DIVERSITY OF AVIFAUNA IN SHER-E-BANGLA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Avifaunal surveys were carried out in the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Campus, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from May 2013 to April 2014. Status, distribution, and conservation as well as other aspects of birds in this campus were studied. A total of 60 species of birds have been recorded. Among total birds, 30 (50%) species were resident, 13 (about 22%) migratory resident and 17 (about 28%) species were migratory. In the total birds, very common, common, uncommon and rare species were 37%, 18%, 23% and 22% respectively. Food and feeding habits of 60 numbers of birds species were observed during the study period. From the food observation it was found that, insect were eaten by 20%, fish  by 10% , grain by 17%, fruits by 3%, small animal by 10%, mixed foods by 28%, fish and other invertebrates were eaten by 12% bird species. After investigating the feeding grounds, it was found that the pond feeding ground were 14% bird species, wet land were 20% species, crop field were 17% species, woodland and bush were 18% species , grassland and wetland were 18% species, ground and wetland were5%, pond and crop field were 5%, and ground were 3%. This study shows that Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Campus, even though subject to moderate anthropogenic disturbance, still hosts a large and distinctive avifauna.