Abstract: Avifauna species diversity and abundance in and around of an urbanized lake called Peralanda Lake were recorded using point transect technique from January 2015 to December 2016. The lake is situated at North Colombo area adjacent to Ragama city in Gampaha District. Three Different habitat types were identified as Water body habitat, Terrestrial habitat adjacent to the water body and Disturbed habitat. Bird census was performed on 20 sampling points with a radius of 25m which were fixed by using a Global Positioning System device (GPS) (Garmin e Trex). Each point was visited 3 times per month at different times of the day between 0600h to 1000h and 1500h to 1900h. Sixty-two species belonging fourteen orders and thirty-seven families were recorded during the study. These include three globally near threatened species Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster) and Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocepha-lus); three locally near threatened species, Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus), Oriental Honey-Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) and Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis); one critically endangered species, Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus); two endemic species, Sri Lanka Small Barbet (Megalaima rubricapilla) and Sri Lanka Swallow (Hirundo hyper-ythra) and four migrant species, Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi paradisi), Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus) and Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus). Highest species diversity was recorded in terrestrial habitat adjacent to the water body followed by Disturbed habitat while least species diversity was recorded in Water body habitat.

1. SPECIES DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF AVIFAUNA
IN AND AROUND AN URBANIZED LAKE SITUATED AT
PERALANDA - RAGAMA,
NORTH COLOMBO- SRI LANKA
E.I.P.SILVA , M.C.PRABHATH , A.R.SUMANARATHNE
Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Faculty of Natural Science, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
South Asian Astrobiology & Palaeobiology Research Unit of Eco Astronomy Sri Lanka
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2. INTRODUCTION

3.  The diversity of avifauna in a particular area is
considered as one of the most prominent ecological
indicators in determining habitat quality (Manjunath and
Joshi, 2012; Goodale et al., 2013).
 Among preferred habitats of avifauna, lakes and
surrounding areas play a main role.

4.  Due to the influence of urbanization and
development, lake ecosystems have already started
to disappear which results in extinction and decline
of native species (Godefroid, 2001; Singh and Laura, 2013).
 Therefore, adequate attention is needed to protect
associated flora and fauna with the proper support of
management plans.
 Relatively less number of studies was conducted to
determine avifaunal community parameters in
urbanized areas

5. To investigate the Avifauna species
diversity and abundance in and around the
Peralanda lake
OBJECTIVES

6. MATERIALS AND METHODS

7. STUDY SITE
 Peralanda Lake (in & around)
 An urbanized Lake
 Ragama city
 Western province, SL
 Low country wet zone
 Surface area = 0.026km2
 AAR = 2333mm
 AAT = 27.1° C
AAT – Average Annual Rainfall
AAT – Average Annual Temperature

8. METHODS
 3 Habitat types were identified
 Waterbody habitat (WH)
 Terrestrial habitat adjacent to waterbody habitat (TH)
 Disturbed habitat (DH)

9. METHODS…
 Waterbody Habitat (WH)
The area which is covered by the water surface of the
lake and some floating common aquatic plants and
aquatic invasive plants.

10. METHODS…
 Terrestrial Habitat Adjacent To Waterbody
Habitat (TH)
The area just adjacent to the lake.
Relatively an undisturbed vegetation area Considerably
low with anthropological activities.

11. METHODS…
 Disturbed Habitat (DH)
Highly altered by anthropological activities.
Dominated by home gardens and some plantations.

12. METHODS…
Based on those habitats,
 Point transect technique was used
 20 sampling points with a radius of 25m
 Fixed by - Global positioning system (GPS)
 January 2015 to December 2016
 Time: 0600h - 1000h and 1500h - 1900h
 Visited 3 times per month

13. METHODS…
 Care was taken to
avoid repetition.
 Same field observer
conducted all point
counts to eliminate
observation bias.

14. DATA ANALYSIS
 Species Richness
 Relative abundance (%) = n/N * 100
 Diversity - Shannon-Weiner index
H= -Σ pi ln pi
n = the number of individuals
N = total number of individuals of the species.

15. RESULTS

16. RESULTS
Index WH TH DH
No of individuals 4029 10035 7778
Species Richness 25 47 39
S.W. Diversity Index 2.807 3.443 3.028
Table 01 : Avifaunal species richness and the diversity in the
three different habitats in and around Peralanda Lake during
the study period

17. Turdoides affinis
7%
Acridotheres tristis
5%
Psittacula krameri
5%
Pycnonotus cafer
5%
Streptopelia chinensis
5%
Corvus splendens
5%
Porphyrio porphyrio
4%
Ardeola grayii
4%
Dendrocygna javanica
3%
Other
57%
RA of avian species during 2015 Jan. to 2016 Dec.
Yellow-billed Babbler
Red-vented Bulbul
Common Myna
Rose-Ringed Parakeet
Spotted Dove

18. RESULTS
 Total # Species = 63
 Belonging 14 Orders & 37 Families
Globally near threatened species - 3
 Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)
 Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
 Black-headed Ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus)

19. RESULTS…
Locally near threatened species - 3
 Cotton Pygmy-goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)
 Oriental Honey-Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus)
 Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayensis)
Locally Critically endangered species -1
 Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)

20. Endemic species - 2
 Sri Lanka Small Barbet (Megalaima rubricapilla)
 Sri Lanka Swallow (Hirundo hyperythra)
Migrant species - 4
 Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
 Asian Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone paradisi paradisi)
 Blue-tailed Bee-eater (Merops philippinus)
 Forest Wagtail (Dendronanthus indicus)
RESULTS…

21. Photographs of recorded birds

22. Photographs of recorded birds…

23. Photographs of recorded birds…

24. DISCUSSION

25.  Higher number of species richness and diversity in
terrestrial habitat along the water body
(Remsen and Parker, 1983; Walwert et al., 2004)
 high plant diversity and density
Breeding Resting feeding

26.  The least number of species richness and diversity
in the water body habitat
 presence of aquatic invasive plants
Eichhornia crassipes, Salvinia sp., Pistia
stratiotes and Hydrilla sp.
 loss their preferred habitats

27.  Food sources and preferable shelters are higher in
disturbed habitats
 Disturbed habitat is dominated by specific plant
species such as Mangifera indica, Psidium spp.
and Muntingia calabura
 Several houses
have established
feeding areas
for birds.

28.  Though it is seemed to be disturbed when comparing
with natural habitats, these home gardens provide
different types of ecological niches to various bird
species.

29. CONCLUSION

30.  The plant diversity in and around the lake which is a
home for birds are highly destroyed by ongoing
construction and development processes.
 The lake water is subjected to changes daily with the
addition of polluted water which causes detrimental
damages to avifauna in the study area.
 The invasive aquatic plants also create habitat
unsuitability towards avifauna.

31.  Though Peralanda Lake is situated in a highly urbanized
area,
it holds a significant avian diversity and richness
in and around the lake area.

32.  The maintenance of ecological balance is a must with
the aid of initiating proper management strategies
 Starting vegetation management programmes
 Preventing illegal encroachments
 Initiating removal of invasive aquatic plants
 Promoting wildlife research and monitoring programmes
MANAGEMENT IMPLICATION

33.  Findings of the current research encourage people to
maintain a good home garden which will ultimately
be a great contribution for the conservation of
avifauna specifically.
 The current research demonstrated the importance
of urbanized lake and its surrounding area as a
home for tremendous avifaunal diversity and the
protection of these areas.

34. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

35. Department of Zoology, University of Sri
Jayewardenepura
Department Of Natural Sciences Of The Open University
South Asian Astrobiology and Palaeobiology Research
Unit Of Eco Astronomy Sri Lanka (EASL)
Central Environmental Authority (CEA)
Ja-Ela divisional secretariat
Residents around the Peralanda lake

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39. Thank you !