A checklist of the avifauna of Samanatham tank, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

This avifaunal checklist from the Samanatham tank of Madurai District of Tamil Nadu is the first baseline data for this wetland. The study was done from August 2015 to March 2019 and from August 2020 to January 2022. A total of 150 species of birds comprising 17 orders and 52 families were documented. Order wise, Passeriformes 35% (n = 53), Pelecaniformes 15% (n = 22), and Charadriiformes 14% (n = 21) dominated the wetland bird community. The relative diversity (RDi) of families with the most species were Anatidae, Scolopacidae, and Accipitridae with 7.33%. Among the 150 species, 37 (25%) were winter visitors; and one passage migrant Rosy Starling Pastor roseus. The relative abundance indicated that 56% (84 species) were common, 28.6 % (43 species) were uncommon, and 15.4 % (23 species) were rare. The study recorded eight globally Red Listed ‘Near Threatened’ species—Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster, Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa, Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica, River Tern Sterna aurantia, & Osprey Pandion haliaetu—and two ‘Vulnerable’ species—Indian Spotted Eagle Clanga hastata & Great Spotted Eagle Clanga clanga.