Avifauna and their feeding Guilds in Cheethwari and adjoining villages of Northern Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

A random survey documenting the avifauna was conducted from December 2018 to December 2020 in agricultural–rural areas in Cheethwari villages and adjoining areas from Jaipur district, Rajasthan, India. During the survey, ninety-six species belonging to 48 families under 16 orders were recorded viz., Accipitriformes (3 species), Anseriformes (1), Apodiformes (1), Bucerotiformes (2), Charadriiformes (7), Columbiformes (5), Coraciiformes (4), Cuculiformes (3), Galliformes (5), Gruiformes (3), Passeriformes (49), Pelecaniformes (4), Piciformes (3), Podicipediformes (1), Psittaciformes (2), Strigiformes (2). Among these, the family Muscicapidae (6), Columbidae (5), Phasianidae (5), Cisticolidae (5), and Sturnidae families were dominantly represented by more species, whereas 25 families were found to be represented by single bird species. Based on the feeding guild, it is apparent that the avifauna of this region is dominated by omnivorous (41 species), followed by insectivorous, carnivorous, granivorous, frugivorous, insectivorous, granivorous, frugivorous & granivorous, and insectivorous birds. Twelve winter visitors, including the iconic migrant Rosy Starling, Pastor roseus (Linnaeus, 1758), and two summer visitors, were recorded during the present observations. Shikra, Short-toed Snake Eagle, Indian Peafowl, and Rufous-fronted Prinia are listed under Schedule- I of the WPA, and the remaining are listed under Schedule II of the WPA.