Avifaunal diversity and status of Chhilchhila Wildlife Sanctuary, India

Abstract Chhilchhila Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Haryana, India, represents a vital habitat for diverse avifaunal species. This study systematically documents the avifaunal diversity of the sanctuary, emphasizing its ecological significance and conservation status. Field surveys, conducted fortnightly using line transect and point count methods from October 2022 to September 2024, recorded a total of 162 species belonging to 18 orders, 56 families and 118 genera. The order Passeriformes exhibited the highest species richness (66 species), followed by Charadriiformes (18 species) and Anseriformes (13 species). Anatidae was the most diverse family with 13 species (RDi = 8.02), followed by Muscicapidae with 11 species (RDi = 6.80) and Scolopacidae with 10 species (RDi = 6.17). Of the recorded species, 88 species (54.32%) were resident, 12 (7.4%) were summer migrant and 62 (38.28%) were winter migrant, highlighting the sanctuary’s importance as a critical migratory stopover. Local abundance assessments classified 27.16% of the species as abundant, 19.75% as common, 16.67% as fairly common and 36.42% as rare. Conservation status analysis revealed that Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) and River Tern (Sterna aurantia) classified under Vulnerable and Asian Woolly-necked Stork (Ciconia episcopus) and Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria) under Near Threatened categories by the IUCN Red List, with 46 species (28.40%) showing declining population trends globally. These findings underscore the sanctuary’s role as a biodiversity hotspot, necessitating continued monitoring and conservation efforts.