CURRENT STATUS OF AVIAN DIVERSITY OF SALINE SAMBHAR LAKE; A RAMSAR SITE

摘要

Saline inland wetland ecosystems are unique and rare, they harbour and support substantial fraction of the biodiversity. Sambhar wetland a Ramsar site No. 464 and Important bird area (IBA site no. IN-RJ-16), an important saline lake of India, is a site of international importance. It is among 26 sites identified as wetlands of international significance in India. During the present study a total of 59 species of birds belonging to 7 orders and 16 families were recorded from Sambhar lake during 2012-13. Out of these 43 birds species were migratory whereas 16 species were resident aves. Charadriiformes was recorded as the most dominating order with 5 families whereas Scolopacidae was the most dominating family with 12 species inhabiting the lake area.Phoenicopterus rubber (Greater flamingo) and Phoenicopterus minor (lesser flamingo) outnumbered the other avian species, since these species arrives for wintering in the lake in very large number, remains there for 4-5 months and return back on the onset of the summer in the month of March. During the study total 620 mm downpour was recorded at Sambhar lake. NaCl concentration in the lake brine was recorded 88.56-98.67% during sept-12 to Jan-13. As per the lUCN status most of the birds recorded, comesunder Least concerned (LC) category, a few species are Near threatened (NT) while only Grus antigone, species (Sarus crane) is vulnerable.