduct the current study about diversity, distribution
and conservation needs of the Avi-fauna in the different habitat types in and around CKNP of
Gilgit-Baltistan is to increase the knowledge of the Avi-fauna of Gilgit-Baltistan and to enlist
the avian species of special conservation importance in the study area and make this
information broadly available to all the concerned researchers and PAs managers both within
Pakistan and abroad. Further to provide an ornithological data can contribute towards the
conservation of threatened avian species and their widely-used habitats. Additionally, to
publish the results as widely as possible to raise the profile of the different habitat types used
by birds and provide a basis for further surveys to continue this process. Besides, highlighting
a number of threats that the study area in Gilgit-Baltistan is facing, the study will also analyze
potential conservation measures for their proper utilization and management.

1.3.1 General objective

To document diversity, distribution and conservation needs of avian fauna in different habitat
types in and around Central Karakoram National Park.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

1. Enlist and describe existing bird species and their distribution in the study area.
2. Prepare an updated systematic checklist of the species with their residential as well as
the IUCN Red list status.
3. Develop GIS based maps of species occurrence and distribution in the study area.
4. Document the anticipated changes to bird population in the study area.
5. Document the bird species of “special concern” regarding the economic and
ecological perspectives found in the study area.

15
6. Describe and assess potential anthropogenic impacts on avifauna of the study area.
7. Identify important bird areas within the study area
8. Enlist the recommendations for the conservation and management of bird diversity in
the study area.

1.3.3 Hypotheses

The null hypothesis states that: -

Ho: Avian Diversity and Abundance in and around CKNP is very low and evenly distributed
in all habitat types without facing any threats.

16
CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

Abbas and Ejaz, (2013) documented that there is a long practice of shooting of birds and
other species in Pakistan, and successful hunters are highly regarded. The accuracy and
power of modern weapons and the construction of roads have combined to increase the range
and efficiency of hunters. Animals are hunted for meat, for trophies, for their economic value
(skins, furs, horns, feathers, shells, musk, oil or medical properties) or to eliminate predators
on livestock or animals feeding on crops. Large birds such as storks or migrating birds of
prey may be shot at for target practice. A wide range of game birds and waterfowls are shot
for meat. Similarly, Pheasants are hunted for their feathers and falcons are sold for the
falconry trade.

Beehler et al., (1987) surveyed various types of ecosystems in the eastern Ghat of India
which are used by the birds and assessed the disturbances in the forest habitat and ranked
them as the moderately-disturbed hill forest, a remnant patch of humid ravine forest
surrounded by young coffee, a mature coffee plantation with remnant natural forest over-
story, and a sub-mature teak monoculture. Species-number and diversity was highest in two
hill forest plots. Population was highest in one of each forest plots and Coffee plots. While,
coffee plot showed over dominance by Tramp species, with 2 bulbuls and a white-eye,
making up more than half of the individuals counted. Non-forest and forest-edge species
dominated all samples with few raptors and species above 100g weight. Ravine forest was
found to inhabit most unusual species (e.g., Abbott’s Babbler Malacocincla abbotti, Blue
Chat Erithacus brunneus and Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera Zongirostris).

Marone, (1991); Whittingham and Evans, (2004) documented that the habitat features such
as floristic complexity, cover and density of vegetation are the important factor in bird habitat
selection. When these features are correlated, they show positive correlation, since they
provide food, nesting material and cover for predator.

Collin and Donnel, (1996) worked on role of predators in the decline of New Zealand forest
birds, with specific focus on mustelids and rodents. According to him birds like the birds like
Mohua (Molnia ochrocephala) and parakeets due to their lesser predator avoidance
behaviours are at more risk than the other birds because they nest when stoat (Mustela

17
erminea) numbers in the forest are highest, further the hole-nesting forest bird species are
also vulnerable to predation because they also display fewer predator-avoidance behaviors.

Colding and Folke, (1997) investigatedthe relation between threatened species, their
protection and taboos (specific -species taboos). In a total, some 70 presently available
examples of specific-species taboos were recognized. Specific-species taboos have significant
environmental complications for the security of threatened and ecologically vital populations
of species.

Blumstein and Lopez, (1993) studied habitats used by the Himalayan Snowcock in Khunjerab
National Park Pakistan and found Snowcock used four main habitats: flats, slopes, high
meadows and moraines. The UI (Use Index) value was highest for high meadows;
intermediate for slopes and moraines and low for flats.

Awan et al., (2000) studied about the altitudinal range and relative abundance of tits in
Machiara National Park, Muzaffarabad, and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. He observed that all
studied species of tits (Black Tit, Black -crested Tit, Crested Black Tit, Green-Backed Tit and
Yellow–Cheecked Tit) used the attitudinal range between 1180-3080m.

Canterbury et al., (2000) studied the diversity of birds in five protected areas of Bangladesh
by applying the strip transect sampling methodology and opportunistic surveys. A total of
239 avian species were documented, out of which 189 were resident, 39 winter visitors, 6
summer visitors and five vagrants. Relative abundance showed that 17% species were very
common, 28% were common, 20% fairly common and 85% were found to be few.

Stuart et al., (2000) studied about the diversity and abundance of birds present in forest
remains and eucalyptus plantations around an Atlantic Forest Reserve, Brazil. They found
that only 8 species of birds were recorded in eucalyptus. The concluded that the species
diversity and abundance in forest patches is considerably lower than in the reserve. The
forest fragments have been fragmented heavily than the forest within the reserve and poor
forest quality may be the cause of declines in some species.

Hortal et al., (2013) studied the vertical distribution of avian species between the range of 60
to 1300 meters above sea level at the Warra Long-Term Ecological Research Site by fixed
point distant survey of 20-minute duration at 100-meter contour intervals along three
altitudinal transects, and found 24 species having eight endemic and one exotic species.
Species richness and abundance both declined dramatically above the tree-line, i.e. between

18
1000m and 1100m above sea level. Only one species, typical of lowland treeless habitats was
recorded solely above the tree-line. Results showed an inverse relationship between altitude
and bird species richness because of a reduced diversity of habitat at high elevation.

Marsdeni et al., (2001) conducted a study to assess the bird diversity and abundance around
Atlantic forest in Brazil in Eucalyptus plantations and forest fragments, using a variable
circular plot method. They recorded only 8 bird species in Eucalyptus plantations less than
other Eucalyptus plantation elsewhere in the country; this was due to intensive clearance of
understory vegetation. They found very low species diversity in forest fragments compared
with forest reserves, 12 mostly non-forest or edge species were significantly commoner in the
fragments, but 19 species frequent in the reserve were rare or absent in the fragments.

Burgess et al., (2002) reported that the human activities such as deforestation, use of
pesticides in the agricultural field and fruit plants, poisoning for the elimination of predators
and infrastructural development due to increasing human population and their need have
severely threatened the birds’ diversity, distribution and abundance over time. Most of the
birds have been displaced from their original habitats due to the land use changes as most of
the birds’ species are habitat specific.

Baral et al., (2003) worked on the status of Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis) in
Nepalin three of the protected areas, on the basis of which they developed the species status
and distribution. 21-30 avian species were reported from 3 protected areas and total
population of 32-60 individuals were recorded.

Gregory et al., (2005) and Abbas et al., (2014) documented that the birds are useful
indicators to assess the quality and changes in the environment, because the health of bird
populations reflects the health of our environment.

Melles et al., (2003) investigated the relative consequences of environmental attributes, such
as, tree cover, composition, and number of tree species, comparing local vs landscape-level
habitat attributes, measured at different spatial scales in relation to urban bird species richness
and abundance. They concluded that as both local and landscape scale possessions are crucial
in determination of bird’s distribution and abundance, therefor while formulation of
management plans for parks and reserves, the surrounding urban areas should also be
incorporated.

19
Monirul and Khan, (2003) carried out avifaunal surveys in the Sundarbans East Wildlife
Sanctuary, Bangladesh for the period of three years, from September 2001 to February 2003.
They documented a total of 198 species. Out of which the Buffy Fish Owl (Ketupa ketupu)
and the (Picus viridanus) were recorded for the first time in the Indian Subcontinent since
1958) and nine other species that were not previously recorded from the Sundarbans of
Bangladesh were recorded.

Fischer et al., (2006) studied avian diversity from February 1994 to January 2004, covering
25,000-hectare area of Janos Casa Grande Prairie Dog Complex, one of the priority areas for
conservation in North America. They recorded 227 species of in the study area. Out of the
total 86 (38%) were residents, 78 (35%) winter migrants, 30 (14%) summer migrants, 27
(11%) transients, and 6 (2%) accidental vagrants. Around 84 (38%) species were observed in
at least two habitat types, with riparian areas supporting the highest observed diversity of
birds (112 species). Of the 143-species observed in only one habitat type, 44 (30%) occurred
in riparian areas, 35 (26%) in association with ponds and aquatic vegetation, 28 (20%) in
grasslands, 16 (11%) in the oak woodland grassland ecotone, 12 (9%) in mesquite scrub land,
5 (3%) around human settlements, and 3 (2%) in crop fields.

Bennun et al., (2005) worked on Monitoring Important Bird Areas in Africa: and reported
that there is an urgent need of efficient global monitoring of biodiversity.

Jayson and Sivaperuman, (2005) recorded 313 taxa of birds belonging to 64 families in the
Thrissure district, Kerala by using point count method, line transect method, and total count
method. Out of total (n=313) 219 species were residents, 68 were transcontinental migrants,
local migrants were 26 and one straggler species. Order Passeriformes was dominating
followed by Charadriiformes, Ciconiiformes, Falconiformes, Coraciformes and Piciformes.
During the study 7 endemic species to Western Ghats and 11 species having threatened were
also recorded. Study area contains 23% of the total birds found in Indian Subcontinent.

Latta, (2005) there are over 300 bird species found on Hispaniola Island. Out of which 285
are native with 30 of them endemic to the area. The two nations of the Island i.e. Haiti and
Dominican Republic contain 16 species which are either vulnerable or threatened to
extinction and 6 near threatened and provide habitat for many more bird species important
nationally.

20
Pandrani, (2005) reported 81 species of waterfowls belonging to 16 families and 6 orders
from Jiwani wetland complex, which is one of the Ramsar sites of Pakistan.

Paul and Cooper, (2005) investigated about the emerging opportunities for avian research and
its impact of conservation of the species. They documented that effective conservation
requires scientific basis thusproviding sadvantages for protection of species. They
emphasized on motivation of researcher and highlighted that, there is a lack of
comprehensive system to bring new sciences to the conservation and resource managers.
There is a requirement to find support and upward system to help the planners and managers
and requirement of ornithologist research and bird’s preservation research.

Awan et al., (2006) worked on distribution, status and habitat utilization of Alectoris chukar
in Machiara National Park, District Muzaffarabad, and Azad Kashmir. They found that
Alectoris Chukar occupied densely vegetated areas and destruction of habitat is, therefore, the
major threats to the species.

Kati and Sekercioglu, (2006) described the avian community structure and role of birds’
diversity patterns and recommended to thoroughly study and understand them for
environmental assessments and conservation decision makings.

Awan and Saleem, (2007) investigated about the avifaunal diversity of Pattika Recreational
Park in Muzaffarabad, AJ & K, Pakistan from June 2006 to March, 2007 and recorded some
73-species belonging to 10 orders and 35 families.

Awan and Saleem, (2007) worked on Avifaunal Diversity of the Pattika Recreational Park,
Order Passeriformes was found to be abundant with presence of 55%. According to them the
abundance and distribution found to be varied with season and recorded most of the species
with the onset of monsoon season.

Brooke et al., (2007) in their research high lighted the movement of threatened birds’ species
between IUCN Red List Categories and toward Extinction. They found that in the recent
century avian species extinction rates have been dramatically increased with 2–3 orders of
magnitude higher than in pre-human times. For this they examinedthe extinction rates of
avian species that were designated as the critically endangered species in 1994 and thereafter,
changes in their IUCN Red List status categories of extinction risk globally for the period
1988-2004 and regionally in Australia from 1750-2000.

21
Johansson et al., (2007) studied the relative importance of immigration versus in situ
speciation to the build-up of the Himalaya birds being one of the most specie-rich regions in
the world, providing habitat to about 8% of the world’s bird species, through the study of
biogeographic history of the Phylloscopus/Seicercus warblers using multigene phylogeny in
combination with dispersal-vicariance analysis to distinguish speciation and dispersal
patterns with in the clade. Their results showed that virtually no speciation has occurred in
the study area, contrary to the mountain-driven Pleistocene speciation suggested for the
Andes and East African mountain ranges.

Mohan and Gaur, (2007) observed 62 species of birds in Jijwal Pond belonging to following
26 families: Podicipedidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Ardeidae, Charaadriidae, Upupidae, Corvidae,
Columoidae, Phasianidae, Psittacidae, Muscicapidae, Ploceidae, Rallidae, Sturnidae,
Pteroclididae, Pycononotidae, Meropidae, Anatidae, Recuvirostridae, Accipitridae,
Alcedinidae, Nectrainiidae, Gruidae, Cuculidae, Turdinae, Dicruridae, and Scolopacidae.
Phalacrocoracidae, Ardeidae, Charadriidae. Columoidae, Psittacidae families dominated the
area in proximity along with the resident and migratory birds.

Ranganathan et al., (2007) found that farmland is an important habitat for terrestrial birds
showing that some bird species are habitat specific though some are generalist. Currently, due
to land uses changes it is difficult to find forest habitat covering large areas. For example,
near towns, most of the land has been converted to settlement and farmlands.

Rosely et al., (2007) studied the effect of tree fall gap areas on distribution of bird species in
Penang Botanical Garden which is encompassed within the Bukit Kerajaan Forest Reserve by
using Mist-Netting method and fixed-point observation. Half samples were taken from gap
areas and half from closed canopy with more birds in gap areas (229) compared to closed
canopy (147). The diversity and species richness evaluation showed there were no obvious
differences among gap and closed canopy areas due to small size of gap area.

Surana et al., (2007) studied avian diversity of Chimdi Lake in Nepal by employing direct
count method during rehabilitation stage and encountered 109 bird species belonging to 34
families. Majority of species i.e. 64 were recorded in March 2004 and 20 species in July
2004. Out of total bird species, 33.94% were migratory, 25.68% were residents, 24.77% were
winter visitors and 15.96% were summer visitors. Talking about abundance 41.28% were
scarce, 22.9% were occasional, 21.1% were fairly common, and 14.6% were common.

22
Aynalem et al., (2008) conducted a study in the modified habitats of Bahir Dar and Debre
Mariam Island, Lake Tana in Ethopia for the period of 2 years from 2006 to 2007 and
assessed the species diversity, distribution, relative abundance and habitat association of the
Avian Fauna. They used point count technique. They identified a total of 154 bird species
consisting of three endemic, two globally threatened, and 33 Palearctic migrants. The number
of species recorded in the modified habitat of Bahir Dar during the wet and dry seasons was
74 and 107; and in Debre Mariam Island 28 and 33, respectively. Deforestation, cultivation
and pollution were the main threats for the survival of bird fauna in the area.

Ghalib et al., (2008) recorded the avifauna of Hingol National Park surveying in the different
habitats within the Park.A total of 204 species of birds were documentedfrom the study area,
out of which 7 species were found to be threatened and 2 species were near-threatened.
Fourteen species were of special conservation interest on account of being threatened/near-
threatened, scarce or key species (being integral part of the Park). The potential threats to the
birds of the area included human population pressure, developmental activities, deforestation,
habitat degradation and disturbance.

Harisha and Hosetti, (2009) studied the diversity and distribution of birds in Lakkavali range
forest, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghat, India fro, April 2007 to March, 2008and
recorded 132 species of avifauna belonging to 34 families and 11 orders. Relative abundance
showed that 112 species were resident, 12 winter migratory visitors, 7 local migratory and 1
summer migratory birds. During the period of April 2007 to March 2008 made a study on
diversity and distribution of avian fauna of lakkavali range forest.

Hossain et al., (2008) while applying the line transect and block count methods studied faunal
diversity including birds in Upazila, Bangladesh using line counting and block counting, and
recorded 30 avian species, belonging to 9 orders and 17 families. Out of the total species
documented 9 species were found to be present in both forest and wetland habitats, similarly,
7 species were wetland and agriculture land inhabitants, 5 species inhabiting both forest and
agricultural land while it was noted that the only 2 species conforming to agricultural land.

Rais et al., (2008) collected the data avifaunal diversity associated with the wetlands of
district Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistan. The species composition was seemed to be changed over a
period of a decade. In a total, some 44 new records of bird species were found from the study
area while 34 previously recorded species were not observed. It was also found that due to

23
seepage of water 9 new wetlands were formed. The major threats recorded from the study
area were the illegal and excessive hunting, new developments and over exploitation.

Rehman et al., (2008) surveyed birds in Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) and found
that Himalayan Snow cock, Common hoopoe, Common cuckoo, Eurasian nightjar and
Oriental dove was common and Less commonly found species were Quail, Great cormorant,
Night heron, Glossy ibis and Mountain finch. Snow partridge, Himalayan monal and Hen
harrier were found to be rare.

Adizel and Durmus, (2009) recorded a total of 177 species and 2 subspecies belonging to 44
families in Ercek Lake using Dobinson’s squaring method for the study. The distribution of
these species according to IUCN Red Data List Categories is as follows; Out of these species
4 species were found to be Critically endangered, 11 species of Endangered, 32 species were
vulnerable, 19 species were near threatened, 93 species were least concern, 6 species were
data deficient and 14 species were Non-evaluated. Six were found to be in Globally
Threatened category. Residential status showed that 71 species were Resident, 71 Migratory,
24 Winter Visitor, 10 Transit Migrant, 2 Transit Migrant-Migrant and 1 Migrant-Winter
Visitor.

Sanchez and Siguenza, (2009) carried out a geographical analysis of ecological restriction of
birds in the Neotropical humid montane forest from Mexico to north-western Argentina.
They found in Mesoamerica, a lower proportion of the total avifauna is represented by
completely restricted species; on the other hand, species with other habitat options
represented a larger proportion of avifauna. On contrary, South America has a higher
proportion of completely restricted species.

Yu and Guo, (2013) conducted surveys in three habitat types of South Western China. A total
of 7,628 individuals of 123 bird species were recorded. By comparing their results with the
previous study in the same area it was found that urbanization was responsible for decreasing
species richness. As a result of their study they found sign of recovery of some vanishing
native bird’s species, possibly due to the reduction of pesticide usage in agricultural habitat.

Acharya et al., (2010) in Shinga Rhodidendron Wildlife Sanctuary and Sikkim studied avian
diversity taking 332 points for sampling and the methodology used was point count method.
They reported 2545 birds belonging to 100 species and 22 families. Out of the total, 3 species
were new for Sikkim. And in Shingba Rhododendron wildlife sanctuary 114 bird’s species

24
were recorded. The richness and abundance of bird species varied among seasons with a peak
during monsoon.

Khan et al., (2010) recorded a total of 158 species of birds were recorded in Hingol National
Park. Species comprised of water birds, birds of prey, game birds, passerines and other birds
like the Parakeet, Nightjar, Swifts, Kingfishers, Bee Eaters, Roller, Hoopoe and Woodpecker
were reported from the area. They found that the Black Kite, Grey Partridge, Common Quail,
Blue Rock Pigeon, Ring Dove, Little Brown Dove, Large Cormorant, White Pelican,
Flamingo, Common Teal, Shoveller, Coot, Blackwinged Stilt, Kentish Plover, Redwattled
Lapwing, Dunlin, Little Stint, Roseringed Parakeet, House Swift, Small Green Bee-eater,
Greater Short toed Lark, Brown-throated Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, White Wagtail, White-
cheeked Bulbul, Common Babbler, House Crow, House Sparrow, Sind Jungle Sparrow, Sind
Yellow throated Sparrow and Blackheaded Bunting were commonly distributed across the
Study area. The study area was also home to threatened avian species like the Laggar Falcon,
Pallas’s Fishing Eagle, Imperial Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Egyptian Vulture, Indian White
backed Vulture, Painted Stork and Sociable Lapwing.

Mahboo and Nisa, (2009) recorded a total of 89 species belonging to 68 genera, 39 families
and 15 orders, during their study on Diversity of Avifauna of Trimmu Barrage, District
Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. According to them, the major threats to wild fauna of the study area
were Illegal hunting, land use for cultivation, eutrophication of reservoir, over grazing and
vegetation exploitation.

Jamam, (2011) studied the diversity of avifauna at the BARD (Bangladesh Academy for
Rural Development), Comilla. During their study period, they identified a total of 41 species
of birds. Out of which 20 species were non-passerines and 21passerines. Residential status
showed that 37 were resident and 4 were winter migrant. Illegal utilization of forest,
trapping, shooting of birds and collection of young as cage birds were found to be the main
causes for the declination of diversity and population of avifauna in the study area.

Jayson and Mathew, (1993) studied the structure and composition of bird communities in the
tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forests of Silent valley and Mukkali in the Western
Ghats of South India from 1988 to 1993. Line transect were employed to assess the birds’
community on monthly basis. They recorded were succeeded to record some 9,921
individuals of birds during their study period. Species richness of birds was similar in both

25
the habitats. The most dominant species of Silent valley was yellow-browed Bulbul, while at
Mukkali black Drongo was most common and jungle babbler was the dominant species. No
significant difference was found in bird’s species richness in the tropical ever green forests,
whereas difference in species richness was found in the tropical Moist Deciduous Forest.
From the study, it is found that a high diversity index of vegetation was a sign of increased
density of birds in tropical forests.

Sonal et al., (2010) studied avifaunal diversity at Masar Village Pond in Gujrat by transect
method and observed 53 species. They found maximum bird density during winter season,
with values 23450 plus minus 3963 birds/km2 and minimum during monsoon season with
2928 plus minus 1420 birds/km2. The species richness was also maximum during winter and
minimum during monsoon.

Vyas et al., (2010) studied diversity of water bird in winter season at Bhoj wetlands Bhopal
India using the line transect method and found Anatidae, the most dominant family that
prefers deep water with submerged vegetation.

Vyas et al., (2010) reported that the wetlands provides habitat for various types of birds in
different seasons and these occupy the habitats according to their niches, where they nest,
breed and rear their young ones. Birds also use wetlands as drinking water source and for
resting, shelter feeding and social interaction.

Jayson and Sivaperuman, (2011) studied about the avifauna of Thrissur district Kerala, India
for the period of 10 years from 1992 to 2002 and recorded 313 species belonging to 64
families. Among these birds 219 species were found to be residents, 68 were transcontinental
migrant, 26 were local migrant and one species was a staggler. Joshi and Bhat, (2011) studied
birds 0f Three Different Forest (Sal, Pine and Oak) habitats In Nainital District, India and
recorded 88 species of birds from Naintial, 106 and 95 species were recorded from Bhowali
and Haldwani forest habitat respectively.

Manikannan et al., (2011) observed the status, abundance and threats to water birds of the
Great Vedaranyam Swamp, Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary (Ramsar Site), and South-east
coast of India. They identified 46 water bird species at the Great Vedaranyam Swamp of the
Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary during October 2007 to March 2010 comprising of 11
families and 5 orders comprising 30 winter migrants, 9 residents and 7 seasonal migrants.

26
Mora et al., (2011) suggest that about 86% of species known on Earth and 91% of species in
the ocean still await proper documentation which in case of higher vertebrates is thought to
be less true as larger groups like birds are considered to be taxonomically well known, with
estimates that more than 95% of their global species diversity has been described.

Padhye et al., (2011) studied season and landscape element wise changes in the community
structure of avifauna of Tahmini, Northerrn Western Ghat, India. The biological resources of
this area were under threatened due to anthropogenic activities e.g. deforestation. By
monitoring and mapping the biodiversity in the first step of systematic conservation planning,
their study took the initial step of recording birds diversity, abundance and distribution along
the seasonal gradient and five landscape elements. Maximum diversity was reported in early
winter, spring and summer. Their analysis showed that Avifauna of Tamhini shows extremely
dynamic population changes which could be attributed to north-south migration, local
migration, breeding season, vegetation changes, food and water availability. Ding, (2011)
studied the Species Diversity at Different Spatial Scales Birds in Yushan, Taiwan, and East
Asia. They further investigated the spatial patterns and tested multiple hypotheses of bird
species richness at local (Yushan), regional (Taiwan), and continental (East Asia) scales. Bird
species richness showed a plateau then decreasing relationship with elevation at the local
scale, a hump-shaped relationship with elevation at the regional scale, and an inverse
relationship with latitude at the continental scale. Results suggest that energy availability is
possibly the ultimate factor for bird species richness at this scale. For the decreasing phase of
bird species richness along the elevational gradient, the energy limitation theory well explains
the species richness.

Padhye et al., (2011) studied the effect of habitat enrichment through landscape heterogeneity
on Bird diversity in suburban habitat in Almora India, using line transect and stationary point
count methods. Out of 61 total observed bird species, 28 were new reports from the study
site. They found that human habitat had higher avian species richness (S=50) compared to
non-human habitat (S=44).

Qureshi et al., (2011) studied about the biodiversity of KNPand found that KNP is home to 2
reptiles, 46 avian species and 25 mammalian species.

Rais et al., (2011) conducted a study to document the water birds of Kalar Kahar Lake,
Chakwal. They investigated the richness, density and relative abundance of avian fauna of the

27
region. 86 bird species belonging to 16 orders and 36 families were identified by them.
Residential status showed that 61.62 % were resident, 25.58% were winter visitors, 8.13%
summer visitors and 4.65% passage migrant, 33.72% of the avifauna in the lake were water
birds. Eutrophication and siltation was observed throughout the lake in addition to the
unregulated tourism and land encroachment.

Rittiboon and Karntanut, (2011) stated that the study of bird species diversity, distribution
and abundance is very crucial not only for knowledge but also for conservation purposes as
birds has been used as ecological indicators.

Saikia and Devi, (2011) identified 270 species of avian fauna in Jeypore Forest Reserve,
India, belonging to 56 families using line transect and point count method. Among the
documented species, 14 were globally threatened; five were endemic to the region, 153 were
resident common species, 87 resident rare species, 16 migratory common species and 14
were migratory rare species.

Chaudhary et al., (2012) worked on threatened and near threatened avifauna of Pakistan and
recorded sixteen threatened and near threatened species of birds belonging to 12 families and
sub-families and 8 orders. Out of total recorded species, nine were found to be near
threatened, five vulnerable, one endangered and one critically endangered.

Chilke, (2012) studied the avian diversity of Indian subcontinent and estimated 1300 species
for Indian subcontinent, which makes up 13% of the world’s bird species. According to him
birds play important roles in ecosystem as scavengers, pollinators, and predators of insects
and pests.

Chilke, (2012) studied avian diversity at Bamanwada Lake, India and encountered 58 bird
species belonging to 9 Orders and 29 families, with Passeriformes as dominating order of
birds, He suggests that future of these birds is in danger due to industrial development in
locality.

Chopra and Sharma, (2012) observed a total of 88 bird species by using point count method
in major wetlands of lower Shiwalik foothills in India which belonged to 17 orders and 32
families. Of the total species observed from the study area, 22 bird species were observed
from the aquatic habitat and 66 were recorded from the terrestrial habitat. Order
Passeriformes was dominating with 40% of the recorded species. As many as 24% species
were migratory. Of the 21 recorded migratory bird species, 13 (62%) were local migrants and

28
8 (38%) were winter migrants. Immigrations were mostly observed in November and
December, and the emigrations were recorded in late January and February. Based on the
frequency of their sightings during the field visits, 37 were designated as abundant, 30
common, 18 occasional and 3 as rare species.

Joshi et al., (2012) studied avian diversity at varying altitude to understand the vegetation
structure and its effect on bird community by using transect method and found that vegetation
structure of habitat is one of the key features affecting avian species at local level. They
found total 174 bird species belonging to 38 families. Study showed bird community value as
per species richness (7.74) and species diversity (3.68) higher at mid elevation i.e. 1450-
1700m above sea level. There was a positive correlation between avian diversity and richness
with the plant species diversity and foliage height.

McArthur et al., (2012) found 28 species of birds from Wellington City parks and reserves
during bird counts which included 15 native and 13 exotic bird species. Of the native birds
observed, 12 are typically found in native forests, the remaining three native species were
either open-country or coastal species namely Australasian harrier, welcome swallow and
black-backed gull.

Thakur and Narang, (2012) studied the population status and habitat use pattern of Indian
white-backed vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in Himachal Pradesh India using random sampling
technique. They encountered 22 nesting colonies, supporting 77 nests, out of which 56 pairs
bred successfully during breeding period. They reported a tendency for nest sites of the bird
under study within well-foliaged pine trees alongside the streams in pure chir pine forests, on
sloping hilly tract, with nest located in a tree fork within the canopies of Pinus raxburghii.

Thakur and Paliwal, (2012) studied avian diversity in Chandigarh India by deploying
stratified random sampling and found 239 species belonging to 156 genera, 54 families and
17 orders. Data analysis of residential status showed that: of total, 140 species were resident
or local migrants (including birds with seasonal influx) and remaining 99 were long range
migrants to the area. Out of 140 local migrant and resident birds, 73 (31%) species were local
migrants, 34 (14%) were residents, 18 (8%) represented winter influx and 15 (6%)
represented summer influx in the populations. In long range migrant’s category: 77 (32%)
species were winter visitors and 22 (9%) were summer visitors to the Study area. Study area
supported 95 (40%) common species, 79 (33%) very common, 50 (21%) uncommon, and 15
(6%) rare bird species.

29
Wang et al., (2000) analyzed the bird diversity of a primary broad-leaved evergreen forest on
the crest of the Ailao Mountains, and secondary pine forests, regenerating from clear-cut
evergreen broad-leaved forest. According to their study the avian species in intact forest was
better than in distributing regenerating forest the primary forest has 169 species in the
summer and 107 in the winter compared to 98 and 75 respectively for western slope and 72
and 49 for eastern slope. The research found that the variety of ecosystems supported a large
variety of bird species including 218 within the Ecological Reserve and 365 in the greater
Northern Ailao Mountains. This study was not only focused on resident birds, but also on
migratory birds.

Kumar and Gupta, (2013) studied the diversity and abundance of wetland birds in one of the
historically and regionally very important place in India, called Kurukshitra, known for a
number of water bodies and ponds present over there. During their study, they recorded about
54 species of wetland birds belonging to 36 genera and 15 families distributed in 5 orders.
Their study found that these water bodies are under pressure due to diverse anthropogenic
activities.

Pathan et al, (2014) explored the avifauna of Swat valley by conducting surveys. A total of
138 species were recorded from Swat valley, most of the species were migratory and few
were resident.

William et al., (2014) conducted a series of studies on distribution of Avifauna of Tehsil

Sambrial, District Sialkot, Punjab, Pakistan. According to their study a total of 35 bird
species belonging to 12 orders 27 families were reported from study area. Out of these 28
species are inhabitant, 2 are summer breeder and 5 are year-round visitor.

Abbas et al., (2014) studied the avifauna of Central Karakorum National Park including
district Nagar, Skardu and Ganche for the periods of three years from January 2011 to
December 2013. A total of 108 species belonging to 75 genera, 38 families and 16 orders
were identified in the study area. According to them main threats to the avian diversity in the
study area were degradation of habitat due to human activities like shooting, trapping,
poaching and use of pesticides in fruit orchard and agricultural fields.

Abbas et al., (2014) studied avian diversity of Central Karakoram National Park, the largest
National Park in terms of area in Pakistan using direct observation method and line transect
method and identified 108 species belonging to 75 genera, 38 families and 16 orders.

30
According to them Passeriformes was dominating order with 57% species followed by
Anseriformes 7%, Charadriiformes 6%, Accipitriformes 6%, Columbiformes 5%,
Galliformes and Falconiformes 4% each, Pelecaniformes 3%, Coraciiformes and Gruiformes
2% each and Bucerotiformes, Apodiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Piciformes, Suliformes and
Strigiformes 1% each. Out of 108 bird species 57 were resident, 26 species were summer
visitors and 25 were winter visitor species. Relative abundance studies showed 38 species
were uncommon, 37 were common, 17 were very common and 16 species were rare.

According to Birdlife International (BLI, 2015) out of the total globally threatened species of
birds, 1186 323 (12% of Asia’s Avifauna) occur in Asia. Additional 317 species are close to
the category of globally threatened. For 23 species, there is not enough information to make a
direct or indirect assessment, but these too may be at risk. Together, 664 species of Asian
Avifauna are of conservation concern at global level. In South Asia, the habitats of threatened
species include Indus Basin, western Himalayan Temperate Forest, South Indian and Sri
Lankan wetlands, Assam and Sylhet plains, Bay of Bengal coast, Sino-Himalayan mountain
forests, Indian peninsula and Sri Lankan forests, South Asian arid habitats.

Barrowclough et al., (2016) took some 200 species out of the total 9159 biological species
described primarily by morphological criteria and applied a diagnostic, evolutionary species
concept to the distributional data set that resulted in an estimate of 18,043 species of the birds
worldwide with a 95% confidence interval of 15,845 to 20,470. Therefore, both molecular
and morphological results suggest that the current taxonomy of birds under estimates avian
species diversity by at least a factor of two. Thus, they suggested that a revised taxonomy
that better captures avian species diversity is needed.

31
CHAPTER 3

MATERIAL AND METHODS

3.1 Description of the study area

3.1.1 Central Karakorum National Park

The Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP) is the largest national park of Pakistan Better
to call it “A Park between earth and sky” asit is home not only to the world’s 2nd highest
mountain peak, The Godwin Austin (K2, 8611m) but also consisting three other peaks over
8,000m a.s.l, including, “The Gasherberum-I, 8068, Gasherbrum-II, 8035 m, and Broad Peak,
8051 m a.s.l in addition to sixty other peaks higher than 7,000m a.s.l. It is also the highest
altitude National Park of Pakistan. Its boundaries fall within five districts of Gilgit-Baltistan
which include District Gilgit, Nagar, Skardu, Ghanche and Shiger, covering an area of
10,557.73 km2 (Core zone: 7,606.83 km2 and Buffer zone: 2,950.9km2) containing 230
villages within its buffer zone. It was officially notified in 1993(www.cknp.org.pk).

According to (GoGB, 2010), CKNP is home to rich and exclusive wildlife biodiversity and
of global importance such as Snow Leopard (Panther uncia), Ladakh Urial (Ovis orientalis),
Astore Markhor (Capra falconeri), Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster), Himalayan lynx
(Lynx lynx), Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) and Himalayan Ibex (Capra ibex siberica) etc.
whereas plants include Blue Pine, Spruce, Birch, Juniper and variety of medicinally and
economically important shrubs and herbs (HagglerBailly Paksitan, 2005a, b). Several other
important peaks like Rakaposhi, Dubani, Golden Peak etc, which host the largest
concentration of glaciers outside of polar region and ultimate destination for trekkers and
mountaineers, expeditions and other nature lovers are all exclusive features of CKNP.

The present study area supports a number of wetlands comprising of rivers, streams, lakes,
swamps, peatlands, agricultural lands, Alpine and sub-alpine forest patches and a number of
human settlements. The flora of the area is dominated by species like Acacia catechu,
Delberigia sissoo, Eucalyptus, Butea monosperma, Lanaea coromandelica, Morus alba,
Lantana camara, Ipomea carnea, species, etc. Moreover, fruit trees like apricot, apple,
almonds, walnuts, cherry etc are commonly found in the valley. The valley is drained by a
number of streams coming down the mountains due to melting of glaciers. Besides, there are

32
a number of small seasonal streams flowing throughout the valley. In addition, good
vegetation in and around the study areaeven aroundhuman settlements is a characteristic
feature of the study area (Fig. 1).

Figure 1 Land cover Map of Study Area

3.1.2 Study area outside the Central Karakorum National Park

The Borith Lake is a small saline water body in the Gojal Tehsil of District Hunza, Gilgit-
Baltistan, Pakistan. It is about 850m in length and 270m at its widest. The lake is located in a
small depression in above main Gojal valley, at an elevation of about 2600 meters.
Geographically it is also interesting due to the fact that the lake lies between the Passu and
Ghulkin Glaciers, on the northern and southern sides, on the west lies the great Batura
Muztagh, with some of the 7000m peaks like Batura Sar (7,795m), Shispare (7,611m), Passu
Sar (7,476m) Ultar Sar (7,388m) and Sangemarmar Sar (7,000m). It lies approximately 5 km
to the north of Gulmit valley, and can be reached via a 2-km unpaved road from Husseini
village, situated atthe main Karakorum Highway. This lake is very unique in a sense that
whole of Gilgit-Baltistan is a freshwater source of almost all Pakistan but this particular lake

33
is the only entity in the region with saline or brackish water. The site is an important
migrating place especially for the waterfowl.

3.1.3 Vegetation and Ecological Zones of Gilgit-Baltistan

According to the studies conducted by (Roberts, 1991 and Roberts, 1997), Gilgit-Baltistan
has been divided into five distinct zones which possess the diverse range of flora that
supports a rich faunal diversity, including an estimated 54 species of mammals, 230 species
of birds, 23 species of reptiles and 20 species of fishes. The richness of the biodiversity is
attributed to the extreme variations in the altitude and climate of the area. Distinct ecological
zones according to (Abbas and Ejaz, 2012), report on Ecological and agro-ecological
zonations of Gilgit-Baltistan are described below:

3.1.3.1 Dry Alpine Zones and Permanent Snowfields

In this ecological zone of Gilgit-Baltistan there are vast glaciers, boulder fields and sheer
cliffs. This zone prevails at high altitude typically above tree line i.e. above 3800 meters,
around the major peaks of the Karakorum Mountains. It covers most of Nagar District, upper
Hunza and the northern parts of Baltistan region (Abbas and Ejaz, 2012)

3.1.3.2 Alpine Meadows and Alpine Scrub

It lies between the high valleys and the permanent snowfields, between 3,500 and 3,800
meters. It is categorized by lush, green and well-watered alpine meadows, located on high
altitude valley bottoms or high plateau neighboring the main water course. This ecological
zone is present in almost all higher areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly where mountains
range above the tree line. These alpine meadows provide sustenanceto a wide variety of
wildflowers, grasses, sedges and other plants (Abbas and Ejaz, 2012).

3.1.3.3 Sub-Alpine Scrub

This ecological zone is spread all over the higher mountains of the Himalaya, Hindu Kush
and Karakorum. In Gilgit-Baltistan, it is present in district Nagar, Hunza, Gilgit, Skardu,
Ghizer and Astore. However, it is often confined to small ravines on the upper slopes. The
vegetation consists of small deciduous species such as Betula utlis, and evergreens such as
Juniperus communis and Rhododendron hypenanthemum (Abbas and Ejaz, 2012).

34
3.1.3.4 Dry Temperate Coniferous Forest

This zone is present on the inner or northerly slopes of the Himalaya, between 1,500 and
3400 meters. They occur in part of Gilgit, Diamer and Baltistan districts, and are
characterized by single species stands of conifers. Characteristic tree species include Picea
smithiana, Cedrus deodara and Pinus wallichiana, with scrub of Quercus ilex and Juglans
regia & dispersed shrubs of Artemisia maritime and other species (Abbas & Ejaz, 2012).

3.1.3.5 Dry Temperate Evergreen Oak Scrub

Dry Temperate zone is a transitional zone, lying between 1,500 and 2,500 meters. Vegetation
of this zone is dominated by dry oak forest (Quercus ilex). Rarely individuals of evergreen
species are also found, comprising of Pinus gererdaina, Pinus wallichiana, Cedrus deodara
and Juniperus spp.

3.2 Research Methods

3.2.1 Study design
Rigorous Field surveys were conducted for the period of almost 6 years between March, 2011
and December, 2016 to assess the avian diversity, distribution and conservation in and around
CKNP. The survey methodologies mainly included the lines transect method and Point count
method used earlier by a number of researchers in their studies like (Burnham et al., 1980;
Simpson, 1949 and Verner, 1985). The classification system followed here is from Birdlife
checklist version 09 of December 2016 (Lepage, 2017).

3.3 Data Collection

3.3.1 Bird, diversity, distribution and abundance

The surveys were conducted during early morning till dusk keeping in mind the active period
of birds. Garmin Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to record the observation points.
Species and individuals observed were noted on regular basis and analysed for relative
abundance on the basis of frequency of sightings as did by (McKinnon and Philips, 1993) and
different categories were assigned such as Very common for the birds recorded > 65% of the
observation points, common for the birds recorded between 40-64%, Un common for the
species recorded between 10-39% and rare for the avian species recorded <10%. The
residential status of the birds present in the current study area was designed on the basis of

35
presence or absence method which earlier was also applied by (Thakur et. al., 2002 and 2010)
in his research on avian diversity. Abinocular (10 x 50 mm Nikon and Nekula) and
Swarovski spotting scopes (20 x 60 mm and 20x40mm) were used to observe and identifythe
species and where ever possible photos with the help of (Canon EOS7D Mark II) and Sony
(SONEY DSLR A 200) cameras were shot. For species identification four avian field guides
viz. “Birds of Pakistan Volume 1 and 2 by (Roberts, 1992), “Birds of the Indian
subcontinent” by (Grimmett, 2001), “The Book of Indian Birds” by (Ali, 2002) and “A field
guide to the Birds of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the
Maldives” by (Kazmierczak, 2006) were used.

The study area was categorized into three main types (wetlands including rivers, streams and
lakes, farmland/settlements including low altitude shrubs and pasturelands including forest
patches, shrubs, grassland and excluding high altitude wetlands). As applied earlier by
(Jankowski et al., 2010; Terborgh et al., 1990 and Robinson, 2001) line transect and points
were selected randomly and around each point 200-meter radius was scanned for observing
and counting the avian species.

The points where observations were taken during the present survey are given below:

Table 1 Points of Observations during the survey

District Nagar

GPS N GPS E

36°10'47.65" 74°58'50.45"
36°10'12.57" 74°59'39.68"
36°10'29.91" 74°59'42.43"
36° 7'48.94" 75° 0'55.41"
36° 8'44.71" 75° 8'45.75"
36° 7'6.80" 75°13'27.27"
36° 9'32.11" 74°55'12.50"
36° 8'16.49" 74°53'39.69"
36°11'5.42" 74°49'30.92"
36°11'9.47" 74°45'39.10"
36°13'6.90" 74°45'44.01"

36
36°13'44.70" 74°45'2.13"
36°14'17.81" 74°45'30.02"
36°14'32.01" 74°44'35.55"
36°16'2.09" 74°44'30.82"
36°16'13.06" 74°43'26.71"
36°16'31.83" 74°43'51.89"
36°16'13.40" 74°42'44.15"
36°16'43.68" 74°42'32.88"
36°16'23.74" 74°44'39.09"
36°17'48.62" 74°41'7.86"
36°15'19.71" 74°42'26.99"
36°17'40.99" 74°40'45.57"
36°17'50.49" 74°39'42.97"
36°17'51.96" 74°38'30.62"
36°18'25.66" 74°38'29.69"
36°17'49.05" 74°37'44.58"
36°17'32.38" 74°36'59.86"
36°18'37.12" 74°38'58.02"
36°18'28.82" 74°38'7.21"
36°17'53.19" 74°37'24.32"
36°16'8.86" 74°39'23.99"
36°15'10.42" 74°38'49.56"
36°14'57.57" 74°32'31.25"
36°14'49.42" 74°31'3.54"
36°14'16.23" 74°29'10.16"
36°12'41.82" 74°33'50.23"
36°14'17.13" 74°22'22.58"
36°14'34.24" 74°22'36.89"
36°14'51.22" 74°22'30.26"
36°14'36.05" 74°22'40.80"
36°12'60.00" 74°21'27.63"
36°11'53.96" 74°20'56.94"

37
District Gilgit
36° 7'15.69" 74°17'57.02"
36° 6'27.07" 74°19'34.51"
36° 5'58.67" 74°17'56.72"
36° 7'28.78" 74°17'36.54"
36° 6'13.07" 74°17'33.91"
36° 5'27.54" 74°19'27.36"
35°54'34.00" 74°22'50.37"
35°54'20.39" 74°23'14.73"
36° 2'28.67" 74°35'48.91"
36° 3'17.79" 74°34'1.79"
35°59'38.63" 74°31'59.01"
35°57'3.20" 74°35'35.63"
35°56'3.19" 74°34'6.26"
35°56'28.28" 74°32'40.41"
35°50'23.92" 74°44'36.44"
35°53'21.70" 74°45'36.98"
35°52'17.23" 74°46'36.33"
35°53'49.40" 74°47'38.47"
35°53'36.20" 74°53'10.53"
35°53'50.14" 74°52'56.32"
35°55'33.10" 74°51'45.49"
35°57'47.73" 74°41'54.10"
District Skardu
35°46'18.51" 75° 2'31.74"
35°42'15.88" 75° 2'48.39"
35°13'56.20" 75°37'51.67"
35°19'39.35" 75°38'1.54"
35°16'37.95" 75°38'32.59"
35° 36' 27.2 075°22' 57.4
35° 36' 26.9 075°22' 57.2
35° 36' 40.8 075°21' 27.8
35°23'11.20" 75°30'52.15"

38
District Shiger
35°21'41.32" 75°40'13.69"
35°22'5.25" 75°41'14.65"
35°22'17.51" 75°43'14.27"
35° 22 25.1 076°06 40.9
35° 22'07.0 076°20' 56.4
35° 22'06.4 076°20' 56.7
35° 23'44.3 076°19' 19.0
35° 22'41.6 076°19' 33.3
35° 22'27.0 076°19' 53.0
35° 22'57.0 076°19' 08.6
35° 22'07.0 076°20' 56.4
35° 46' 48.2 075°25' 07.5
35° 48' 34.6 075°25' 52.9
35° 47' 01.4 075°22' 45.4
35° 36' 27.2 075°22' 57.4
35° 36' 26.9 075°22' 57.2
35° 36' 40.8 075°21' 27.8
35°21'44.30" 75°42'4.87"
35°23'58.31" 75°44'36.08"
35°25'3.76" 75°43'48.46"
35°25'12.91" 75°44'35.88"
35°25'42.51" 75°56'6.05"
35°26'21.14" 75°47'43.65"
35°25'47.92" 75°43'29.44"
35°25'45.35" 75°44'23.11"
35°24'47.43" 75°43'12.85"
35°26'9.06" 75°42'54.44"
35°28'40.79" 75°40'33.33"
35°28'4.05" 75°42'20.20"
35°29'57.58" 75°40'17.28"
35°32'20.85" 75°35'44.28"

39
35°45'50.91" 75°23'35.72"
35°46'20.82" 75°23'42.47"
35°46'56.90" 75°23'59.50"
35°46'30.19" 75°25'8.69"
35°47'50.94" 75°26'25.04"
35°50'33.95" 75°19'12.55"
35°52'5.30" 75°19'25.40"
35°51'10.57" 75°17'38.69"
35°52'9.07" 75°22'20.44"
District Hunza
36°18'11.97" 74°50'52.01"
36°18'53.39" 74°51'23.71"
36°20'58.37" 74°51'45.49"
36°23'29.89" 74°51'17.80"
36°25'50.30" 74°51'44.96"
36°25'35.57" 74°51'46.15"E
36°25'36.81"N 74°51'40.36"E
36°25'42.69"N 74°51'40.93"E
36°25'56.24"N 74°51'41.07"E
36°26'6.83" 74°51'41.33"E
36°25'52.99"N 74°51'48.84"E
36°25'42.89" 74°51'49.75"E
36°18'23.74"N 74°49'25.70"
36°18'7.04"N 74°49'38.01"E
36°17'57.81"N 74°50'2.13"E
36°18'36.08"N 74°50'40.31"E
36°19'2.69"N 74°51'39.70"E
36°19'42.19"N 74°52'15.38"E
36°20'16.71"N 74°52'14.57"
36°21'1.03"N 74°52'8.50"E
36°21'19.78"N 74°51'34.64"E
36°24'4.03"N 74°50'46.39"E

40
36°27'31.57"N 74°53'0.32"E
36°27'23.40"N 74°52'52.49"E
36°27'32.37"N 74°52'47.19"E
36°28'56.56" 74°48'11.81"E
District Ghanche
35°28'35.35" 76°21'11.78"
35°27'6.65" 76°21'23.33"
35°27'22.79" 76°21'30.48"
35°26'39.81" 76°21'34.94"
35°26'16.50" 76°21'41.07"
35°22'15.19" 76°22'14.38"
35° 22 25.1 076°06 40.9
35° 22'07.0 076°20' 56.4
35° 22 25.1 076°06 40.9
35° 22'07.0 076°20' 56.4
35° 22'06.4 076°20' 56.7
35° 23'44.3 076°19' 19.0
35° 22'41.6 076°19' 33.3
35° 22'27.0 076°19' 53.0
35° 22'57.0 076°19' 08.6
35° 22'07.0 076°20' 56.4
35° 23'56.0 076°17' 08.1
35° 23'55.9 076°17' 08.2
35° 24'02.1 076°18' 04.2
35° 23'59.5 076°18' 12.7
35° 23'50.5 076°18' 35.2
35° 25 52.4 076°03 45.9
35° 25 44.1 076°03 46.0
35° 25 02.7 076°04' 29.1
35° 25 33.3 076°07' 23.9
35° 25' 36.5 076°07' 13.7
35° 25 22.1 076°05 30.9

41
35° 25 47.8 076°03 08.9
35°17'46.0 75°59'57.1
35°18'00.6 75°00'38.7
35°16'58.7 75°59'50.3
35°17'26.8 75°58'45.7
35°18'13.8 75°58'44.2
35°21'45.89" 76°22'4.69"
35°14'55.46" 76°24'26.97"
35°10'52.06" 76°22'32.64"
35°28’07" 75°41'06.8"
35°28’03.4" 75°40'58.2"
35°28’01.6" 75°41'12.4"
35° 28’ 03" 75°41'15.0"
35°27’57.5" 75°41'20.6"
35°27’55.9" 75°41'17.2"
35°27’54.5" 75°41'18.1"
35°27’52.1" 75°41'18.2"
35°27’50.2" 75°’19.0"
35°27’40.6" 75°41’25.1"
35°27’35.5" 75°41’33.4"
35°27’32.5" 75°41’45.6"
35°27’31.2" 75°41’52.9"
35°27’23.2" 75°41’49.8"
35°27’26.4" 75°41’38.5"
35°27’30.6" 75°41’32.1"
35°27’42.4" 75°41’17.4"
35°27’56.3" 75°41’01.1"
35°46’86.11” 75°68’52.22”
35°46’76.11" 75°68’28.33"
35°46’71.11" 75°68’67.77"
35°03’41.66" 75°68’75"
35°46’59.72" 75°68’90.55"

42
35°46’55.27" 75°68’81.11"
35°46’51.38" 75°68’83.61"
35°46’44.72" 75°68’83.88"
35°46’39.44" 75°68’86.11"
35°46’12.77" 75°69’03.05"
35°45’98.61" 75°69’26.11"
35°45’90.27" 75°69’6"
35°45’86.66" 75°69’80.27"
35°45’64.44" 75°69’71.66"
35°45’73.33" 75°69’40.27"
35°45’85" 75°69’22.5"
35°46’17.77" 75°68’81.66"
35°46’56.38" 75°68’36.38"
35°23’28.3" 75°44’19.4"
35°23’27" 75°44’13.9"
35°23’08.4" 75°44’21.1"
35°23’03.5" 75°44’29.2"
35°23’08.2" 75°44’28.2"
35°23’17.9" 75°44’23.7"
35°29`54.9" 75°39`35.7"
35°29`57.1" 75°39`31.9"
35°29`59.1" 75°39`24.3"
35°30`00.9" 75°39`19.9"
35°29`57.7" 75°39`18.1"
35°29`55.4" 75°39`17.6"
35°29`48.3" 75°39`26.0"
35°29`42.5" 75°39`34.3"
35°29`38.0" 75°39`39.0"
35°29`37.6" 75°39`43.8"
35°29`30.1" 75°39`55.1v
35°29`21.2" 75°39`58.0"
35°29`15.0" 75°40`09.9"

43
35°29`21.0" 75°40`11.2"
35°29`25.4" 75°40`03.4"
35°29`38.3" 75°40`12.4"
35°29`40.4" 75°40`08.3v
35°30`00.5" 75°40`23.1"
35°30`03.1" 75°40`21.2"
35°30`00.3" 75°40`15.6"
35°30`01.4" 75°40`14.4"
35°29`57.8" 75°40`07.8"
35°29`42.7" 75°39`51.5"

Figure 2 Map of Study Area Showing Observation Point and Distribution of Avian Species

44
3.3 Data Analysis

3.3.1 Systematic Species richness and abundance

The systematic species list (Table 2) was prepared by listing all species observed and
identified whereas relative abundance or number of individuals of each of the encountered
species) was computed in Excel 2016 spreadsheet.

For the assessment of the conservation status, IUCN Redlist categorizes viz., Extinct (EX),
Extinct in the wild (EW), Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU),
Near Threatened (NT), Least Concern (LC), Data Deficient (DD) and Not Evaluated (NE)
were used (IUCN, 2014).

3.3.2 Statistical analyses

Statistical Package for Social Science or Statistical Product Services and Solutions (IBM
SPSS) Version 21 software was used for the statistical analysis of the data acquired during
the filed surveys.

As used earlier by (Mutagwaba, 2010) the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test
the difference in number of birds between, the habitat types and districts/localities. Number
of birds was treated as a response variable while habitat type and location as predictor
variables. For correlation of species between habitat types and orders and localities the
Pearson Correlation was calculated using the SPSS.

3.3.3 Diversity index

Past programme 3 software was used to assess the species diversity in terms of richness and
evenness, Shannon Weiner and Simpson diversity indices were calculated for species within
different avian orders locations and habitat types conditions.

45
CHAPTER 4

RESULTS

4.1 Bird Diversity and Abundance

From the study area in and around the Central Karakoram National Park, overall (N=15,519)
individuals belonging to (n=214) avian specieswere observed during the current study period.
Out of the total 8968 individuals of 119 species belong to order Passeriformes, 995
individuals of 15 species to Anseriformes, 988 individuals of 22 to Charadriiformes, 720
individuals of 5 species to Galliformes, 633 individuals of 14 species to Accipitriformes, 516
individuals of 3 species to Gruiformes, 484 individuals of 7 species to Columbiformes, 379
individuals of 4 species to Caprimulgifromes, 356 individuals of 5 species to Falconiformes,
140 individuals of 1 species to Bucerotriformes, 130 individuals of 7 species to
Coraciformes, 111 individuals of 2 species to Piciformes, 83 individuals of 5 species to
Pelecaniformes, 48 individuals of 2 species to Strigiformes, 36 individuals of 2 species to
Phoenicopteriformes and 33 individuals of 1 species to Cuculiformes(Fig. 3 and Fig. 4).

Order wise Number of Species

119
FALCONIFORMES 5
2
CORACIIFORMES 7
Avian Orders

1
ACCIPITRIFORMES 14
2
CHARADRIIFORMES 22
5
GRUIFORMES 3
1
CAPRIMULGIFORMES 4
7
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES 2
5
ANSERIFORMES 15

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Number of Species

Figure 3 Order-wise Number of Species in and around CKNP

46
 Order-wsie Number of Individuals
9867
FALCONIFORMES 356
111
CORACIIFORMES 130
140
ACCIPITRIFORMES 633
Avian Orders

48
CHARADRIIFORMES 988
83
GRUIFORMES 516
33
CAPRIMULGIFORMES 379
484
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES 36
720
ANSERIFORMES 995

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

Number of individuals

Figure 4 Order-wise Number of Individuals in and around CKNP

4.2 Distribution of Birds Species within and Around CKNP

4.2.1 Distribution with Respect to Habitat Types
The study area was divided into three habitat types (Wetland, Farmland/Settlement and
Pastureland). Out of the total (N=15,519 individuals and n=214 species), 2618 individuals
belonging to 47 species were recorded from the wetlands whereas 10,835 individuals of 146
species were recorded from the farmland and settlements area and 2066 birds belonging to 21
different species were observed in the pasturelands of the study area (Fig. 5 and 6).

HabitaT Type-wise Distribution of Avian Species in and around

CKNP

2.786624204
Habitat Types

Pasturelands 21

Farmlands and Settlement 9.686836518

146
Density (Number of Birds/km2)
Wetlands 6.13448888
47 Number of Species

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Number of Species/Density of Avian Species Per Square Kilometer

Figure 5 Habitat Type-wise Distribution of Avian Species in and around the CKNP

47
 HabitaT Type-wise Distribution of Avian
Individuals in and around CKNP
Pasturelands 274.1507431
2066
Habitat Types

Farmlands and Settlement 718.8826964

10835

Wetlands 341.7040827
2618

0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

Number of Species/Density of Avian Individuals Per Square Kilometer

Figure 6 Habitat-wise Distribution of Avian individuals in and around the CKNP

4.2.1.1 Distribution of Birds in Farmlands and Settlements

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the number of avian individuals in the Farmland
and Settlements of the study area varied significantly with locations (p < 0.000, F= 11.680, df
= 5) (Table 2).

Table 2 Analysis of Variance (ANOV) for numberof Individuals of Farmland and

Settlements with locations

ANOVA
Number of Individuals in Farmland and Settlements Vs Locations
Sum of Squares Df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 13821.276 5 2764.255 11.680 .000
Within Groups 131589.864 556 236.672
Total 145411.141 561
The number of species found in Farmlands and Settlements of District Nagar was highest
with (28.67±2.66, n=107) species followed by District Gilgit with (16.82±9.58 n=105)
species, District Hunza with (13.89±7.78 n=96) species, District Skardu and District Shiger
(15.98±9.48 n=87 in district Skardu and 19.42±11.62 n=87 in District Shiger) and District
Ghanche with the least number of species with (19.81±14.48 n=80) species (Fig. 7).

48
 Farmland and Settlement
120 107 105
96
Number of Species
100 87 87
80
80
60
40
20
0
District Nagar District Hunza District Gilgit District Skardu District District Shiger
Ghanche
Location in and around CKNP

Farmland and Settlement

Figure 7 Location Wise Comparison of Avian Species Abundance in Farmland and

Settlements (±SE)

Similarly, the number of individuals found in the Farmland and Settlements were also in
highest number in District Nagar with N=3068 followed by District Gilgit with N=1767,
District Skardu with N=1690, District Ghanche with N= 1585, District Shiger with N=-1391
and the least number of individuals were recorded in District Hunza with N=1334 individuals
(Fig. 8).

FARMLAND AND SETTLEMENT

Farmland and Settlement

3500
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS

3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
DI ST R IC T DI ST R IC T DI ST R IC T DI ST R IC T DI ST R IC T DISTR IC T
NAGAR HUNZA GILGIT SKARDU G HANC HE SHIGER

LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND FARMLAND AND SETTLEMENTS OF CKNP

Figure 8 Location Wise Comparison of Abundance of Avian Individuals in Farmlands

and Settlements (±SE)

49
4.2.1.2 Distribution of Birds in Pasturelands

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the number of avian individuals in the
Pasturelands of the study area varied significantly with locations (p = 0.049, F= 2.319, df = 5)
(Table 3).

Table 3 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for number of avian individuals in Pasturelands

with locations

ANOVA
Number of Individuals in Pasturelands Vs Locations
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 3009.411 5 601.882 2.319 .049
Within Groups 24653.638 95 259.512
Total 27663.050 100

The Pasturelands of District Nagar and District Shiger were found to be home of highest
pasturelands species (31.11±6.55 n=18 in Nagar and 17.11±2.94, n=18) in District Shiger
followed by District Skardu and Ghanche (20.35±3.56, n=17) species in district Skardu and
(20.29±3.43, n=17) species in District Ghanche and District Gilgit with (19.06±2.41,n=16
species)while, in the pasrturelands of District Hunza species diversity was the least as
compared to the rest of Districts with (13.46±1.96,n=15) species (Fig. 9).

Pastureland
20
Number of Individuals

15

10

0
District Nagar District Hunza District Gilgit District Skardu District District Shiger
Ghanche
Locations in and around Pasturelands of CKNP

Pastureland

Figure 9 Location Wise Comparison of Number of Species in Pasturelands (±SE)

50
Similarly, the number of individuals found in the Pasturelands were also in highest number in
District Nagar with N=560 individuals followed by District Skardu and District Ghanche
with N= 346 and 345 individuals each, District Shiger with N=-308, n=305 individuals in
District Gilgit and the least number of individuals were recorded from the pasturelands of
District Hunza with N=202 individuals (Fig. 10).

Number of Individuals in Pasturelands

700
Number of Individuals

600
500
400
300
200
100
0
District Nagar District Hunza District Gilgit District Skardu District District Shiger
Ghanche
Locations in and around Pasturelands of CKNP

Pastureland

Figure 10 Location wise Comparison of Abundance of Individuals in Pasturelands (±SE)

4.2.1.3 Distribution of Birds in Wetlands

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the number of avian individuals in the Wetlands
of the study area varied significantly with locations (p < 0.015, F= 2.92, df = 5) (Table 4).

Table 4 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for number of avian individuals in Wetlands with
locations

ANOVA
Number of Individuals in Wetlands Vs Locations
Sum of Squares df Mean Square F Sig.
Between Groups 4213.723 5 842.745 2.927 .015
Within Groups 42323.388 147 287.914
Total 46537.111 152

51
The number of species found in the wetlands of District Hunza were exceptionally the highest
with (16.79±3.09 n=41species) and most of them were migratory species followed by District
Shiger with (13.43±1.46 n=32 species), District Gilgit with (13.73±1.57 n=23 species),
District Nagar with (29.54±6.65 n=22 species), District Skardu with (16.15±2.34 n=19
species) and the least number of wetland dependent species were found in District Ghanche
with only (14.75±1.97 n=16 species)from the study area (Fig. 11).

Number of Species in Wetlands in and arpund

CKNP
50
45
40
35
Number of Species

30
25
20
15
10
5
0

Locations in and around CKNP

Wetland

Figure 11 Location wise Comparison of Avian Species Diversity in Wetlands (±SE)

Similarly, the for the number of Individuals, N=679 individuals were counted from District
Hunza, N=650 from district Nagar, N=430 individuals from District Shiger, N=-316
individuals from District Gilgit, N= 306 individuals from District Skardu and the least
number of individuals found in the wetlands of the study area were recorded from District
Ghanche with N=236 individuals (Fig. 12).

52
 Number of Individuals in the Wetlands of
Study Area
800

700

600
Number of Individuals

500

400

300

200

100

Location in and around CKNP

Wetland

Figure 12 Location wise Comparison of Abundance of Avian Individuals in Wetlands (±SE)

4.2.2 Distribution with Respect to Locations/Districts

Six Districts of Gilgit-Baltistan were selected for the current study. Out of which five districts
(Nagar, Gilgit, Skardu, Ghanche and Shiger) fall within the Central Karakorum National Park
and one District namely, District Hunza was selected from outside of the CKNP. Out of the
total (N=15,519 individuals and n=214 species), 4278 individuals belonging to 147 species
were recorded from District Nagar of CKNP while 2215 individuals belonging to 152 species
were recorded from District Hunza outside the CKNP and similarly 2388 individuals of 145
species were recorded from District Gilgit 2343 individuals belonging to 123 species from
District Skardu, 2166 individuals belonging to 113 species from District Ghanche, while the
avian abundance recorded from District shiger, the bufferzone valley of CKNP was 2101
individuals that belonged to137 species (Fig. 13, 14 and 15).

53
 Location wise Number of Species
180

160 152
147 144
137
140
123
113
120

100

80

60

40

20

0
Nagar Hunza Gilgit Skardu Ghanche Shiger

Figure 13 District wise Distribution of Avian Species in and around CKNP

Figure 14 GIS Map of Study Area Showing District Wise Distribution of Birds

54
 Location wise Number of Individuals
4500 4278

4000

3500

3000
2388 2343
2500 2215 2166 2129
2000

1500

1000

500

0
Nagar Hunza Gilgit Skardu Ghanche Shiger

Figure 15 District wise Number of Individuals of the Avian Species

4.2.2.1 Location wise Avian Species Diversity Index and Evenness

Analysis for variance (one-way ANOVA) shows significance difference between the number
of birds in different location (F=5.48, df=592.6 p= <0.000). Location wise observation of
birds in the study area showed a mean of about 29.10± 2.30 birds per 241 observations in the
District Nagar compared to a mean of about 16.58 ± 0.78 birds per 241 observations recorded
from District Gilgit, 19.05 ± 1.07 birds per 40 observation recorded from District Skardu,
14.57± 0.99birds per 241 observation recorded from District Hunza, 19.17 ± 1.29 birds
recorded per 241 observation from District Ghanche and 15.54 ± 0.83 birds recorded per 241
observation from district Shiger of the study area (Table 5 and 6).

Table 5 Location wise Distribution of Birds in the study area

Location N Number Observation Minimum Maximum Sum Mean

Statistic of birds Points Statistic Statistic Statistic Statistic Std.
Error
Nagar 147 4278 40 2.00 200.00 4278.00 29.1020 2.30495
Hunza 152 2215 41 1.00 130.00 2215.00 14.5724 0.98925
Gilgit 144 2388 40 1.00 50.00 2388.00 16.5833 0.77872
Skardu 123 2343 40 3.00 60.00 2343.00 19.0488 1.06961
Ghanche 113 2166 40 1.00 70.00 2166.00 19.1681 1.29064
Shiger 137 2129 40 2.00 55.00 2129.00 15.5401 0.82652

55
Table 6 Location wise Distribution of number of individuals

One-Way ANOVA Sum of sqrs Df Mean square F p

Between groups: 16280.4 5 3256.08 13.35 0.000
Within groups: 311711 1278 243.905
Total: 327991 1283
The Shannon-Weiner and Simpson diversity indices and species evenness also vary
significantly between the different locations. The Shannon diversity index for district Gilgit
was found to be the highest (16.58±0.77 4, H=4.81.81) followed by District Hunza
(14.57±0.99, H=4.80), District Shiger (15.54±0.82, H=4.75), District Nagar (29.10±2.30,
H=4.66), District Skardu (19.05±1.07, H= 4.63), while for district Ghanche the Shannon
diversity was the lowest with (19.17± 1.29, H=4.49) (Table 6 and Fig 16, 17 and 18).

Shannon_H
4.9 4.814
4.806
4.8 4.747
4.668
4.7 4.632
4.6
4.498
4.5 Shannon_H
4.4
4.3
4.2
Nagar Hunza Gilgit Skardu Ghanche Shiger

Figure 16 Location wise Shannon index of diversity for avian communities (Mean±SE)

Simpson_1-D
0.992 0.9909
0.991 0.9899
0.99 0.9888 0.9887
0.989
0.988 0.987 0.9867
0.987
0.986
0.985
0.984
0.983
Nagar Hunza Gilgit Skardu Ghanche Shiger

Figure 17 Location wise Simpson index of diversity for avian communities (Mean±SE)

56
 Evenness_e^H/S
1
0.856 0.8351 0.8408
0.9 0.804 0.7948
0.8 0.7244
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Nagar Hunza Gilgit Skardu Ghanche Shiger

Figure 18 Location wise evenness for avian communities (Mean±SE)

4.3 Status of Birds in the study area

4.3.1 Residential status of the Avian Species
Of the total avian species (n=214) recorded from the study area, it was observed that108avian
species live in the study area round the year, called (Residents) whose number were seen to
be increased during winters or summers as a result of migratory influx, while 62 species were
observed to visit the study area during the summer season, called as the (Summer Visitors)
and similarly 44 species were recorded only during winters, called as the (Winter Visitors)
(Fig. 19).

Residential Status of Avian Species in and around CKNP

Summer visitor (SV) 62

Residential Status

Winter visitor (WV) 44

Resident with summer influx (R/SV) 11

Resident with winter influx (R/WV) 3

Resident (R) 94

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Number of Species

Figure 19 Residential Status of Avian Species found in and around CKNP

57
4.3.1 Relative Abundance
Relative abundance of species was recorded as 74 species were found common 61
uncommon, 66 rare andfrequency of sightings of 13 species were recorded to be very were
commonin the study area (Fig. 20).

Relative Abundance of Avian Species in and around CKNP

Relative Abundance

Rare (Ra) 66
Uncommon (UC) 61
Common © 74
Number of Species
Very Common (VC) 13

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Number of species

Figure 20 Relative Abundance of Avian Species Found in and around CKNP

4.3.3 IUCN Red List Status

Out of the total species (n=214), 197 were Least concern, 7 species including Ferruginous
Pochard, Northern Lapwing, Curlew Sandpiper, River Tern, Himalayan Griffon,
Lammergeier and Tytler's Leaf-warbler are near threatened, 5 species including Marbled
Teal, Common Pochard, European Turtle Dove, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Pallas's Fish-
eagle are vulnerable, 3 species including Brown Accentor, European Goldfinch and Twite are
rare, 1 species named Inornate/yellow-browed Warbler is introduced and 1 species named
Sociable Lapwing is critically endangered according to the IUCN Redlist, 2016 (Fig. 21).

IUCN Redlist Status of Avian Species found in and around

CKNP
IUCN Redlist Categories

Introduced 1
Rare 3
Leats Concern 197
Near Threatened 7
Vulnerable 5
Critically endangered 1

0 50 100 150 200 250

Number of Species

Figure 21 IUCN Redlist Status of Avian Species found in and around CKNP

58
4.5 Important bird areas in the study area

Important bird areas are the places of internationally level important, identified as the sites of
critical importance for the conservation of birds and biodiversity and are practically targeted
for the conservation actions.

According to the findings of the current study in and around CKNP, the three areas (Borith
Lake for water fowls, Barpu, Rash and Meir Pastures for Pastureland Birds and Fresh water
river and stream network of District Shiger for migratory water birds) (Fig. 22 and 23)

Figure 22 GIS Map of Borith Lake, IBA for Migratory Waterfowls

59
 Figure 23 GIS Map of Hoper Pastures, IBA for Pastureland birds

4.6 Important species of Conservation Interest in and around the CKNP

According to the IUCN Redlist 2016, from the study area in and around the CKNP, it was
noted that some seventeen (17) speciesare of the special conservation interest for different
reasons being the unusual vagarants, very scarce numbers and being included in different
threatened categories of the IUCN Redlist status. The details of these species of the special
concern are as under:

60
4.6.1 Critically Endangered

Sociable Lapwing

4.6.2 Vulnerable

Marbled Teal, Common Pochard, European Turtle Dove, Eastern Imperial Eagle and Pallas's
Fish-eagle

4.6.3 Near Threatened

Ferruginous Pochard, Northern Lapwing, Curlew Sandpiper, River Tern, Himalayan Griffon,
Lammergeier and Tytler's Leaf-warbler are near threatened,

4.6.4 Rare Species

Species including Brown Accentor, European Goldfinch and Twite are rare,

4.6.5 Introduced Species

Species named, Inornate/yellow-browed Warbler is introduced.

61
4.7 Systematic Checklist of Birds in and around CKNP
Table 7 Systematic list of Avifauna of Central Karakoram National Park (CKNP)

Relative Residential
Order Family Common Name Scientific Name IUCN Redlist Status
Abundance Status
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Grayleg Goose Anser anser LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Garganey Anas querquedula LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Common Shelduck Todorna todorna LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Ruddy Shelduck Todorna ferrugina LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris Vulnerable Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Common Pochard Aythya ferina Vulnerable Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca Near-threatened Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata LC C WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Gadwall Mareca strepera LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Mallard Anas platyrhynchos LC C WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Common Teal Anas crecca LC Ra WV
ANSERIFORMES Anatidae Northern pintail Anas acuta LC Ra WV
GALLIFORMES Phasianidae Common Quail Coturnix coturnix LC C SV
GALLIFORMES Phasianidae Himalayan Snowcock Tetraogallus himalayensis LC C R
GALLIFORMES Phasianidae Chukar Partridge Alectoris chukar LC C R
GALLIFORMES Phasianidae Snow Partridge Lerwa lerwa LC Ra R

62
GALLIFORMES Phasianidae Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus LC Ra R
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis LC Ra WV
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Podicipedidae Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus LC Ra WV
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Rock Pigeon Columba livia LC C R
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Hill Pigeon Columba rupestris LC Ra R
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Snow Pigeon Columba leuconota LC Ra R
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Little Brown Dove Spilopelia senegalensis LC UC SV
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur Vulnerable Ra SV
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Oriental Turtle Dove Streptopelia orientalis LC C SV
COLUMBIFORMES Columbidae Spotted-necked Dove Streptopelia chinensis LC UC SV
CAPRIMULGIFORMES Caprimulgidae Eurasian Nightjar Caprimulgus indicus LC Ra SV
CAPRIMULGIFORMES Apodidae Alpine Swift Tachymarptis melba LC VC R
CAPRIMULGIFORMES Apodidae Common Swift Apus apus LC C R
CAPRIMULGIFORMES Apodidae Indian House swift Apus affinis LC UC R
CUCULIFORMES Cuculidae Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus LC Ra SV
GRUIFORMES Rallidae Common Coot Fulica atra LC VC WV
GRUIFORMES Rallidae Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus LC Ra WV
GRUIFORMES Gruidae Demoiselle Crane Anthropoides virgo LC Ra WV
PELECANIFORMES Ardeidae Grey Heron Ardea cinerea LC Ra WV
PELECANIFORMES Ardeidae Night Heron Nycticorax nyticorax LC Ra WV
PELECANIFORMES Ardeidae Indian Pond Heron Ardea lagrayii LC Ra WV
PELECANIFORMES Ardeidae Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus LC Ra WV
PELECANIFORMES Ardeidae Great White Egret Ardea alba LC Ra WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Charadriidae Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius LC Ra WV

63
CHARADRIIFORMES Charadriidae Lesser Sandplover Charadrius mongolus LC C WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Charadriidae Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Near-threatened Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Charadriidae Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius Critically endangered Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Red-naked phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Near-threatened UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Little Stint Calidris minuta LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos LC C R/WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus LC C R/WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Common Redshank Tringa tetanus LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Common Snipe Gallina gallinago LC UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Scolopacidae Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus LC C WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus LC Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus LC Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Pallas's Gull Lurus ichthyaetus LC Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Caspian Gull Larus cachinnana LC Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla LC Ra SV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae River Tern Sterna aurantia Near-threatened UC WV
CHARADRIIFORMES Laridae Common Tern Sterna hirundo LC C WV
STRIGIFORMES Strigidae Eurasian Eagle-owl Bubo bubo LC Ra R
STRIGIFORMES Strigidae Indian Eagle owl Bubo bengalensis LC Ra R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Oriental Honey-buzzard Pernis ptilorhynchus LC UC WV

64
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Himalayan Griffon Gyps himalayensis Near-threatened Ra R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Lammergeier Gyps barbatus Near-threatened Ra R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Mountain Hawk-eagle Nisaetus nipalensis LC UC SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca Vulnerable UC R/SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos LC Ra R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus LC UC SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Eurasian Marsh-harrier Circus aeruginosus LC UC SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus LC UC SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus LC C R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus Vulnerable Ra R
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Black Kite Milvus migrans LC C R/SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis LC UC SV
ACCIPITRIFORMES Accipitridae Upland Buzzard Buteo hemilasius LC UC R
BUCEROTIFORMES Upupidae Common Hoopoe Upupa epops LC C R
CORACIIFORMES Meropidae Blue-cheecked Bee-eater Merops persicus LC Ra SV
CORACIIFORMES Meropidae European Bee-eater Merops apiaster LC Ra SV
CORACIIFORMES Coraciidae Indian Roller Coracias bengalensis LC UC SV
CORACIIFORMES Coraciidae European Roller Coracias garrulous LC UC SV
CORACIIFORMES Alcedinidae Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis LC Ra SV
CORACIIFORMES Alcedinidae Crested Kingfisher Megaceryle lugubris LC UC SV
CORACIIFORMES Alcedinidae White-breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis LC UC SV
PICIFORMES Picidae Scaly-bellied Woodpecker Picus squamatus LC C R
PICIFORMES Picidae Himalayan Woodpecker Dendrocopos himalayensis LC C R
FALCONIFORMES Falconidae Lesser kestrel Falco naumanni LC Ra R

65
FALCONIFORMES Falconidae Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus LC C R
FALCONIFORMES Falconidae Eurasian Hobby Falco Subbuteo LC UC SV
FALCONIFORMES Falconidae Amur Falcon Falco amurensis LC UC SV
FALCONIFORMES Falconidae Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Campephagidae Rosy Minivet Pericrocotus roseus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Campephagidae Long-tailed Minivet Pericrocotus ethologus LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Laniidae Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Laniidae Rufous-tailed Shrike Lanius isabellinus LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Laniidae Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Laniidae Southern Grey Shrike Lanius merionalis LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Laniidae Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Oriolidae Eurasian Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Dicruridae Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Corvidae Black-billed Magpie Pica pica LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Corvidae Red-billed chough Pyrrhocorax phyrrocorax LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Corvidae Jungle Crow Corvus culinatus LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Corvidae Common Raven Corvus corax LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Paridae Black crested Tit Parus rufonuchalis LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Paridae Great Tit Parus major LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Remizidae Fire-capped Tit Cephalopyrus flammiceps LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Hirundinidae Eurasian Crag-martin Hirundo rupestris LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Hirundinidae Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Hirundinidae Red-rumped swallow Cecropis duarica LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Hirundinidae Northern House-martin Delichon urbicum LC UC R

66
PASSERIFORMES Hirundinidae Asian House-martin Delichon dasypus LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Aegithalidae White-browed Tit-warbler Leptopoecile sophiae LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Alaudidae Crested Lark Galerida cristata LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Alaudidae Eurasian/common Skylark Alauda arvensis LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Alaudidae Oriental Skylark Alauda gulgula LC C R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Alaudidae Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Booted Warbler Hippolais caligata LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Brownish flanked bush Warbler Cettia forticep LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Mountain Chiffchaff Phylloscopus sindianus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Tickell's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus affinis LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Sulphur-bellied Warbler Phylloscopus griseolus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Brooks's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus subviridis LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Inornate/yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Introduced species UC R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Hume's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus humei LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides LC C R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Tytler's Leaf-warbler Phylloscopus tytleri Near-threatened UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Western Crowned Warbler Phylloscopus occipitalis LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Sylviidae Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Timaliidae Streaked Laughing thrush Garrulax lineatus LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Troglodytidae Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Sittidae White-cheeked Nuthatch Sitta leucopsis LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Sittidae Wallcreeper Tichodroma muraria LC C R

67
PASSERIFORMES Certhiidae Bar-tailed Treecreeper Certhia himalayana LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Sturnidae Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris LC C WV
PASSERIFORMES Sturnidae Brahminy Starling Sturnus pagodarum LC Ra R/WV
PASSERIFORMES Sturnidae Rossy Starling Pastor roseus LC C WV
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Blue Whistling-thrush Myophonus caeruleus LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Blue rock thrush Monticola solitaries LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Rufous-tailed rock thrush Monticola saxatilis LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Dark-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Tickell's Thrush Turdus unicolor LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Turdidae Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae White-tailed Rubythroat Luscinia pectoralis LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Common white Throat Sylveia communis LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Bluethroat Luscinia svecica LC Ra R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Orange-flanked Bush-robin Tarsiger cyanurus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Rufous-backed Redstart Phoenicurus erythronotus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Blue-capped Redstart Phoenicurus caeruleocephala LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae White-winged Redstart Phoenicurus erythrogastrus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Plumbeous Water-redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosa LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae White-capped Water-redstart Chaimarrornis leucocephalus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Little Forktail Enicurus scouleri LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Common Stonechat Saxicola torquatus LC C R

68
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Pied Bushchat Saxicola caprata LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Siberian stonechat Saxicola maurus LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe LC C R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Variable Wheatear Oenanthe picata LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Pied Wheatear Oenanthe pleschanka LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Hume'sWheatear Oenanthe albonigera LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina LC UC R/SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Desert Wheatear Oenanthe desertoi LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Muscicapidae Dark-sided Flycatcher Muscicapa sibirica LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Cinclidae White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Cinclidae Brown Dipper /Asiatic Dipper Cinclus pallasi LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Passeridae House Sparrow Passer domesticus LC VC SV
PASSERIFORMES Passeridae Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Passeridae Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Prunellidae Alpine Accentor Prunella collaris LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Prunellidae Himalayan Accentor Prunella himalayana LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Prunellidae Robin Accentor Prunella rubeculoides LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Prunellidae Black throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Prunellidae Brown Accentor Prunella fulvescens Rare/Accidental C R
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae White Wagtail Motacilla alba LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae White-browed Wagtail Motacilla madaraspatensis LC UC WV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Yellow headed/Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola LC VC WV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava LC C R

69
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis LC UC WV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Rosy Pipit Anthus roseatus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Motacillidae Water Pipit Anthus spinolett LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Eurasian Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Brambling Fringilla montifringilla LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Fire-fronted Serin Serinus pusillus LC VC R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Red-fronted Serin Serinus rubicilla LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Rare/Accidental C R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Crimson winged finch Rhodopechys sanguineus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Twite Carduelis flavirostris Rare/Accidental Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Plain Mountain-finch Leucosticte nemoricola LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Black-headed Mountain-finch Leucosticte brandti LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Mongolian Finch Eremopsaltria mongolicus LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Red-mantled Rosefinch Carpodacus rhodochlamys LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Great Rosefinch Carpodacus rubicilla LC C SV
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae Red-fronted Rosefinch Carpodacus puniceus LC UC R
PASSERIFORMES Fringillidae White-winged Grosbeak Mycerobas carnipes LC Ra SV
PASSERIFORMES Emberizidae Chestnut-breasted Bunting Emberiza stewarti LC UC SV
PASSERIFORMES Emberizidae Rock Bunting Emberiza cia LC VC R

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PASSERIFORMES Emberizidae Pine Bunting Emberiza leucocephalos LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Emberizidae Grey-necked bunting Emberiza buchanani LC C R
PASSERIFORMES Emberizidae Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus LC C R

Source: (Lepage, 2017)

KEY: Res. St. = Residential status R=Resident, R/ WV=Resident with winter influx, R/SV=Resident with summer Influx, WV=Wint er
visitors, SV=Summer visitors
Rel. Abd. = Relative abundance, VC= Very common, C=Common, UC= Uncommon, Ra=Rare, LC=Least concern

71
CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION

5.1 Bird Diversity, Abundance and Distribution in and around CKNP

Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan is at the convergence of the three massive mountain ranges, viz;
the mighty Karakoram, the Hindu Kushand the Himalayas. It possesses a higher
concentration of wild animals and plants due to its unique geographic built up. Faunal
diversity includes, ungulates, carnivores, birds of prey, passerines and non-passerines and a
number of migratory species of birds, reptiles, amphibians and cold-water fish fauna. The
diversity, abundance and distribution of species varies between different habitat types and
locations attributed to a number of factors like ecological behavior, habitat types and
conditions, availability of food, existing pressures and conservation measures taken if any
(Khan et al., 2014) which was also seen in the current study.

According to Government of Pakistan/WWF/IUCN, (2000) in Gilgit-Baltistan, there are 54

mammalian species, 230 avian species, 23 reptiles, 20 types of cold-water fishes and 6
species of amphibians. As documented by Chettri (2008), the Central Karakorum area being
the major part of Himalaya-Karakorum and Hindu Kush region, is one of the 200 global
priority eco-regions identified by World Wide Fund for Nature and it has also been classified
as Endemic Bird Area (EBA).

Apart from the birdlife diversity, CKNP is also home to some of the unique wildlife like the
iconic and endangered Snow Leopard (Pantherauncia or Uncia uncia), Himalayan Brown
Bear (Ursus arctos), Grey Wolf (Canis Lupes), Himalayan Lynx (Lynx lynx), Astore Markhor
(Capra falconeri), Siberian Ibex (Capra ibex sibirica), Musk Deer (Moschus Chryogaster),
and Ladakh Urial (Ovis vegnei) (Khan et al., 2010), Baltistan gecko, Himalyan agama,
Northern Pakistan agama, Batura toad, Ladakh toad and Alpine toad (Khan and Baig, 2017).
The presence of these species was also confirmed during the current study either by direct
observation or by encountering with the fresh signs like pug marks, scats, kills, scrapes made
for territory marking by snow leopard and scent sprays by carnivores etc.

The avian diversity, abundance and distribution in and around the CKNP is credited to the
presence of countless variety of habitats like permanently snow covered and sky-scraping

72
mountains, fresh cold-water rivers, white and debris covered black glaciers, high altitude cold
water permanent and seasonally inundated lakes, peatlands, marshlands, agricultural fields,
fruit orchards, social forestry, patches of forest covered with Juniper, Salix, Birch, Blue pine,
alpine meadows and huge rangelands. As investigated in the current study these habitats
provide home, food and shelter to a number of locally, nationally and internally important
species of birds. In current study (N=15,519) individuals belonging to (N=214) species of
birds were observed in addition to encountering with key mammalian species, especially in
the pasturelands of the study area, mentioned above

According to the local elders (Lumberdar, Ghulam Abbas of Hoper valley, Muhammad
Ismail of Hisper valley, Muhammad Ibrahim of Basha valley, Little Ali of Hushey valley) the
number of birds supported by the study area is far less as compared to the past 15 to 20 years.
In the past, large flock of birds used to visit the area especially migratory water fowls during
winter season and passerine birds during summer. The flocks used to be in hundreds and
sometimes even thousands. But in current study almost 95 percent birds were seen in flocks
of less than 35 as shown in the (Fig. 24) below.

Figure 24 Scatter Plot of Avian Individual flocks encountered in and around CKNP

Mountain areas are very important for breeding of birds. Various groups of the birds like
Passeriformes, Raptors, Waterfowl and Galliformes use variety of breeding grounds available
in different habitats. There is a natural shelter in the form of geographically difficult and
inaccessible places and locations in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan. Further, the high-altitude
lakes of the Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan provide important staging and wintering grounds to

73
the waterfowls migrating on the Siberian-Kazakhstan-Pakistan-India route or via the Indus
Flyway or Green Route to Pakistan.

The species observed during the current study in and around CKNP represents 31.9 % of the
total species (n=670) recorded so far for Pakistan (Grimmett et al., 2008) and 93.04% of the
total (n=230) species estimated for Gilgit-Baltistan (Roberts 1991). The abundance or avian
individuals recorded during the current period (N=15,519 individuals of n=214 species) have
overall a very low population density as compared to the birds recorded in other regions like,
in Uchali Wetland of Pakistan, a total (N=25,361) birds belonging to (n=47) species were
recorded by (Dauda et al., 2016) and similarly an aggregate population of (N=13,872) birds
belonging to (n=110) avian species were recorded from wetland habitat in Malaysia (Zakaria
and Rajpar 2010). This low population density of birds in and around the CKNP is due to a
number of factors like pollution and fluctuations in the water surface and availability of food
and breeding grounds in case of wetland birds, since the water fowls select water bodies in
relation to the location of their feeding grounds or reproductive breeding areas (Raeside et al.,
2007). Local use of the wetland vegetative structure can affect habitat use by wetland birds
(Naugle et al., 1999; Rittenhouse et al., 2012) and consequently reduction in the populationas
the study area lies in the very extreme and harsh weather conditions area, therefore,
especially the migratory birds are found to negatively react to the harsh climatic conditions
(Mingozzi et al., 2013; Schlatter et al., 2002). The use of pesticides in the agricultural farms
is also one of main factors for lower population density of birds in the farmlands and
settlements of the study area. Similarly, the use of poisons against large predators by the
livestock herders in the carcasses of their livestock killed by carnivores is also posing some
serious threats to the pastureland birds in CKNP, especially the birds of prey including the
vultures, eagles and falcons. According to the elders of the study area named above, in the
past birds of prey like different species of vultures and other birds of prey used to be in larger
numbers, especially in the pastures but they are rarely seen.

5.2 Distribution of birds with respect to habitat Types in and around

CKNP
The number of species and individuals found in Farmlands and Settlements were the highest
(N= 10,837, 69.83% of the total number of individuals and n=146, 68, 22 % of the total
species encountered) as compared to the Wetlands (N=2618, 16.86 % of the total individuals

74
and n=47, 21.96 % of the total species observed) and Pasturelands (N=2066, 13.31 % of the
total individuals and n=21, 9.81 % of the total species).

Both Farmlands and Settlements are neglected habitats for the bird conservation, however,
according to the current study and studies conducted by (Pearman, 2002; Shochat et al., 2010
and Naido, 2004) bird abundance has strong correlation with the habitat features in the
farmland and settlements like tree cover and tree density, shrubs cover, grass varieties and
cover, a great variety of crops in the settlement which contribute to the complexity of the
habitat thus enabling bird’s survival. According to them the openness of the habitat favours
less availability of food, cover, nesting material and site compared to other habitats.

According to (Sandstrom et al., 2005) human settlement areas have mixtures of built habitats
and green patches in the farm of gardens, agricultural farms etc, but still the bird species have
managed to exist and thrive in this complex habitat attributed to the availability of ecological
requirements for the species offered by a mixture of an environment with settlement and
garden patches.

As compared to the Farmland and Settlements, the Wetlands due to their ecological services
for the ecosystem are considered to be relatively conservation priority areas. In Pakistan,
there are more than 225 wetlands and 19 of them are of international importance, hence
categorized as the Ramsar Sites. These wetlands provide home, feeding and breeding grounds
to a great variety of wetland dependent species and a majority of them migratory species. As
documented by (Khursheed, 2000) some threatened species of birds that visit different
wetlands of Pakistan which were of special conservation concern are the Siberian Crane
(Grus leucogeranus), Sarus Crane (Grus Antigone), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelicanus crispus),
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca), White-headed Duck (Oxyuraleucocephala), Marbled
Teal (Marmoronetta angustriostris), Sociable Plover (Vanellus gregarious), Jerdon’s
Moupinia or Sindh Babbler (Moupinia altirostris), Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser
erythropus), Long tailed Grass Warbler (Prinia burnesii) and Pallas Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus
leucoryphus). Many of these species like Ferruginous Pochard, Northern Lapwing, Curlew
Sandpiper, River Tern, Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier and Tytler's Leaf-warbler, Marbled
Teal, Common Pochard, European Turtle Dove, Eastern Imperial Eagle, Pallas's Fish-eagle,
Brown Accentor, European Goldfinch, Twite and Sociable Lapwing were also recorded from
the current study area but in very low population densities. The reason for low population
densities according to the current study were the out dated Provincial Wildlife Act, 1975 and

75
it’s very poor or even no implementation in many remote areas of the current study area. The
local communities used to hunt ducks and geese very openly either for fulfilling their meet
requirements in case of poor and as a passion and honour by the rich and elite class people.
Adding to this, the unmanaged local and national level tourism, especially in the recent past
is posing severe concerns for avian populations in almost all habitat types in the CKNP. The
wetland (lakes, rivers and their tributaries) in the area are vulnerable to pollution. Visitors
used to throw polythene bags and other garbage directly into the water bodies.

One of the unique wetlands of the current study area, being the only brackish water body in
Gilgit-Baltistan, The Borith Lake was found to be one of the significant places, especially for
the migratory water birds, that visit the study area during winters. More than135 different
types/species of birds were documented from the Borith Lake and vicinity, though the total
area of the lake and vicinity is comprised of less than 1 and half square kilometers.

Species like Black-headed Gulls, Caspian Gulls and Brown-headed Gulls were a recorded for
the first time from the Borith lake area and some areas in District Shiger’s wetlands of the
current study locations. Previously only Pallas’s Gulls was recorded from Gilgit-Baltistan.
Apart from this, a Black-legged Kittiwake was also recorded from the lake making its very
first record for Pakistan. During the current study, rare species for Pakistan like the Eurasian
siskins and the Horned grebe was also recorded from the Borith lake of the study area. The
lake also hosted many of the threatened waterfowls listed by IUCN for Pakistan like
Ferruginous duck, Marbled teal, Red-crested Pochard, Common and Ruddy Shelducks etc.
The Chinese Pond Heron which made its first record for Pakistan from Ghizer District of
Gilgit-Baltistan in 2013 was also spotted from the Borith Lake and Shiger River of the
current study area. The importance of the wetland ecosystem for breeding, staging and
wintering of the migratory water birds is also documented by (Roberts, 1991) in his book on
Birds of Pakistan.More one million waterfowls belonging to 192 species utilize the wetlands
of Pakistan annually. Historically, wetlands have served as the life-blood not only to the
birds but to societies that depend on them for their livelihoods. According to (Abbas and
Ejaz, 2012), the wetland ecosystem of Pakistan provides ideal conditions for the migratory
waterfowls by emormous characteristics including their feasible depth, quality and quantity
of water and rich in food and shelter etc. Migratory birds are selective in choosing the
wetlands types for staging, breeding ad wintering. The current study area is home to some of
the most beautiful high-altitude lakes of Pakistan including the Borith lake, Rash lake,

76
Attabad lake, Kutwal Lake, Jarbaso lake, Passu lake, etc in addition to more than 200 fresh
water streams and rivers systems making a significant amount of contribution in the river
Indus flow. For this reason, avian diversity of Wetland dependent species is quite high (n=47)
in the limited habitats of the study area.

The lakes due to their closed ecosystems need more time to flushout the contaminations as
compared to the rivers and other lotic systems, therefore, lakes are considered the most
affected and fragile ecsosystems in the world. Due to their high level of fragility and
vulnerability to degredation lakes require a robust management system and care than lotic
ecosystems (McCalla, 1995).

It was observed during the current study period that the higher number of avian species
belong to the migratory species which was previously documented by (Roberts 1991) and
majority of theses migratory birds includes the winter migrants comprising of the ducks,
geese and waders that account for the consititution of more than 80% of the total migrant
birds to the region (Alfred et al., 2001). Species like the grebes, ducks, geese, pelican,
cormorant, herons, gulls, plovers, owls, raptors, that were documented earlier by the (Roberts
1991 and 1992) for Pakistan but not specific for the current study area were recorded during
the current efforts in and around the CKNP Similarly, many of the passerine species that
were documented by (Roberts, 991) were also observed during the current study period. Four
species of wagtails, many species of accentors, shrikes, tits, crows, butings, warblers etc,
were wide spread in almost all habitat types and localities in the study area.

The Pasturelands of the study area support some of the key Raptors and Galliformes species
like the Golden Eagle, Eastern Imperial Eagle, The Himalayan Griffin Vulture, Lammergeyer
Eurasian Black bird, Gross beaks and Snow pigeon.Pasturelands of the study area provide
suitable habitat especially for the game birds like the Himalayan Snow cocks, Snow
partridges, Hiumalayan monal pheasents and great variety of eagles and falcons. However, it
was noted that the population density of the pasturelands birds was quite low due to the use
poison against large carnivores like the Snow leopard, Grey wolf, Himalayan lynx not only
the life of these carnivores is at rick but the birds like vultures are also vulnerable as they feed
on the carcases of the dead animals that are predated by the large carnivores. Many birds
including the Himalayan vulture and alpinecrow, yellow and red billed chough were seen
dead along with carcases of the dead animals due to poison applied to the carcases of dead
animals in retailiation to predation.

77
4.4 Correlation between Avian Species Abundance and Habitat Types

It was observed during this study that the bird’s abundance was higher in the habitats near
human settlements and farmlands and in pasturelands the bird’s abundance was found to be
low. Wetlands like the Borith; lake and freshwater network in Shiger in addition to the
Jarbaso Lake, which is also called a blind lake have the relatively higher bird’s densities and
abundance. In rest of the wetlands bird abundance was found to be low possibly due to illegal
shooting of ducks and geese for meet by the local and poor implementation of the Wildlife
Act. The findings of current study correspond with the results of (Sandstrom et al., 2005;
Chace and Walsh, 2006 and Clergeau et al., 1998) as it can be concluded from the current
findings that habitat near human settlements and farmlands where the human activities are at
peak attract a great variety of human tolerant bird species like House Sparrow (Passer
domesticus) wheatears, warblers, tits etc. Studies conducted by (Pennington and Brail, 2011;
Shochat et al., 2010) in the human settlements also found related result and concluded that
higher abundance in the settlement were triggered by habitat heterogeneity such as buildings,
vegetable farms, trees and gardens created by man.

Species belonging to order Anseriformes found in different habitat types showed strong
negative relation and highly significant value (-0.785, p<0.000). This evidence suggests that
Orders Anseriformes possesses a very specific relation with habitat one of the habitat while in
other habitat types bird abundance. In case of the current study the species belonging to order
passseriformes show a very strong relation with wetlands where species abundance is very
high.

Species of avian order Galliformes shows highly significant and strong positive correlation
with different habitat (0.93, p<0.000). This means that the richness of species belonging to
order Galliformes best fit all the habitat types mentioned in this study.

Species of Order Phoenicopteriformes shows highly significant value (p<0.000) with

moderate negative correlation (-0.53) means species belonging to order Phoenicopteriformes
are habitat specific. This order usually is consisted of Flamingoes and Grebes. In current
study, no any species of Flamingo was found, however two species of Grebes were recorded
during the current study from wetland habitat type only.

78
Species belonging to order Columbiformes show highly significant and week positive
relationship with different habitat types (0.13, p=0.03).

Species belonging to of order Caprimulgifromes showed moderate positive relationship

(0.408) within different. The moderate positive correlation of species with different habitat
types indicates that the species belonging to this order are spread across variety of habitats.
Species belonging to this order recorded from the current study area are two species swifts
and a nightjar. These were observed from both Farmland and Pasturelands.

There is no significant relation between the species of order Cuculiformes and different
habitat (Wetland, Farmland and Pastureland). This predicting that increasing or decreasing
the habitat variable has no impact on species of order Cuculiformes. Only one species, the
common cuckoo was found from the study area belonging to this order. Similarly, species
belonging to other avian order documented during the current study showed low to moderate
to strong relationship with different habitat types suggesting their relationship with different
habitat types in the study area (Table 8).

Table 8 Pearson Correlation between Bird abundance in different habitat types

Correlations
No. of Species Types of Habitat
Pearson 1 -.785 **
No. of ANSERIFORMES Correlation
Species Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
**
Pearson -.785 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .934 **
No. of species Correlation
GALLIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson .934** 1
Type of Habitat
Correlation

79
 Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 -.511 *
No. of Species of Correlation
PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .030
N 18 18
Pearson -.511* 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .030
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .130
No. of Species of Correlation
COLUMBIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .608
N 18 18
Pearson .130 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .608
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .408
No. of Species of Correlation
CAPRIMULGIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .093
N 18 18
Pearson .408 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .093
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .000
No. Species of Correlation
CUCULIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson .000 1
Types of Habitat Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000

80
 N 18 18
Pearson 1 -.841 **
No. of species of Correlation
GRUIFOREMES Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson -.841** 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 -.577 *
No. of species of Correlation
PELECANIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .012
N 18 18
*
Pearson -.577 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .012
N 18 18
Pearson 1 -.798 **
No. of species of Correlation
CHARADRIIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson -.798** 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .000
No. of species of Correlation
STRIGIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson .000 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18

81
 Pearson 1 .712 **
No. of species of Correlation
ACCIPITERIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .001
N 18 18
Pearson .712** 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .001
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .000
No. of species of Correlation
BUCEROTIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson .000 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .000
No. of species of Correlation
CORACIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson .000 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .000
No. of Species of Correlation
PICIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18
Pearson .000 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) 1.000
N 18 18

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 Pearson 1 .042
No. of species of Correlation
FALCONIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .869
N 18 18
Pearson .042 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .869
N 18 18
Pearson 1 .024
No. of species of Correlation
PASSERIFORMES Sig. (2-tailed) .925
N 18 18
Pearson .024 1
Correlation
Types of Habitat
Sig. (2-tailed) .925
N 18 18

5.4 Species Diversity index and evenness of birds’communities in and

around CKNP
During the current study, 74 species were found to be common 61 uncommon, 66 rare and
frequency of sightings of 13 species were recorded to be very were common in the study area
out of the total (n=214 species) recorded species (Fig. 17). Results show that significant
numbers of species are rare in the study area which calls for urgent conservation action.
These rare species also include some of the globally threatened species of birds like Sociable
lapwing, marbled teal, European turtle dove, Pallas fish eagle, eastern imperial eagle etc.

The current study area has generally the highest avian diversity than other protected areas of
Gilgit-Baltistan. This is could be due to the large area covered in addition to a great variety of
habitats within the study area. The conservation work by directorate of CKNP and other
organizations like WWF-Pakistan in the study area for the last many years may also have
some positive response to the abundance of avian species diversity and abundance. During
the last five years, WWF-Pakistan has planted some 0.6 million trees including the popular,
willows and Russian olives and other fast growing multi-purpose trees in addition to the
thousands of fruit trees in the buffer zones valleys of CKNP.

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5.5 Over view of biodiversity Conservation and Avian Diversity in CKNP
In Pakistan the state-established Protected Area’s (PA’s) have generally failed to meet
conservation objectives and at the same time ignoring needs and exploiting the rights of the
local communities, who are the actual owners of the PA’s. As a result of this failure critical
and valuable ecosystems and habitats like mangroves, forest cover, freshwater systems and
marine ecosystems.
Studies conducted by (Virk et al., 2003; Ali, 2005; GoP, 1999) are in a view that the indirect
threats that Pakistan faces concerning its biodiversity are over-grazing, fuel-wood collection
and agricultural expansion as a result of an increasing population and economic growth,
market failures, poverty, influence of globalization. Further the lack of government capacity
in effective management; the short-term nature of conservation projects; lack of funds and
resources for conservation; absence of public awareness; corruption between commercial
interests and authorities concerning conservation; inadequate and outdated acts and non-
implementation of laws. During current study, illegal shooting of avian species, especially the
migratory waterfowls and game birds like the Himalayan snow cock, Himalayan monal
pheasant, Chukar partridge, common quails and Snow partridge were seen throughout the
study area. No any conservation measure regarding the conservation of avian diversity was
seen from the study area. One unique threat to water birds observed during the current study
was the frozen lakes. The frozen lakes surface looks blueish like water and the water birds
assuming the frozen lakes surface as water while diving collided with surface frozen ice and
got injuries, which then were captured by the local hunters or by feral dogs.

As documented by (OPG, 2005) the studies on population dynamics, genetic, ecology are
very important for the sustainability of ecosystem and proper functioning maintainence of the
complex food web. A change in biology of one species can affect the whole food web as
birds are considered to be the index of “biological magnification” due to the dependency of
birds on one another as prey and predators. Similarlr the birds are considered to be the litmus
papers or the evcological indicators to assess the health of any ecosystem due to their ability
to reflect to the environmental changes at a very short span of time.Species of the birds of
prey like Mountain Hawk Eagle (Spizaetus/Nisaetus nipalensis) and Common Kestrel (Falco
tinnunculus) observed during the present study (Annex 03) are very essential for controlling
the population of rodent pests like the rats and mice and are used as Biological control agents.
They also perform ‘Sanitation effect’ in the ecosystems i.e. they generally predate on the sick
and weaker individuals thus making the prey populations more strong and healthy.

84
Larks, Accentors, Finches and buntings are agent of pollination for flowers and dispersal of
seeds. Quails, Partridges, Larks, Sparrow and, Pigeons are source of food in Pakistan. In
winters Demoiselle Cranes, Common Cranes, Ducks and other waterfowls are captured
frequently by netting and shooting (Roberts and Landfried, 1987). The excreta of birds like
cormorants and pelicans are of commercial value as it is used as fertilizer. Large aggregations
of egrets and communal roosts of the crows and mynas increase the fertility of the soil
underneath. ‘AIGRETTES’ (plumes of the egrets and herons), ‘CROSSEE’ (Feathers of
Cranes), ‘MARABAOU’ (Feathers of Adjutant Storks), ‘SILVERSTRIPES’ (Feathers of
Darter) and ‘SCARLET-PLUMES’ (Feathers of Flamingoes) are economically important
(Abbas and Ejaz, 2012).

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CHAPTER 6

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.1 Conclusions
The number of species (n=214) observed during the current investigation from the study area
are the highest in numbers compare to any of the past studies. The overall diversity and
distribution of birds found in the different districts of the study area were found to be slightly
diferrent, however, habitat wise diversity and distribution between different locations was
significantly varying suggesting that different locations offer varying suitable habitats for the
different species. District Hunza and Shiger due to their various wetland types and networks
posses the highest densities of wetland dependent species. Similarly, highest concentration of
Farmland and Settlements birds were reported from dense vegetation in the farmlands and
rangelands of district Nagar and Gilgit and Highest percentage of Pastureland birds were
recorded from District Nagar and District Ghanche.

From the current findings, it can be concluded that the study area birdlife diversity of the
study area than currently investigated diversity from the selected study area within and
around CKNP as surveying all the areas that falls in and around CKNP was not possible
because of the shortage of time, ruggedness and isolation of one area from the other in
extensively distributed network of the mountains in the Central Karakorum region. A very
extensive and continuous efforts are needed for identifying the diversity, distribution and and
other aspects of the avian diversity in and around CKNP.

The birdlife diversity is one of an essential component of the globe, its ecosystemsand
ecosystem services as they naturally serve many important services to the ecosystem, like
insect and rodent population controllers by feeding on them for their food, dispersal of seeds
with the help of their body that leads to forest and plant cover conservation, food sources for
predator birds, game animals, their aesthetic beauty attracts the human thus promote
ecotourism etc. They also act as environmental cleaner. Despite of their very significant roles
in an ecosystem and a number of services directly or indirectly to human, the birdlife
diversity of the study areais facing some serious pressures of which most of the threats are
human induced, like the habitat loss and fragmentation because of the infrasturcutural
development extreme and illegal shooting and trapping of the migratory and high altitude

86
game birds in special and all other birds in general, poaching, unwise use of insecticides and
other chemicals in the agricultureal fields and fruit orchards etc.

Therefore, to stop all the threats and to conserve avian diversity, Government should ban the
illegal trapping, hunting, poaching of birds and use of any chemical without proper license
should strictly be prohoibited. In addition to this, the large scale developmental projects like
roads, dams etc should have the Initial Impact Assessment (IIA), Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) and the Enivornmental Mitigation and Moniotoring Plans EMMPs) There
is a dire need for the expension of the research in almost all fields of the birdlife diversity for
which academia should take concrete steps in collaboration with the relevant government and
non-goervnmemnt organizations. Mass awareness campaigns should be started for the
marginalized local mountain communities about the ecological importance of birds thus they
can better comprehend the associations between different organisms’present on our planet
and know how the connections of those relationships can disturb human life directly.

6.2 Main Threats to the Birdlife Diversity in and around CKNP

6.2.1. Exploitation of vegetation
With the construction of roads and pavements/tracks to remote areas within the study area,
the cutting of vegetation, especially the rate of cutting of forest trees as well as farmland
vegetation has increased.The natural regeneration of the vegetation cover seems to be greatly
reduced for the reason that the local communities are continuously uprooting and lopping the
trees for the purpose of getting timber and fuel wood further aided by the overgrazing of the
livestock heads as majority of the local people living in the study area are livestock herders
and it is estimated that alomost 60 percent of the total annual cash income comes by selling
of different livestock heads, which makes the larger proportion of the household incomes.

Over grazing may cause decrease the primary productivity (Reinold et al., 1975), it also
increase in the turbidity of water (Logan, 1975) and thus areas (productive vegetation zone)
devoid of vegetation (Bassett, 1980).

6.2.1.2 Sedimentation in Water Bodies

The water bodies like lakes, rivers and streams of the study area are visited by hundreds and
thousand of the avian individuals annually. But in the recent years it is observed that their
numbers have greatly reduced. The slope gradient of the Gilgit-Baltistan is very sharp and the
soil particles are loosely attached, therefore, with the first drop of rain, surface soil erosion

87
starts which gives rise to sediments in water bodies, especially the high-altitude wetlands of
the region. These sediments are composed of both organic and inorganic matter. In the high-
altitude lakes of Gilgit-Baltistan, the sedimentation is one of the great problem aided by the
low rainfall and weathering of rocks to a great extent in the region.

According to (Crowder and Bristow, 1988) the eutrophication, pollution and sediment load
cause deterioration of wetland habitat, hence affecting the attraction of water fowl species
towards the wetlands.

6.2.1.3 Climate change

The study area being in the mountainous area of high Asia has been affecting by the impacts
of climate change four to five times greater than the plain areas of the world. The climatic
parameters of the area show an overall increase in the temperature of area; therefore, this
phenomenon is causing some serious threats to the waterbirds specially the migratory and
threatened water birds. Both the intensity and frequency of droughts, floods are now
increased due to the increase of near surface temperature of the region and increase in the
summer length by atleast 10 to 12 days. On the other hand, the abrupt change in the climate
of the area is affecting the vegetation the high-altitude pasture more drastically. Floods and
flash floods are damaging the water channels on annual basis resulting in the cut off of water
down stream hence damaging the crops and causing the droughts.
6.2.1.4 Lack of awareness
The study area been neglected in the past is ignorant about the importance of biodiversity and
birdlife diversity. The local community’s due to the lack of awareness about eceological
importance of birds are freely and illegally hunting the game birds and migratory water fowls
as well making them vulnerable toward extinctions. Further the syllabus at schools and
college level do not consist any chyapter or lesson ted the importance of birds. The mountain
communities consider them as their enemies as they destroy their farms, fruits and crops and
shoot them.

6.2.1.5 Poverty
In the past, the people of the study area have so excessively and unsustaibly used the
resources and habitats that have been resulted in the increase in poverty level of the local
communities. Pasturelands are used for fulfilling fuelwood and extraction of medicinal and
aromatic plants while for high productivity using chemicals in very large quantities. The
communities living in and around the study area have a very low access to the markets, and

88
are financiually unstable to invest or if there exististance of any sort of investment, there is
lack of proper planning and value chain development, thus resulting in poverty. This has led
directly to depletion of vegetation and reduction of habitat for birdand other species in the
study area.

6.2.1.5 Institutional deficiencies

Though the Wildlife Department is there for the conservation and management of wildlife but
overall there is a lack of enforcement of conservation related legislations due to shortage of
human resource, lack of proper equipment and labs and poor governance. Due to this reason,
an illegal activity like hunting of threatened species outside the PAs and even within
Protected Areas is happening every now and then. Similarly, extraction of timber wood and
fuel wood remains unchecked due to lack of staff and other physical resources at the transport
routes. Additionally, these departments lack the experience in integrating custodian local
communities in habitat management for particular species and Protected Areas management.

6.2.1.6 Policy deficiencies

Existing policies relating the conservation and management of wildlife and especially the
avian species is outdated, thus formation of policy at the national level awards scant attention
to effects on avian and other wildlife habitats. Water sector, agriculture and land policies are
key examples of this situation.

6.3 Recommendation
6.3.1 Short-term measures
6.3.1.1 Provision of alternative sources of fuel
People should be provided with alternative sources of fuel to save the vegetation of the study
area.
6.3.1.2 Public awareness
Mass awareness programme should be conducted in the remote areas about the importance of
ecological importance of birds and their habitat.
6.3.1.3 Illegal Hunting and Poaching
Illegal hunting and poaching of birds, especially the game birds like birds belonging to the
phasianidae family, water birds and birds of prey should be discouarged. There is should be
laws which regulate illegal hunting and poching of the avian species.

89
6.3.1.4 Overgrazing in the catchment area
Over grazing by the free ranging domestic livestock and collection of grasses for winter
feeding from the wildlife haitat, including that of birds be monitored and regulated. Many of
the invertebrate species that are taken by birds as their diet live on the grass species and
herbs.

6.3.1.5 Training and capacity building

The marginalized mountain communities living in and around the study area should be given
site specific trainings on conducting studies about the avian diversity, distribution and
conservation issues and their possible remedies.

6.3.1.6 Enforcement of rules and regulations

Wildlife Department should strictly and efficiently enforce the regulations regarding the
conservation of birds and other biodiversity forms.

6.3.2 Long-term measures

6.3.2.1 Watershed Management
For the maintenance and the integrity of ecosystem sustainability is very crucial for any area.
But ion current study area resources are depleting at very higher rates. Specially, the Forest
resources are at greater risk due to poor implementation of laws and poverty. Deforestation
affects the rate of sedimentation in the water courses and alter the morphological features of
the lakes, streams and rivers, increases the chances of the river edge erosions by increasing
the turbidity of water that inturn also affects the riparian vegetaion cover which provide
significant habitat to the number of species of birds.

6.3.2.2 Range management

Rangelands are considered to be one of the most productive componenets of ecosystem
providing a great array of services to the mankind from wildlife habitat to ground ewater
recharge places to consisiting of valueable biodiversity. Therefore, these range lands should
be managed through the development of range management plans.

6.3.2.3 Public awareness

Educating the public about birds is the most important methods of implementing
conservation. The general public should appreciate and realize the importance of birds.
Teaching birds by various methods (posters, talks, audio-visual aids and field outings) can be

90
effective in laying the basic foundation. Pakistan has an exceptionally rich avifauna and this
knowledge should be broadened to include education and awareness.

Further there should be public awareness campaigns about the need for conservation of birds,
some particular measures can be taken in the form of following. Develop locally based
education programs for students and the general public to better protect the species on their
wintering grounds. Emphasis in these programmes should be given to the ecology of the area,
changing land use patterns, and efforts to protect migratory birds and native flora of the
region.

An integrated management plan should be earmarked and implemented subsequently. The

major emphasis should be given on participation, evaluation and monitoring by local
communities. For this reason a robust awareness campaigns are needed throughout the region
so that the attitude of the local communities be changed and know the ecological importance
of the different habitat types for the well being of human as well as the biodiversity..

6.3.2.4 Organizing local communities

Development works be carried out in the adjacent villages around the biodiversity hotspots
through organizing community-based organizations (CBOs) to upgrade local communities in
the form of Community Based organizations conservation awareness in the area.

6.3.2.6 Research
Research is vital in knowing about the science of any descipline and is considered equally
important in ornithology, to know about the actual number of species, population dynamics,
genetics and effects of the avian species on other species and components of the ecosystem.
Thus, organizations working for the conservation and management of the avian diversity
should coolaborate with the academia to strengthen avian science and micro-management
plans should be developed to cope with threats at the local level. Courses regarding the avian
diversity, distribution, conservation should be introduced at least the university and where
already the courses are taught, they should be updated according to the modern and latest
knowledge.

6.3.2.7 Protected area as Wildlife sanctuary/ Birds Refuge

For the better conservation and management of the avian species those habitats types which
provide homes to a considerable number of species or number viof indviduals of any species

91
should be declared as the Birds sanctuaries or protected areas or bird refugees. For present
study, Borith Lake should be declared as a bird refuge or Migratory Water Birds Sanctuary.

6.3.2.8 Bird watching club

Lakes in Gilgit-Baltistan with their beautiful landscapes are an excellent place to watch birds.
The provincial Forest Wildlife Deparetment with the help of NGOs, like World Wide Fund
for Nature Pakistan, Himalayan Widlife Foundation and academia should encourage and
strengthen the avian research by establishing the birds watching clubs. Apart from
strengthening the research, birds warching clubs can also be helpful in monitoring the illegal
activities aginst the birds and their habitat.

92
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APPENDICES

A. Order Wise Distribution of Avian Species

1 ANSERIFORMES

Greylag Goose (Anser anser) Garganey (Anas querquedula)

Common Shelduck (Todorna todorna) Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)

Marbled Teal(Marmaronetta angustirostris) Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina)

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Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca)

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)

Gadwall (Mareca strepera) Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Common Teal (Anas crecca)

Northern pintail (Anas acuta)

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2 GALLIFORMES

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) Himalayan Snowcock

(Tetraogallus himalayensis)

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) Snow Partridge (Lerwa lerwa)

Himalayan Monal (Lophophorus impejanus)

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3 PHOENICOPTERIFORMES

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

4 COLUMBIFORMES

Snow Pigeon (Columba leuconota) Little Brown Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)

Oriental Turtle Dove (Streptopelia orientalis)

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5 CAPRIMULGIFORMES

Common Swift (Apus apus)

6 CUCULIFORMES

Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

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7 GRUIFORMES

Common Coot (Fulica atra) Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

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8 PELECANIFORMES

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) Night Heron (Nycticorax nyticorax)

Indian Pond Heron (Ardea lagrayii) Chinese Pond Heron (Ardeola bacchus)

9 CHARADRIIFORMES

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) Red-naked phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)

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Temminck's Stint (Calidris temminckii) Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus)

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia)

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Common Redshank (Tringa tetanus) Common Snipe (Gallina gallinago)

Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) Brown-headed Gull (Larus brunnicephalus)

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) Pallas's Gull (Lurus ichthyaetus)

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Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnana) Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)

10 STRIGIFORMES

Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo)

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11 ACCIPITRIFORMES

Oriental Honey-buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis)

Lammergeier (Gyps barbatus) Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) Eurasian Marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

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Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Black Kite (Milvus migrans)

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

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12 BUCEROTIFORMES

Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

13 CORACIIFORMES

European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster) European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

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14 PICIFORMES

Scaly-bellied Woodpecker (Picus squamatus) Himalayan Woodpecker

(Dendrocopos himalayansis)

15 FALCONIFORMES

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

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Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

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16 PASSERIFORMES

Long-tailed Minivet (Pericrocotus ethologus) Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

Rufous-tailed Shrike (Lanius isabellinus) Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

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Southern Grey Shrike(Lanius merionalis) Eurasian Golden Oriole(Oriolus oriolus)

Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica) Red-billed chough(Pyrrhocorax phyrrocorax)

Jungle Crow (Corvus culinatus) Common Raven (Corvus corax)

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Black crested Tit (Parus rufonuchalis)
Great Tit (Parus major)

Eurasian Crag-martin (Hirundo rupestris) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Northern House-martin (Delichon urbicum) White-browed Tit-warbler

(Leptopoecile sophiae)

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Crested Lark (Galerida cristata) Eurasian/common Skylark (Alauda arvensis)

Eurasian/common Skylark (Alauda arvensis) Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

Common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) Mountain Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus sindianus)

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Tickell's Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus affinis) Sulphur-belliedWarbler
(Phylloscopusgriseolus)

Brooks's Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus subviridis) Hume's Leaf-warbler (Phylloscopus humei)

Greenish Warbler Western Crowned Warbler

(Phylloscopus trochiloides) (Phylloscopus occipitalis)

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Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) Streaked Laughing thrush

(Garrulax lineatus)

Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) Wallcreeper (Tichodroma muraria)

Bar-tailed Treecreeper (Certhia himalayana) Common Starling(Sturnus vulgaris)

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Rossy Starling (Pastor roseus) Blue Whistling-thrush
(Myophonus caeruleus)

Blue rock thrush (Monticola solitaries) Rufous-tailed rock thrush(Monticola saxatilis)

Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) Dark-throated Thrush (Turdus ruficollis)

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Tickell's Thrush (Turdus unicolor) Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

White-tailed Rubythroat (Luscinia pectoralis) Common white Throat (Sylveia communis)

Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) Orange-flanked Bush-robin (Tarsiger cyanurus)

127
Rufous-backed Redstart Blue-capped Redstart
(Phoenicurus erythronotus) (Phoenicurus caeruleocephala)

Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) White-winged Redstart (Phoenicurus erythrogastrus)

Blue-fronted Redstart (Phoenicurus frontalis) Plumbeous Water-redstart (Rhyacornis fuliginosa

128
White-capped Water-redstart Little Forktail (Enicurus scouleri)
(Chaimarrornis leucocephalus)

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata) Siberian stonechat (Saxicola maurus)

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) Variable Wheatear (Oenanthe picata

129
Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe desertoi)

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) Dark-sided Flycatcher (Muscicapa sibirica)

White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) Brown Dipper (Cinclus pallasi)

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis)

130
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus) Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris)

Robin Accentor (Prunella rubeculoides) Black throated Accentor (Prunella atrogularis)

Brown Accentor (Prunella fulvescens) White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

131
Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis)

Rosy Pipit (Anthus roseatus) Water Pipit (Anthus spinoletta)

132
Eurasian Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla)

Fire-fronted Serin (Serinus pusillus) European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

Crimson winged finch (Rhodopechys sanguineus) Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)

133
Twite (Carduelis flavirostris) Plain Mountain-finch (Leucosticte nemoricola)

Black-headed Mountain-finch Mongolian Finch (Eremopsaltria mongolicus)

(Leucosticte brandtii)

Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus) Red-mantled Rosefinch

(Carpodacus rhodochlamys)

134
Great Rosefinch (Carpodacus rubicilla) White-winged Grosbeak (Mycerobas carnipes)

Rock Bunting (Emberiza cia) Pine Bunting (Emberiza leucocephalos)

Grey-necked bunting (Emberiza buchanani) Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

135
B. Published Research Article in HEC Recognized Journal (W Category)

136
137
138
139
140
141
C. List of Publications
1. Tabassum, R., Hussain, S., Kali. H., and Abbas, S. (2017). Effect of Different Energy
Levels of Diet (Raw Material, Poultry Feed and Pearl Millet) On Weight and Other
Parameters of Body of Pigeon (Columba Livia Domesticus). The J. Anim. Plant. Sci.,
27 (3): 725-731.
2. Khan, B., Abbas, S., Khan, M.Z., Khan, G,. Baig, S and Jamal, S. (2016). Indigenous
Practices of Yak Breeding in Gilgit-Baltistan: Current status and future prospects for
trans-boundary yak husbandry in the Karakoram-Pamir mountain area. In Wu, N; Yi,
S; Joshi, S; Bisht, N (eds) (2016) Yak on the move: Transboundary challenges and
opportunities for yak raising in a changing Hindu Kush Himalayan region.
Kathmandu: ICIMOD, page 167-180.
3. Khan, B., Hussain, E., Abbas, S., Mundkur, T., and Khan, G. (2015). Country First:
Chinese Pond Heron Ardeola bacchus: an addition to the avifauna of. Birding Asia
24: 136-143.
4. Abbas, Y., Khan, B., Ali, F., Khan, G., Abbas, S.N., Karim, K., Abbas, S., Ali, N.,
Hussain, E. (2015). Exploring the Socio-Ecological Characteristics of Gahkuch
Marshland: A Unique Wetlands Ecosystem in Hindukush Mountain Ranges. Journal
of Water Resources and Ocean Science., 4 (6): 92-99.
5. Ali, R., Khan, B., Khan, G., Khan, M.Z., Abbas, S., Rais, U. (2015). Status and
threats of Asiatic Black bear in Gais valley Diamer district, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5 (3): 1-8.
6. Abbas, S., Khan, M.Z. (2015). A checklist of Large Mammals of CKNP.
7. Khan, M.Z., Khan, B., Ahmad, E., Khan, G., Ajmal, A., Ali, R., Abbas, S., and Ali,
M. (2014). Abundance, distribution and conservation of key ungulate species in
Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Western Himalayan (HKH) mountain ranges of
Pakistan. Int. J. Agric. Biol., 16: 1050–1058.
8. Naeem, S.A. Sardar, M., Muhammad, M.W., Abbas, Y., Karim, R., Ali, N., Abbas,
S., Haider, S.A. (2015). Ecotourism Potential in Gilgit-Baltistan (A Case Study of
Khunjerab National Park). American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry., 3(6): 253-
259.

142
9. Karim, R., Saleem, A., Abbas, Y., Karim, F., Abbas, S., Akbar, K., Hussain, E. 2015.
Assessment of vegetation dynamics along altitudinal gradients. Journal of
Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences., 7(3): 271-279.

10. Karim, R., Abbas, Y., Saleem, A., Karim, F., Abbas, S., Hussain, E., Rasool, M.A.,
Ali, N. (2015). Baseline Ethno-phytological study in Danyore Valley, Gilgit. District,
Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences., 7(4):
pp: 108-117.
11. Abbas, S., Tabassum, R., Khan, M.Z., Khan, B., Hussain, S., Khan, G., and Awan, S.
(2014). Avian diversity in central Karakoram National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan. Int. J.
Agric. Biol., 16: 377‒382.
12. Ali. R., Kahn. B., Khan. M.Z., Khan. G., Abbas, S., Hussain, E., and Ali, M. (2014).
Baseline study of vegetation in Doyan Valley District Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan,
Pakistan. Int. J. of Emerging Trends in Sci. and Tech., 1(1): 07-19.
13. Khan. B., Khan. M.Z., Khan. G., Ali. R., Ajmal. A., Abbas, S., Ali, M. (2014).
Mountain Ungulates of Hindu Kush, Karakoram and Western Himalayas:
Distribution, Population Density, Habitat Characteristics and Conservation in Gilgit-
Baltistan (Pakistan). Int. J. Agric. Biol., 17.
14. Khan. M.Z., Awan. M.S., Khan. B., Abbas S., and Ali, M. (2014). A Review of
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