Effect of landscape heterogeneity on diurnal raptor community richness and diversity in Jammu Shiwaliks, Jammu and Kashmir

In this study, we examined the richness and diversity of diurnal raptors along with their foraging guilds across different land uses in a sub-tropical landscape during December 2016 to November 2018. A total of 80 vantage points, 19 line transects and 36 road transects were sampled in 33 sites in six different habitat types in the study area where we recorded 3409 individuals of 29 diurnal raptors in 2 orders and 3 families. Significant variation in bird abundance was observed among different habitat types, farmlands being more specious followed by pure forests, water bodies and forest-farmland interfaces. Among the seasons, summers recorded higher abundance followed by winter, monsoon and post-monsoon. A low diversity value (H'=2.22) however was observed for the whole study area with mean monthly highest recorded during February (H'=2.44) and least during June (H'=1.85). Most of the raptors observed for their food types and foraging were predators (n=22) and rest were carrion feeders (n=22). Fourteen among all observed diurnal raptors were winter visitors and 13 residents with 9 reported globally threatened. A moderately high richness of diurnal raptors substantiate high conservation value of these habitats especially the forest patches and farmlands and thus calls for effective management strategies for the conservation and proliferation of raptors in sub-tropical areas of Jammu region.