Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: District Bhakkar lies on the left bank of Indus River, situated at a distance of 167 km from Mianwali, in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It provides a relatively stable and diverse habitat to both migratory and resident birds. This study was conducted to investigate and document the avifaunal diversity. Spanning a period of six months from September 2024 to March 2025, field surveys were carried out across three major habitats: urban areas, desert zones, and riverine tracts along the Indus River. During the survey, 133 bird species from 19 orders and 41 families were identified, accounting for 19.7% of all bird species in Pakistan. With 28 species, the order Passeriformes was the most prevalent, with the family Motacillidae having the highest representation. The region plays a crucial role in global biodiversity, lying along the Indus Flyway, a major migratory route. Key ecological roles performed by birds in the district include pest control, seed dispersal, and pollination. However, several threats such as habitat loss, deforestation, hunting, and pollution were identified. Keywords: Birds diversity, Avifauna, Passeriformes, Avian diversity, Bhakkar, Thal
Authors: Marij Khan, Mamoona Parveen, Aalia Bibi, Hafiz Yousaf, Sobia Saeed, Muhammad Kabir
Institution: Thal University Bhakkar
Language: English
Topic: Avian ecology and behavior
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4414789542
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: