Biodiversity of Birds in Vembakottai Water Reservoir, Virudhunagar District, TamilNadu

*Pulugandi C and M.K. Rajan 
Post-graduate and Research Department of Zoology, Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College (Autonomous), Sivakasi-626 124, India.

Abstract
This paper deals with biodiversity of birds in Vembakottai water reservoir, Virudhunagar district, Tamilnadu. A total of 34 species of birds belonging to 19 families were identified from the study area between July 2012 to June 2013. A maximum number of 7 species were found in family. Ardeidae, followed by Ciconiidae (3 sps.), Threskiornithidae (3 sps.), Anatidae (3 sps.), Pelecanidae (2 sps.), Scolopacidae (2 sps.), Alcedinidae (2 sps.) and one species each belonging to the families Sternidae, Burhinidae, Meropidae Cerylidae, Charadriidae, Pecurvirostridae, Turnicidae, Accipitridae, Phalacrocoracidae, Coraciidae, Apodinae and Anhingidae. Thus the study revealed that Ardeidae is the dominant family and others are less dominant. Status and distribution of birds species through different seasons such as Monsoon (June to October) winter (November to February) and summer (March to June) were also studied.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Water reservoir, dominant family