Species composition, diversity and foraging guilds of avifauna in two freshwater lakes of Mysore district, Karnataka, India

Abstract We conducted the present study in two freshwater lakes in the Mysore district of Karnataka, India, from December 2023 to May 2024, with the aim of evaluating the diversity, relative abundance, and feeding guilds of avifauna in Giribetta and Hadinaru lakes. The “point count” method was used to evaluate the species composition of birds. A total of 5,790 individuals, representing 106 species from 18 orders and 48 families, were recorded. Four species were in the near-threatened category: Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala) , Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) , Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) , and Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis) , while the others were of least concern. In terms of species richness, Giribetta Lake had 87 species belonging to 18 orders and 42 families, as compared to Hadinaru Lake, which had 86 species from 16 orders and 40 families. The two areas had similar species composition, with a Sorenson index of 76.3% and a Jaccard index of 61.7%, which indicates that the species diversity is fairly similar across the habitats. Based on the diet and foraging habitat, the recorded bird species were classified into eight major feeding guilds, which revealed a higher abundance of carnivorous and insectivorous birds, followed by omnivorous, granivorous, frugivorous, nectarivorous, herbivorous, and mixed guild types. It is expected that this study will provide a preliminary database for the waterbirds of this area, useful for further research and assessment.