A Survey on the Endangered Avian Biodiversity at Okhla Bird Sanctuary (OBS) Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The Okhla Bird Sanctuary (OBS) is approximately 4km2 in area and is to be found at the doorway of NOIDA (New Okhla Industrial Development Authority) in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located at a junction point where river Yamuna enters in the area of Uttar Pradesh and departing the Union territory of Delhi. It is one among 15 bird sanctuaries in the state Uttar Pradesh. The present survey report highlights the significant information about the threatened bird species of the Okhla bird Sanctuary, Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The Okhla bird sanctuary is one having marshy wet land among the 24 bird sanctuaries in the state Uttar Pradesh. The Sanctuary is declared as reserve area in 1986 but notified as sanctuary by the state Government in the year 1990 and now have attained position in IBAs (Important Bird Areas) and supposed to one among 466 IBAs in India. About 302 birds’ species are viewed in this sanctuary due to the thorny scrub, grassland and wetland creation because of Okhla barrage and its unique positioning. Among 302 species about 131 are local, 121 are aquatic, and 50 are winter visitors. The immense diversity of avifauna consisting 11 threatened birds, among these 4 are vulnerable and 7 are critically endangered. The climatic conditions make the sanctuary a green wetland; thus has potential to support the existing avifauna. The efforts aim to maintain and save the threatened species by the conservation of microhabitat, nesting behaviour, resources utilization and prohibition of man made activities by the present survey.