A Survey of Waterbird Species in the Family Ardeidae in the Pattani Bay Area

Abstract

The study investigated the waterbirds species in the family Ardeidae within Pattani Bay by conducting surveys at 16 predetermined stations across four distinct foraging habitats: mudflat (MF), salt pan (SP), salt marsh (SM), and coastal area (CO). Surveys at Stations 1–11 were conducted by walking, whereas Stations 12–16 were surveyed by boat, along a line transect using binoculars and a telescope. Observations were conducted once per month per station between 06:00 and 17:00, from August 2018 to July 2019. A total of 14 species of herons and egrets were recorded. Little Egret was the most abundant species, followed by Cattle Egret, Great Egret, and Chinese Egret, respectively. Pacific Reef Egret was the least abundant species. Among them, Chinese Egret was classified as Vulnerable (VU), while all other species were categorized as Least Concern (LC). In terms of relative abundance, species were
classified into four categories: very common (5 species), common (3 species), uncommon (4 species), and rare (2 species). Regarding seasonal status, 8 species were migratory, 4 were resident, and 2 exhibited both resident and migratory behaviors. Regarding spatial distribution, 10 species were found across all surveyed foraging habitats.