Observation on the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornismelanocephalus, Red-naped Ibis Pseudibis papillosa and Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis at cattle carcass dumping site, Dhanera, Banaskantha District, Gujarat, India

Abstract :

Here we report the observations on Black-headed Ibis Threskiornismelanocephalus, Red-naped IbisPseudibis papillosaand Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis at a cattle carcass-dumping site, Dhanera, Bhanaskantha district, Gujarat, India. Field surveys were carried out in Dhanera as part of ecological profiling study in December 2022. Dhanera is located at (24° 35 05 N 71° 57 53 E), spread over 866.26 km2 . Agricultural land with dry areas is the maximum area covered in Dhanera, providing habitat to many waterbird species in north Gujarat, composed of very low forest cover, vast arid land and highly dominated by agricultural and pastoral activities (Gajera and Dharaiya 2011). The present observations were recorded at three locations in Dhanera, between 09:00-13:00 hrs on 16-19 December 2022 [Location 1: [24° 563550 N -72° 013930 E], [Location 2: 24° 488010 N 71° 495892 E] and [Location 3: 24° 609781 N 71° 928826 E]. The climatic of the district are subtropical, having four different seasons; the summer season from May to July; autumn commences in August and ends in late October; the winter season approaches from November and lasts until January; the spring season occurs from February to April. District Banaskantha remains arid in summers with an intense hot environment and cold winters. This region annually receives approximately 200 mm of rainfall, of which about 75% occurs in the monsoon (late June to August) .