Diversity of Migratory Birds at Taudaha Lake,Kathmandu, Nepal

Abstract

This research was conducted in Taudaha Lake situated in the southern corner of theKathmandu valley midway to Dakshinakali. I conducted my research from September2007 to April 2008. The main objectives of my study were to asses the diversity of migratory birds andseasonal change, arrival and departure of the migratory birds and lastly the reason ofdecline of migratory birds and its consequences. Direct observation method was usedbesides random questionnaire survey and literature review. Observations were doneby using binoculars. A total of forty species of birds were estimated in the study area out of whichseventeen were residential, two were summer migrants and twenty one were wintermigrants. One of the new species Bar headed goose was observed in the study area.Black crowned night heron was found to be a winter migrant in the present study.Thediversity of the winter migrants and summer migrants were 0.753 and 0.178respectively which showed higher diversity in winter season and least diversity insummer season. The birds visited the lake in September and left it by the third weekof April. The decline in the birds were due to the exploitation of natural habitat,increasing urbanization and several other human activities. The specific adaptionalfeatures of the different migratory birds to feed in different trophic niches of the Lakeand due to their different feeding habits the total flora and fauna (food of the birds) ofthe Lake are not utilized. The left over flora and fauna of each trophic level of theLake get the opportunity to continue their life cycle and maintain balance of the Lakeecosystem.