International Research Journal of Environment Sciences________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414Vol. 3(8), 58-60, August (2014) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 58 Short Communication Preliminary Survey of Heronry at Khargone, MP, IndiaKher A. and Beg I.* Department of Botany, Government Holkar Science College Indore, MP, INDIAAvailable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me Received 21st March 2014, revised 20th July 2014, accepted 10th August 2014 AbstractIn the preliminary survey of heronry at four different places in Khargone city of M.P. India, 558 nests of four bird species i.e., Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Indian Shag and Little Cormorants were recorded. Breeding was almost over in the last week of September 2011. They had selected 44 plants of 21 species. Interestingly two woody climbers Salvadora oleoides and Bougainvillea spectabilis had been preferred along with bamboo plants. Keywords: Bird nesting, avifauna, vertebrates and West Nimar. Introduction Heronries are communal nesting of water birds which play important role in an ecosystem. In India about 26 species of water birds are known to nest colonially. Generally they prefer densely foliaged trees; abundant food material, minimum pollution and safety Patel et.al. Subramanya had reported information on over 553 nesting sites from all over India. Patel et.al., Burnett, Johnson, Chhaya, Krishnan, Mahabal, Uthaman, Uttangi9 and Mashru10 reported important information regarding heronries and their sites. According to Subramanya there is a need to develop a more detailed inventory of heronries at the district or state level by concerned individuals or by government and nongovernmental organizations. Khargone city is the district head quarter in West Nimar of Madhya Pradesh from where negligible report has been published regarding birds and their nesting sites so far. Therefore present work is chosen as preliminary work and gathering of data of heronries at Khargone. Material and Methods When posted at Government Girls College Khargone (M.P.), a survey of heronries in connection with bird species, number of nests and trees selected for nesting was worked out at four different places of Khargone city of Madhya Pradesh, India from 28th August 2011 to 28th of September 2011 in day time During the study nests of egrets and cormorants were noted and given in the table. Results and Discussion During the study 558 nests of Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis); Little Egret (Egretta garzetta); Indian Shag (Phacrocorax intermedia) and Little Cormorant (Phalacrocorax niger) were observed. These birds preferred 41 plants included in 21 plant species of 15 families. From the local people information about heronries was collected which indicates that heronry (L-1) is traditional and existing since last 15-20 years. This main heronry (L-1) is situated in the vicinity of government quarters which are very close to bus stand and Municipal Corporation and known as TNT complex. In the main heronry four bird species had chosen 34 plants of 19 species. Interestingly Bougainvillea spectabilis a woody climber and two bamboo plants (Bambusa sp) were also selected by Egrets for their nesting. Surprisingly on the other road side of the main heronry, dense canopy of trees and other favorable conditions were present but there was only one big Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) where 15 nests of Cormorants were recorded. One of the main reasons for it may be the presence of Bee hives in that particular area. Large number of birds specially Rosy Pastors (approximately 1000), Indian myna (500) Cormorants (100), Egrets (250) roost there and therefore this could be one of the reason of splitting of heronry. Secondly due to lake of space and competitions among themselves heronry extended into other parts (L-2-L-4). Salvadora oleifera is a medium sized tree which is well distributed in Khargone and other part of West Nimar but growing near old hospital area (L-2 of table-1) as woody climber. This plant was also selected for nesting by Egrets. Present study supports the statement of Patel et.al. that the traditional heronries prefer “a safe nesting site” with abundance of food availability and other suitable conditions. They also think that women and children are commonest enemies of the nests. But we disagree with this statement. Subramanyareported 53% of the nesting sites of heronries either within or close to human habitation. However we suggest that traditional heronries are safe as people of the society including men, women and children do not mind such habitats. Secondly the present heronry is situate in the mid part of the city facing noise pollution of vehicles therefore reason of noise pollution should not be the cause of large heronry as pointed out in case of Atul International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 3(8), 58-60, August (2014) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 59 chemical industrial complex. They could not find any nest on Eucalyptus, Mango and Mast trees however we recorded 9, 28 and 6 nests on these plants respectively and even on plants like Bougainvillea and Casuarina which are not very dense. Similarly Mashru10 reported few other trees therefore we can say that selection of plants during breeding season is secondary than safe nesting place with abundant food. ConclusionPreliminary study shows important information about these ecologically important creatures therefore detailed investigations of these heronries should be worked out in this eco-region which has been neglected so far. Table-1 Survey of Heronry at Khargone, MP, India S. no. Place/ Locality Name of Tree Family Total number of plants Total no. of nests Total no. of nests of Cattle Egret/Little Egret Total no. of nests of Little Cormorant/ Indian Shag 1 TNT Complex (L-1)Eucalyptus kamaldulensis Myrtaceae 01 09 09 00 2 Leucaena leucocephala Mimosaceae 03 15 05 10 3 Mangifera indica- Anacardiaceae 02 28 23 05 4 Albizzia lebback Mimosaceae 01 05 00 05 5 Acacia nilotica- Mimosaceae 01 20 20 00 6 Azadirachta indica- Meliaceae 04 34 34 00 7 Bambusa sp Poaceae 02 09 09 00 8 Casuarina equisetifolia Casuarinaceae 01 09 09 00 9 Polyalthia longifolia Annonaceae 02 06 06 00 10 Bougainvillea spectabilis Nyctaginaceae 01 05 05 00 11 Millingtonia hortensis Bignoniaceae 01 O5 05 00 12 Pithecelobium dulce Mimosaceae 06 144 144 00 13 Emblica officinalis Euphorbiaceae 01 25 25 00 14 Moringa oleifera Moringaceae 02 09 09 00 15 Tamarindus indica Caesalpiniaceae 01 01 01 00 16 Ficus benghalensis Moraceae 01 39 20 19 17 Psidium guajava Myrtaceae 01 02 02 00 18 Ficus religiosa Moraceae 02 25 00 25 19 Sterculia urens Sterculiaceae 01 01 01 00 Old Hospital /Tahsil Parisar /(L-2)Salvadora oleioides Salvadoraceae 01 27 27 00 20 21 Azadirachta indica Meliaceae 04 38 38 00 22 Pithecelobium dulce Mimosaceae 01 20 20 00 23 Radha Vallabh Market/ (L-3)Azadirachta indica- Meliaceae 03 52 52 00 24 Govt. P.G.P. College Campus/ (L-4)Prosopis zyliflora -01 Mimosaceae 01 23 23 00 International Research Journal of Environment Sciences______________________________________________ ISSN 2319–1414 Vol. 3(8), 58-60, August (2014) Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. International Science Congress Association 60 References 1.Petel P., Patel N. and Jat M., Survey of Heronry at Atul Chemical Industrial Complex, 40(2), 15-17 (2000)2.Subramanya S., Distribution, status and conservation of Indian Heronries, J. Bombay nat.Hist.Soc., 93(3), 459-486 (1996)3.Burnett J.H., Photographing a colony of egrets (Bubulcus ibis and Egretta garzetta) in Assam, J. Bombay nat. Hist. 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