SEASONAL VARIATION IN THE POPULATION AND SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BLACK DRONGO DICRURUS MACROCERCUS IN AND AROUND TAL CHHAPAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, RAJASTHAN, INDIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/y6z1cr70Keywords:
Black Drongo, point count, seasonal abundance, recruitment, perch availability, agro-ecosystem, Thar DesertAbstract
Seasonal changes in the abundance, distribution and age structure of the Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus were studied in Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjoining farmland in the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, during 2024–2025. Twelve fixed-radius (50 m, 20 min) point-count stations in grassland, saline flat and agro-ecosystem were counted in winter, summer and monsoon, and occurrence was mapped along three walking routes (22.6 km; 64 sighting events). Counts were lowest in summer (2.17 ± 1.34 birds per point), intermediate in winter (3.17 ± 1.85) and highest in the monsoon (4.92 ± 2.43) (Friedman χ2 = 20.18, P < 0.001). Habitat had a strong effect (two-way ANOVA F2,27 = 48.26, P < 0.001): counts in the agro-ecosystem and grassland were 5.7 and 4.1 times those on the saline flat, with no season × habitat interaction. Adult numbers did not differ among seasons (χ2 = 3.31, P = 0.191); the monsoon peak resulted from recruitment, with juveniles forming 32.2 % of birds in point counts and 40.7 % on routes. Flock size was smallest in summer (1.75), when territorial pairs predominated, and largest in the monsoon (3.52), when family parties formed (Kruskal–Wallis H = 17.72, P < 0.001). Distribution was governed mainly by the availability of elevated perches such as wires and bund trees. The local population is stable and breeding successfully, but it depends on a tree- and perch-rich agricultural landscape around the sanctuary.
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