Foraging analysis of Endangered Greater Adsjutant Stork Leptotilus dubios Gemlin in certain habitat of Assam, India

Abstract

AbstractThe endangered Greater Adjutant Stok Leptotilus dubius Gemlin confined only in some pockets in Assam and Bihar in India and in certain areas of Laos and Cambodia has poorly understood in its foraging activities in its natural habitats. Attempt has been made to address the forage pattern in its natural habitat wetlands in the Kamup district and in a city garbage dump in Guwahati in Assam, India. The various forage methods like walking, visual tactile etc and their relation with the body metrices like beak length, tibia tarsus length and its mass were assessed in terms of foraging habits. Forage actvities were evaluated during the breeding (May to September) and non breeding (October to April) time of the study period of 2012-2017 at different water level of the wetland(s). The foraging range of this stork assessed at an confinement of aerial distance of 15 km from the nesting sites appears as resident non migratory birds by habits. Types of diet composition obtained from the regurgitated food at the ground of the nesting sites were mostly the fish group channa and cyprinids. Profitability index was determined at the captive stork showed in favour of these two groups within the size group of 5 to 15 cm. Larger food item showed lesser profitability index. PCA analysis showed negative foraging correlation with the Prey size greater than 8cm and 15 cm, while the captivity study was conducted Thus the present findings on the foraging assessment of Greater Adjutant might be the baseline information for conservation action plan.