Study of Aquatic Birds Diversity and Conservation Status of Bhategaon Dam, Taluka Kalamnuri, District Hingoli, Maharashtra

Abstract This presence study has been undertaken to find out the diversity and conservation status of waterbird species around the study area. Bhategaon Dam is a water body located near Bhategaon village at 19°25 N and 77° E in Kalamnuri taluka of Hingoli District. The dam is a part of the environment and ecosystem. Water birds are an important component of the aquatic ecosystem. The dam provides abundant food resources including plants, free-swimming organisms and snails which are the components of the population of various birds affecting the presence of birds. As the water level decreases in winter, more open banks become available for feeding and roosting to attract various water birds. A total of 45 Species, 11 Orders of 23 Families were recorded during the period January 2023 to December 2024. This includes 15 Residential Common (RC), 12 Residential Migrants (RM), 02 Residential Uncommon (RU), 03 Winter Migrants (WM), 03 Winter Migrants Common (WMc), 01 Winter Migrants Rare (WMr), 01 Winter Migrants Uncommon (WMu), 04 Migrants (M), 01 Migrants Common (MC) and 01 Residents (R). Within this order, Passeriformes is the richest order in bird diversity and is represented by 12 species. The present study will help in understanding and designing conservation strategies for this agro -forest ecosystem. Integrating sustainable practices in agriculture and promoting eco-friendly urban planning are essential steps for long-term bird conservation (Gadgil et al. 1993).