RESULTS OF AWC 2020
The plan and motivation to cover at least 50 wetlands in Salem district kicked up only half way through the AWC 2020. Our team and volunteers decided to spread out to different parts of the district to gather firsthand information about the status of the wetlands and the bird diversity associated with it. The plan was to cover larger wetlands, regardless of the presence or absence of water.
No. of wetlands surveyed: 52
Total no. of bird species recorded: 121
Total no. of individual birds counted: 9,940
Participants: Aarti C Rajaratnam, Angeline Mano M, Divya Subramani, Ganeshwar SV, Kalaiselvan V, Rajangam P, Senthil Kumar S, Subramania Siva S, Vadivukkarasi A.
Common Myna by Rama Neelamegam
Top 10 bird species in the 52 wetlands surveyed:
S.No. | Common Name | Scientific Name | Percentage of Occurrence |
1 | Common Myna | Acridotheres tristis | 80.77 % |
2 | Asian Palm-Swift | Cypsiurus balasiensis | 78.85 % |
3 | Rose-ringed Parakeet | Psittacula krameri | 78.85 % |
4 | Indian Pond-Heron | Ardeola grayii | 69.23 % |
5 | Black Drongo | Dicrurus macrocercus | 69.23 % |
6 | Pied Bushchat | Saxicola caprata | 69.23 % |
7 | Purple Sunbird | Cinnyris asiaticus | 65.38 % |
8 | White-throated Kingfisher | Halcyon smyrnensis | 63.46 % |
9 | Red-wattled Lapwing | Vanellus indicus | 61.54 % |
10 | House Crow | Corvus splendens | 59.62 % |
Indian Pond-Heron by Surendhar Boobalan
Top 10 resident waterbird species in the 52 wetlands surveyed:
S.No. | Common Name | Scientific Name | Percentage of Occurrence |
1 | Indian Pond-Heron | Ardeola grayii | 69.23 % |
2 | White-throated Kingfisher | Halcyon smyrnensis | 63.46 % |
3 | Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | 57.69 % |
4 | Little Cormorant | Microcarbo niger | 48.08 % |
5 | Little Grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis | 46.15 % |
6 | Eurasian Coot | Fulica atra | 32.69 % |
7 | Little Egret | Egretta garzetta | 32.69 % |
8 | Eurasian Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | 23.08 % |
9 | Indian Spot-billed Duck | Anas poecilorhyncha | 19.23 % |
10 | Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | 19.23 % |
Common Sandpiper by Ganeshwar SV & Ananth T
Top 10 migratory waterbird species (from other countries) in the 52 wetlands surveyed:
S.No. | Common Name | Scientific Name | Percentage of Occurrence |
1 | Common Sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | 28.85 % |
2 | Wood Sandpiper | Tringa glareola | 26.92 % |
3 | Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus | 25 % |
4 | Garganey | Spatula querquedula | 9.62 % |
5 | Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | 9.62 % |
6 | Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | 5.77 % |
7 | Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | 3.85 % |
8 | Little Stint | Calidris minuta | 1.92 % |
There were only 8 migratory waterbird species from other countries that were recorded during the census and they’re given here. Though inland migratory waterbirds such as Baillon’s Crake (1.92 %) and Whiskered Tern (1.92 %) were recorded, they aren’t added to this list. | |||
List of 52 wetlands surveyed (clicking the name of the wetland will lead to that particular eBird checklist):
1) Kannankurichi (Mookaneri) Lake
2) Kolanthampatty Lake
3) Kumaragiri Lake
4) Muthunaickenpatti Lake
5) Omalur Lake
6) Erumapalayam Lake
7) PMP Nagar Lake or P. Nattamangalam Lake
8) Poolavari Lake
9) Panamarathupatti Lake
10)Danishpet Lake
11) Danishpet Chinna Lake
12) Kamalapuram Lake
13) Kamalapuram Periyeri Lake
14) Pavalathanoor Lake
15) Periya Kadampatti Lake
16) Pallapatti Lake
17) Selathampatti Lake
18) Ismail Khan Lake
19) Rettiyur Road Lake near Nangavalli
20) Chinna Pethanaickenpalayam Lake
21) Thennangudipalayam Lake
22) Periya Urani Lake near Jalakandapuram
23) Kattinayakanpatty Lake
24) S.E.M Road Lake
25) Panangadu Lake
26) Muttal Lake
27) Kottapuli Lake
28) Vellarivelli Lake
29) Kottanathan Lake
30) Sengadu/Jangama Samudram Lake
31) Sentharapatti Lake
32) Sarkar Nattamangalam Lake
33) Thalavaipatty Lake
34) Pethanaickenpalayam Lake
35) Manivilundan Lake
36) Thalaivasal Lake
37) Aragalur Periyeri Lake
38) Sitheri Lake
39) Vellaiyur Lake
40) Nallur Lake
41) Veeraganur Lake
42) Navalur Lake
43) Punalvasal Lake
44) Chinna Punalvasal Lake
45) Saarvaai Lake
46) Thodavoor Lake
47) Anayampatti Lake
48) Naduvaneri Lake
49) Valasakkalpatti Lake or Veera Ramar Dam
50) Selliyampalayam Lake
51) Kondayampalli Lake
52) Ariyapalayam Lake.
