Diversity of aquatic birds of Ekburji reservoir, Washim, M.S. India

Abstract

Aquatic Birds have large consequences for the ecosystems they inhibit, making them incredibly important in the overall functioning of aquatic ecosystem. By contributing an important way to the ecosystem health they can also provide large number of direct benefits to humans. They are helpful in nutrient cycling. ‘Everything is connected to anything else’ aquatic birds serve as a vector for nutrient cycling between aquatic and terrestrial habitat. The present investigation was carried out to document the aquatic avifauna in and around the Ekburji reservoir located near the Washim district of Maharashtra State from 2013 to 2015 in which 41 species of aquatic birds were recorded of 9 orders and 19 families during the study. Among the recorded species 15 were residential breeders, 17 were winter migratory and 9 were residential migratory species.