Information on the nesting success of birds in the Indian subcontinent is almost negligible. In the present study factors affecting nesting success were studied over four years (i.e. 2011–2014) in a color ringed population of the oriental magpie robin (OMR) in an urban habitat of Haridwar district (29°55′N, 78°08′E), Uttarakhand, India. Objectives of our study were 1) to assess whether nest box affects nesting success in the OMR or not 2) to compare breeding data obtained from nest boxes with tree cavities. Out of total 114 nests built in both nest boxes and tree cavities, 80 nests were successful in producing at least one fledgling resulting 69.25% nesting success. Nesting success did not differ significantly between nest boxes and tree cavities or during different years. No correlation was found between territory size and nesting success (correlation coefficient = 0.41). Observations indicated that predation accounted for the maximum egg loss and nestling mortality. Predation rate was higher in tree cavities but did not differ significantly during different years and between nest boxes and tree cavities. In all years but 2011 clutch size was significantly higher in nest boxes than in tree cavities. However, incubation period, provisioning period, number of eggs hatched and number of young fledged did not differ significantly between nest boxes and tree cavities. When provided, nest boxes were occupied more frequently at all study sites indicating that nest box may act as an alternative nesting site for the OMR and perhaps for other secondary cavity nesters facing scarcity of nesting sites due to rapid urbanization.
Migration is the seasonal habitual movement, exhibited by many avian species along a flyway from breeding to wintering grounds and vice versa all over the world. Migratory birds are very sensitive to even small changes in water level which may be affected by flood or drought on their breeding and wintering grounds. High rains during monsoon season can cause flood conditions in the lower hills and Gangetic plains including Haridwar district. In our study, conducted during last ten years (2009-2018), we covered Bheemgoda Barrage and Missarpur Ganga Ghat of Haridwar, Uttarakhand, where 46 species of Migratory (M) and Resident Migratory (RM) wetland birds were observed. Bird survey indicated that there was a significant increase (p = 0.064, t-test) in the population of certain species such as Bhraminy Shelduck (67%), Black Headed Gull (31%), Gadwall (7%), Northern Pintail (59%), Red Crested Pochard (10%) and Tufted Pochard (47%) in Missarpur Ganga Ghat as compared to Bheemgoda Barrage (based on the average abundance of the species observed during study period). It may be pointed out that after flood and loss of vegetated island, there was significant decrease (p= 0.023, t-test) in the population of species such as Black necked stork (76%), Great crested grebe (56), Pallas gull (47%) at Bheemgoda barrage, while some species such as Bar headed goose, Common pochard did not arrive in Bheemgoda barrage after the flood. The study would help to understand the effect of climatic change on water birds species distribution in natural and man-made wetlands.
The order Chiroptera is the second largest order of mammals and shows great physiological and ecological diversity. These animals play significant ecological roles as prey and predator as well as facilitating pollination, seed dispersal, arthropod reduction and nutrient distribution and reutilisation in nature. Bats act as hosts to a range of viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic zoonoses. Human activities increase the likelihood of exposure to bats, thereby increasing the opportunity for infections to spill over. Continuing ecological processes, emergence and spillover of novel pathogens in naïve hosts, including humans, along with other complex natural phenomena require proper understanding that may help in predicting the next spillover. This review will discuss the ecology of bats and their role in the emergence of different zoonoses, particularly those of viral origin, in an organised manner to increase understanding of the factors that may play significant roles in spillover of these pathogens from bats to other animals, including humans.
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