Abstract:
Land use and land cover changes are unprecedented in the present world. This
caused a modification of the habitats of Avifauna in those environments.
Studying Avifauna is important as they reflect the impact of the rapid changes
of the ecosystems on bird species. The present study aims to identify the
diversity of avifauna in the Maharagama Divisional Secretariat Division
(DSD), Sri Lanka. A field survey was carried out during the South-west
Monsoon period in 2019 using “Point Counts with distance estimation
method”. Observations of birds were performed in 20 sample sites in different
land uses within a 50m radius for 15 minutes in the morning and evening in
three consecutive days. A total number of 3195 individuals (Morning - 1643,
Evening - 1552) belong to 29 bird species, 09 genera and 21 families were
observed during the study period. Among them, 26 breeding residents, 02
migratory and 01 endemic species. Considering the habitats, Yellow-billed
Common Babbler (Turdoides affinis), Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus
sutorius) and Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) common in home
gardens. House Crow (Coruus splendens) and Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
were common in built-up areas while Intermediate Egret (Mesophoyx
intermedia) was common in paddy areas. Wetland areas; namely Diyawanna
Lake, Borelasgamuwa Wewa, Marshes and Woodlands of the DSD were
identified as the main breeding zones of the avian fauna community. The study
revealed that, although the study area is near densely populated residential
areas and commercial areas; it still has a considerable number of bird species.
