Preliminary data on the bio-ecology of pest birds of sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench) (Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire)

Abstract

Sorghum is for the north of Cote d’Ivoire the staple food of the population because of its good protein value. Production efforts are hindranced by losses caused by pests and especially birds. However, no data is available concerning these pests. The present study represents the first analysis approach with regard to bio-ecology of sorghum pest birds in Korhogo locality (Northern Cote d'Ivoire). Thirty sessions of direct observations of that birds through binoculars based on line transects method with 15 minutes interval each, were carried out on sorghum panicles at the milky and grain stages from October to November 2016. We were able to discriminate nine species of sorghum pest birds, including seven families clustered in three orders. The main recorded sorghum pest bird species were Ploceus cucullatus (Muller, 1776) and Crithagra mozambica (Statius, 1776). The sorghum panicles phenological development stage as influencing sorghum pest birds’ distribution.