Avifaunal diversity of Govind Sagar dam in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Wetlands play key role in life on Earth. ‘Wetland’ is a general term for water bodies of various types, and include diverse hydrological bodies, namely, lakes, marshes, swamps, bogs, mangroves, estuaries, tidal flats, river flood plains, shallow ponds, water reservoirs etc. Dams are known to alter the natural flow of water through a landscape. They can be constructed in sustainable ways to reduce the impact on ecosystems. Govind Sagar Dam is constructed on Shahzad River in Lalitpur district lying in southern Uttar Pradesh. It is located at North latitude 24°40'27"N and east longitude 78°25'25"E. It is a key driver of local economies, given their importance to agriculture, recreation and fishing. Along with being an aesthetic entity, it provides social, economic and environmental remunerations. The avifauna of Govind Sagar Dam was studied from January 2014 to January 2016. The survey was carried out at suitable time (i.e. morning: 06:00 to 10:00 hr and from evening: 16:30 to 18:30 hr in summers while from 7:00 to 11:00 am in morning and 3:00-5:30 pm in evening during the winters) of the day. Observations were carried out with the aid of 10x50 binoculars and supported with photography using 7D Canon SLR Camera. Govind Sagar Dam supports 74 species of water birds belonging to 18 families out of which 34 are migratory species and 40 are residential bird species. Beside the water birds, 94 terrestrial bird species were observed in close proximity of Govind Sagsr Dam. Since Lalitpur lies in Bundelkand Region that is prone to drought for more than a decade now, it is of utmost importance to evolve appropriate conservation strategies and develop the potential of water resources such as Govind Sagar Dam so as to uphold the diversity of aves that have unparallel role in the ecosystem.