Summer Bird Abundance Patterns in the forests under Bodoland Territorial Council, Northeast India

The forests under Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) are a northern extension of the plains of Assam, which is classified as an 'Important Bird Area'. Unlike other plains of North-eastern India, most of the ornithological surveys in this landscape have produced only limited bird inventories. During present studies two hundred sixty open width transects were used to survey eight major habitat types in the central and western part of BTC forests. The 270 species of birds were recorded from the study area which include 24 species from outside transects. The maximum bird species were recorded from Dry Deciduous Miscellaneous Forest followed by Moist Deciduous Miscellaneous Forest, Sal Forests and Scrub Forests. Some species were also recorded from reverine habitat and Evergreen Forests. The bird species richness was least in encroached forestland under agriculture fallow and monoculture plantations. The results show that the forests of BTC are important parts of the Northeast Biodiversity Hotspot and deserve inclusion in protected area network.