Diversity of avifauna in relation to habitat types in selected areas of Guinea savanna zone of Nigeria

Abstract Human disturbances have degraded Nigeria’s dense vegetation and this is leading to a continuous habitat destruction of avian species in the Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria. This study investigated the diversity of avifauna in relation to habitat types in selected areas of Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria. The point count method was used to record bird species richness and abundance in four stratified habitats – forest, woodland, grassland, and riverside. A total of 2,545 individuals from 50 families of 136 species were recorded across 64 sampling points in the four habitats, in 2023 and 2024. The forest habitat had the highest species richness (86), followed by woodland (85) and grassland (54). The difference was only significant through pairwise comparisons that is between forest and grassland as well as between woodland and grassland. Riverside habitat had the highest abundance (54.5.0±38.7) while grassland had the least (28.1±8.93). The difference in abundance significantly varied across habitat types. Meanwhile, the woodland habitat recorded the highest bird species diversity (2.59). Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) – a generalist – had the highest relative abundance while White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) had the highest abundance in a single habitat, the riverside habitat, recognized as a specialist. In conclusion, the diversity index of bird species was high in all the habitats with no significant difference, and therefore, the results highlighted the importance of habitat diversity in the Guinea Savanna zone. Conservation efforts should focus on protecting and restoring habitats, particularly forests and woodlands, to maintain the rich avifaunal diversity of the region.