This project aims to study distribution of breeding land birds of the Central Indian Highlands to assess the existing Protected Area network and to develop a spatial conservation protocol for the region through a complementary analysis of birds, forest cover, land use patterns, and socio-economic parameters. While fieldwork for collection of primary data is over, the final phase of database development and spatial analysis is currently in progress.

Meanwhile, we investigated the influence of climatic variables on bird species richness of the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges sampled over quarter-degree grids (n=284). Bird species richness was found to be positively related to total annual rainfall and number of wet days/year, but showed a negative trend with potential evapotranspiration (PET) and diurnal temperature range.

We also examined the relative contribution of two habitat components, floristics and forest structure, to bird species composition by sampling five-hectare transect blocks (n=36). Vegetation structure was found to be the key habitat feature at the regional scale, while floristic composition emerged as the significant factor at local scale. We conclude that forest birds select habitats, first on the basis of vegetation structure and then on the basis of forest species composition, in compliance with the hierarchical model of habitat selection in animal communities.

The conservation implications of these findings in the light of climate change and impacts of forestry practices and human activities on forest structure and composition are discussed.