AVIFAUNAL DIVERSITY OF MANJEERA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA.

A total of 164 bird species belonging to 53 families were recorded in the Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary. Of these 107 species were resident, 55 species were winter migrants and 2 species were summer migrants. The population of the each species in different habitats was estimated. Species richness was observed to be more in agriculture habitat followed by scrubland, grassland and marshy areas, whereas species diversity was observed to be more in scrubland habitat followed by agriculture lands, grasslands and marshy areas. Similarity Index analysis showed that the habitats of agriculture landscrubland are more similar whereas, habitats of scrubland-marshy area show dissimilarity in the sanctuary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]