BIRD SPECIES RICHNESS AND ABUNDANCE IN AN URBAN DISTURBED WOODED SAVANNA

Abstract

Changes in natural habitats by man in the tropics, especially through change in land use constitute a great threat to biodiversity. Habitat modification as a result of human population growth and development activities are the leading causes of biodiversity loss, including decline in bird species abundance and richness. Human activities such as bush burning, felling of trees, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, illegal mining activities are common sight at the Jos Wildlife. This study determined the distribution of bird species abundance and richness in disturbed areas of the Jos Wildlife Park namely mining, logged, gallery forest and savanna sites at the Jos Wildlife Park. The Jos Wildlife Park is located within the Jos Plateau of Plateau State, North-central Nigeria (09°53'N and 08°58'E). This forms a unique vegetation unit, within the Guineo-Congolian/Sudanian Regional Transition Zone. SPSS statistical software was used to analyze data. A total of 527 individual birds, 66 bird species in 35 families were recorded in July 2023. Although there was no significant difference in bird species abundance across the savanna, logged, mining and gallery forest sites, data showed that Savanna Site had the highest bird species abundance. There was no significant difference in bird species richness across the savanna, logged, mining and gallery forest sites, although data showed that Gallery Forest had the highest bird species richness. We conclude that bird species abundance and richness at the Jos Wildlife Park were recorded in denser vegetation compared with areas with less dense and sparsely distributed vegetation.