Avifauna as an ecological indicator of the grassland habitat restoration in western India

Semi arid grasslands are major habitats in Saurashtra and Kachchh region of Gujarat, western India. Due to various reasons the grassland ecosystem in the area is degraded and fragmented causing loss of unique biodiversity. Present study was conducted to reflect the importance of such grassland patches by considering avifauna as an indicator group. The work was carried out in two phase viz. reconnaissance study and intensive study. Reconnaissance was carried out in a grassland called, ”Khirsara vidi” near Rajkot from July, 2005 to January 2006 and intensive study was conducted in three different grassland patches, faces varying degree of anthropogenic pressures, near Rajkot city including Khirasara from August 2006 to March 2007. It includes list of bird species, their species richness, density, diversity indices, cluster analysis, feeding guild analysis, effect of human activities on grassland bird community, and comparative study of avifaunal assemblages of such degraded grassland patches with protected grassland systems in state, which provides an idea about the trend of avifauna in such systems. The study suggests the grass yield time, and kind of protection required to restore the biodiversity. This is useful to conclude the importance of degraded grassland patches, and possible threats with respect to avifauna and to give suggestion for their restoration in the region.