Bird Community, Feeding Guilds and Habitat Associations Along the Proposed River Dibombe Hydropower and Transmission Line Project in Nkam and Moungo Divisions, Cameroon

Authors: Elah EM* , Nforbelie LN , Awa IIT , Kamga S , Dimbot KP and Awafor TS

DOI: 10.23880/jeesc-16000121

Volume 3, Issue 1

Abstract

Cameroon is endowed with rich biological and natural resources with significant ecological, economic and cultural values. Its water resource has a huge potential for energy production, and the proposed Dibombe Hydropower project aims to add 64.2 megawatts of energy on the national grid contributing to the growth of the electricity sector. To implement this project, the biodiversity as a whole and the avian community in particular on the sites will be impacted. This study was thus designed to determine the baseline community of birds as well as their habitats within the project sites and to assess potential impacts of the projects on the bird community. Points transect counts and mist nets were used. A total of 155 bird species belonging to 39 families were recorded during the survey; 104 and 111 species at the proposed hydropower site and transmission line respectively. 140(90.3%) species were resident species, 12(7.7%) were resident but partially migratory species, 2(1.3%) were palearctic migrants and 1(0.65%) were vagrants. Two globally threatened species were recorded: Yellow-casqued Wattled Hornbill Ceratogymna elata (Vulnerable) and the African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus (Endangered). An overall estimate of 170±7 (CI=161.36-190.91) species was obtained from Chao species richness, with 143 species along the transmission line and 113 at the hydropower project site. Rarefaction curves reached near asymptote, indicating that most of the species were detected by the survey. Dominant species were recorded from the family Pycnonotidae (17 species) while 11 families recorded just one species; Phalacrocoracidae, Scopidae, Threskiornithidae, Anatidae, Phasianidae, Rallidae, Burhinidae, Psittacidae, Coliidae, Corvidae and Viduidae. The most dominant feeding guild was the omnivores (26%), while carnivores/insectivores (2%), and carnivores (2%) represented the least feeding guilds. Given that the site is already under severe pressure from anthropogenic activities mainly agricultural encroachment, the proposed hydropower project and transmission line presents additional cumulative impacts, mainly fragmentation and loss of habitat for terrestrial birds while the dam impoundment is likely to attract more aquatic birds. Future monitoring to determine impacts and trends during and after the execution of the project is strongly recommended.

Keywords: Avian Community; Threatened Species; Critical Habitat; Hydropower; Impacts; Mitigation Measures

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