Department of Zoology M.D. University, Rohtak 124001 Haryana www.mdurohtak.

com

Reviewed Proceedings of National Seminar on Internet: Applications in Research, 50-54 (2011) ISBN- 978-81-920945-1-9

Bird Diversity Assessment of Tilyar Lake, Rohtak, Haryana (India) Using Internet Resources
J.S. Laura, Ajit Singh, Anju, Chanderprabha, Surender, Sarina and Harinder Singh Department of Environmental Sciences, M.D. University Rohtak Email: jslmdu@rediffmail.com Abstract Publication date Received 29.3.11
Tilyar Lake in Rohtak (Haryana) is of crucial importance from the point of conservation of native and immigrant birds populations. The avifaunal diversity was studied for a period of one year from January 2009 to December 2010. Bird species were identified by using pictorial and descriptive internet resources. The lake inhabits several local and migratory bird species. This habitat attracted 34 bird species belonging to 22 families of local and migratory birds. Twenty nine birds fall in residential birds category while remaining 5 birds fall in migratory birds category. White ibis, little egret and little cormorant were found to be the dominant bird species throughout the year, however in winter season; black headed ibis was recorded to have the highest population. Migratory birds White wagtail and Long-billed Pipit visit the lake in winter season in search of feeding grounds and escape of northern winter while Asian Koel, Black-crowned Night Heron and Blue-tailed Bee-eater visit the lake in summer season for breeding purpose. The lake is associated with a tourist resort and zoo thus attracting a large number of visitors throughout the year due to which the bird population is confined to the islands present in the lake providing a limited space and habitat for the birds. The excess anthropogenic disturbances are a threat to the very existence of the bird populations in this wetland. Key words: Bird Diversity, migratory bird, Tilyar Lake.

Revised Received 20.6.11 Accepted 22.6.11

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Introduction
The internet revolution is drastically changing the world just as the industrial revolution did a century ago to give many benefits to mankind. We are in fact as dependent on internet as we are on other utility things like water, electricity etc. before a few years people used to get up in the morning and read the newspaper or watch television but now most people log on to internet first thing in the morning. Internet has become an indispensable tool in the field of research as well. Internet has made the search for literature and information available at the touch of a button without moving out of the work place or at home There are many exciting things happening on the Internet today that birders should be aware of. Digitial photography and the internet go hand in hand. The internet is the greatest resource for sharing bird images, information, opinions, or shopping on-line for bird related materials. Years ago, the only way to see someone else's images was to have them in hand. Now, anyone can surf the net and view a multitude of images of any species. With this instant access to a myriad of images, one can compare plumages or traits of interest and learn specific aspects of birds at an accelerated rate. There are many sites devoted to birds and bird identification that are excellent learning tools. On-line sites such as India Birds, Kolkata Birds, www.birdzilla.com and Birds of North America (BNA) cover the identification, life history, vocalizations, subspecies specifics, nesting behavior, etc. for all species occurring in North America. eBird is
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another site that is unlike any other in that birders can enter their bird sightings into a managed, structured, formatted database. This database makes it easy for people to keep track of all their personal sightings, or view all sightings reported of certain species or area. Seasonal maps of distribution or a trend of birds is available as well, along with a host of other functions. Discussion forums associated with these bird related websites are used to discus and identify birds with experts sitting in any part of the world by sending pictures and data instantaneously. Lakes are highly complex water, land interactive systems, supposed to be the most fertile - productive ecosystems in the world (R G Wetzel, 2001) and constitute a treasury of biodiversity. Due to inadequate attention and ignorance of common man, these lakes are referred as wastelands in the past, leading to their disappearance in the process of urbanization and development. The Ramsar convention, which came into force in December 1973, demands an urgent need to develop the conservation strategies and management plan by inventorying, monitoring and documenting the diversity and density of biodiversity with special reference to water fowl. Water bodies serve as stop-over sites for winged visitors like the migratory water fowls from central Asia and some parts of India (Birasal 2010).

Study Area
Tilyar Lake is of crucial importance from the point of native and immigrant birds and conserves a very wide range of biodiversity. It is situated on 5 km away from Rohtak, Haryana (India) on Rohtak-

Delhi road. It is located on the latitude of 28 52 52.77 N and longitude of 76 38 12.05 E having an area of 132 acres. It has a great importance and harbors (1) a large number of bird species (2) large number of aquatic animal species (3) large number of plant species and (4) wide diversity of micro flora and fauna. There are three small and very beautiful islands in the lake water which also have various plant diversity. It is visited by a very large number of tourists which is detrimental for the lake water and outer area of the lake.

Result and Discussion

Table 1 show that Tilyar Lake attracted 34 bird species belonging to 22 families of local and migratory birds. Twenty nine birds fall in residential birds category while remaining 5 birds fall in migratory birds category. Table 2 show various residential birds identified during the study period of one year. Little cormorant was found in highest population throughout the year. White ibis, little egret and black headed ibis also found in dominant birds throughout the year. 29 residential birds belonging to 22 families were found throughout the study. Table 1. Bird Diversity on Tilyar Lake Category Residential Birds Migratory Winter Birds Summer Total No. of Species 29 2 3 34 No. of Families 22 1 2

Materials and methods

The water bird census was being conducted at the lake between 7 am and 10 am. Life forms in the area were observed through naked eyes and with the aid of a binocular and their photographs were taken using a camera. Waterfowls were identified by the referring the classical literatures and text books authored by Chester (1915), Rahmani and Mishra (1999) and Ali (2002) and different internet sources. This work was carried out for the period of one year from January 2010 to December 2010.

Table 2. List of various residential birds during the study

Common Name Common hoopoe Paddyfield Pipit Little cormorant Euracian thick knee Grey francolin Indian Peafowl (Male) White-throated Kingfisher Spot billed duck Swan Goose Scientific Name Upupa epops Anthus rufulus Microcarbo niger Burhinus oedicnemus Francolinus pondicerianus Pavo cristatus Halcyon smyrnensis Anas poecilorhyncha Anser cygnoides
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Family Upupidae Motacillidae Phalacrocoracidae Burhinidae Phasianidae Phasianidae Halcyonidae Anatidae Anatidae

White Ibis Black headed ibis Little egret Cattle Egret Red-vented Bulbul Rose-ringed Parakeet Red-wattled Lapwing Eurasian Collared Dove Laughing Dove Rock Pigeon Magpie Robin Crow Pheasant(greater coccal) Bank Myna Common Myna Green Bee-eater House Crow House Sparrow Common Coot Black Drongo Ashy Prinia

Eudocimus albus Threskiornis melanocephalus Egretta garzetta Bubulcus ibis Pycnonotus cafer Psittacula krameri Vanellus indicus Streptopelia decaocto Spilopelia senegalensis Columba livia Copsychus saularis Centropus sinensis Acridotheres ginginianus Acridotheres tristis Merops orientalis Corvus splendens Passer domesticus Fulica atra Dicrurus macrocercus Prinia socialis

Threskiornithidae Threskiornithidae Ardeidae Ardeidae Pycnonotidae Psittacidae Charadriidae Columbidae Columbidae Columbidae Muscicapidae Cuculidae Sturnidae Sturnidae Meropidae Corvidae Passeridae Rallidae Dicruridae Cristicolidae

Table 3. List of various migratory birds recorded in both winter and summer seasons during the study. Seasons Common Name Family Scientific Name Motacillidae Winter White Wagtail Motacilla alba Motacillidae Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis Summer Asian Koel Cuculidae Eudynamys scolopaceus Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Ardeidae Blue-tailed Bee-eater Meropidae Merops philippinus Heron and Blue-tailed Bee-eater. They come Table 3 and Fig.1 shows 5 migratory birds from South India, Sri Lanka, North Africa belonging to 4 families were recorded and South Asia for various life processes. In during the study. In winter season two birds were identified including White Wagtail, summer season the population of waterfowl Long-billed Pipit. They visit the lake from increase. Europe, Asia and from hilly areas in the search of food and pass the winter. While in Conclusion summer season 3 birds were identified Tilyar Lake is a beautiful tourist including Asian Koel, Black-crowned Night place. It conserves a wide range of
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biodiversity. But the lake is going to be degrading due to many recreational

References
Ali. The Book of Indian Birds (13th Edition) Published by Bombay Natural History Society, Oxford University press. 1326 + 64 plates. (2002). Asad-R, Rahmani, Manoj Kumar Mishra. Fraudulence in Indian Live Bird Trade. Traffic India. Ministry of Environment and Forest Government of India. WWF India. (1999). Birasal N R. Water Bird Diversity at Heggeri Lake, Haveri District. Lake 2010: Wetlands, Biodiversity and Climate Change. (2010). Chester A. and B.S. Read. The Bird Book. Double Day, Page and Company Garden City, New York. (1915). Robert G Wetzel Limnology. (Lake & river ecosystems). Third edition. Academic press. An imprint of Elsevier,California, USA. 1 1006. (2001). http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/bio/birds/mai n/ident/bvk1.htm http://www.birdzilla.com/ http://www.indiabirds.com/ http://www.indiabirds.com/ http://www.kolkatabirds.com

Figure. 1. various migratory birds activities in the lake area. Many construction processes are going on in the lake riparian area which is harmful for the lake biodiversity. There is no proper treatment for water in the lake; only the water is completely changed after a fix period which destroys all the water biodiversity. These processes also affect the waterfowl population in water and in riparian area. So the lake is under research treatment.

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