Assessment of long-term trends in a threatened grassland bird community using daily bird lists

Abstract

Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs), such as tropical grasslands, are among the most threatened habitats on Earth today. The long-term monitoring of ONEs is an important research domain that is essential for understanding anthropogenic impacts and facilitating conservation action. Using a simple day-listing method over a 13-year period, we studied species trends in a central Indian grassland-agriculture mosaic experiencing several land-use changes. Our results indicate that some grassland species (such as the Great Indian Bustard Ardeotis nigriceps) show steep declines during the study period, while other generalist species (such as the Indian Peafowl Pavo cristatus) show an increasing trend. Daily listing also reveals distinct seasonal patterns, and we discuss the Great Indian Bustard and Western Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus as examples. Our study highlights the utility of consistent checklist surveys to monitor population trends of bird communities within a changing landscape.