Avian diversity in wetlands of southwestern Kerala of India during COVID

The COVID-19 pandemic, known as the COVIDian era, has impacted ecosystems worldwide, including wetlands, which are essential habitats for avian biodiversity. The study on bird diversity in the wetlands of Kollam District, southwestern part of Kerala, employed a combination of field surveys and observational methods to assess the avian communities across various habitats. The survey areas were selected based on their significance as wetland ecosystems and included Polachira, Pozhikkara, and associated wetlands within Kollam District. The study documented 98 bird species across 41 families and 15 orders. Passeriformes was the most diverse order with 37 species, followed by Pelecaniformes and Charadriiformes with 13 species each. Apodiformes, Podicipediformes, and Psittaciformes each had a single recorded species. Ardeidae was the most abundant family with 10 species, followed by Rallidae (six species), Sturnidae, and Scolopacidae (five species each). Among the bird species recorded, 16 were migratory, 76 were resident, and six were local migrants. The study assessed bird diversity across Polachira, Pozhikkara, and associated wetlands using various indices, including Simpson, Simpson’s λ, Simpson’s D, Margalef, Berger-Parker, Shannon-Wiener, and Pielou. Shannon-Wiener diversity index at Polachira is 4.46, Pozhikkara 4.47 and associated wetlands is 4.45, which suggests that the overall avian diversity is comparable among these wetlands. Pozhikkara appears to have slightly higher species richness (Margalef’s index 14.64) and slightly lower dominance (Berger-Parker index 35.90) compared to the other two sites. This study elucidates the effects of pandemic-related disruptions on bird populations, highlighting the resilience and vulnerabilities of avifauna in wetland ecosystems.