Impacts of Livestock Grazing on Bird Communities in the Eucalypt Woodlands (Australia) and the Forests in Bhutan

Abstract

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are regarded as the prime causes of bird loss and decline in agricultural regions in Australia. Livestock grazing is considered to have an impact on the bird community in remnant vegetation, but has received minimal attention to date. Livestock also graze large tracts, of forest in Bhutan, and as yet no studies have been conducted to assess the impact of grazing on bird communities there. The goal of this study was to determine the species composition and abundance of birds in grazed and ungrazed sites in eucalypt woodlands in Australia, and in grazed and ungrazed chir pine and broadleaf forests in Bhutan. In both these regions, birds were surveyed by point counts. In general, I observed the following: 1) There was a marked difference in abundance of bird species between grazed and ungrazed sites in broadleaf forests in Bhutan but not in New England woodlands nor in chir pine forests in Bhutan. 2) A collection of habitat specialists remained more associated with ungrazed sites and a suite of generalists with grazed sites in both regions. 3) The broadleaf forest was richer in bird species than chir pine forest.