Status, Diversity, and Feeding Guilds of Avifauna in the Mining Area Andi Siady Hamzah 1*, Nasri N 1, Andri Ardiansyah 2
1 Faculty of Forestry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar 90245, South Sulawesi, Indonesia-
2 PT Vale Indonesia Tbk, Sorowako, East Luwu 92983, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
Abstract
Birds contribute to the ecosystem by delivering a variety of ecological services. Birds help the ecology by performing a number of ecological functions. Bird distribution and community structure are determined by specific habitats. The variety and feeding guilds of birds in various land covers were studied at PT. Vale Indonesia^s mining concession. We studied birds^ variety, status, and feeding guilds in three distinct land covers using the point count methods: i) primary dryland forest- ii) secondary dryland forest- and iii) shrubs. Data were obtained from January 20th to February 24th, 2020. There were 38 species from 24 families reported. We discovered 11 Sulawesi endemic species, and 1 vulnerable species. Secondary dryland forest species composition was more similar to primary dryland forest than to shrubs. Carnivores, frugivores, granivores, insectivores, nectarivores, and piscivores make up the fowl. The insectivore bird composition was the highest, while the piscivore bird composition was the lowest. The availability of food supplies and vegetation characteristics may be critical to the diversity of birds in any ecosystem. As a result, this study indicates that land-cover alteration and modification may have an impact on bird diversity structure. Maintaining vegetation as a source of food and habitat for birds is crucial for bird conservation
Keywords: Bird diversity, feeding guild, Land cover, Conservation