Influence of habitat heterogeneity on the elevational distribution and guild structure of birds in the Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary, Kashmir Himalaya

The understanding of habitat preference and guild structure in the bird community will contribute significantly to the conservation and management of birds, as well as to forest restoration and landscape management in the region. Five different land use types were selected for assessing the bird guilds and compositional differences along an altitudinal gradient in the Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary from 2019 to 2021, following the fixed radii point count method. Based on the foraging preferences, the birds were categorized into five distinct categories including insectivorous, omnivorous, carnivorous, granivorous, and piscivorous. Most of the species were insectivorous (52 species), followed by omnivorous (21 species). Chi-square analysis showed that the number of bird species belonging to different feeding guilds differed significantly between studied vegetation types (chi(2)=58.89, df= 16, P < 0.001). Carnivorous, granivorous, and omnivorous species were over-represented in forests and grasslands; insectivorous and granivorous species in shrubland; insectivorous and piscivorous species in riverine habitats; and carnivorous species in rocky habitats. The highest species richness was found between elevations of 2360 and 2600 m above sea level. The findings of our study are expected to serve as a baseline for future studies exploring landscape properties and their relationship with avian communities.