Bird species composition change in the Natural Resource Protected Area, Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University

Abstract

This research aimed to study the population dynamics of various types of birds in the forest under the Plant Genetics Conservation Area, Rambhai Barni Rajabhat University. Three-year data set (October 2014 -September 2017); gathered from former research for 10 months and additional study by counting birds in 13 zones; for 15 minutes per zone. The total number of 32 families, 55 genera and 74 species of birds was observed. Fifty-two species (70.27%) were residential birds, 18 species (24.32%) were migratory birds, three were passing migratory species (4.05%) and one breeding visitor (1.35%); Blue-winged Pitta Pittamoluccensis as well as the near threated species; Malay Night-heron Gorsachius melanolophus which could be found in all three years. For species and detection changes, 66 species were found in the first year (32±4 species/month); increased to 67 species in the second year (36±6 species/month) and decreased to 60 species in the third year (30±7 species/month), whereas number of detection decreased sharply in the third year; 862 bird detections (72±16 times/month) in the first year which quite close to 959 detections (80±16 times/month) in the second year, but in the third year, it revealed that number of bird detections decreased to only 687 detections (57±17 times/month). This rapidly decrease might be due to the construction of two big buildings in both northern and southern parts of the forest. The results showed that this area is important for bird conservation. Moreover, there should be a continuous study on impacts of construction towards forest utilization of birds and species composition changes when the construction was finished.