ISSN: 2578-4994
Authors: Ogunyemi OO*
Avifauna diversity of Ayede wetland, in Ekiti State, Nigeria was evaluated between January 2008 and December 2009. A total of seven- three (73) bird species belonging to fifteen (15) orders and twenty-four (24) families were recorded. Out of these, sixty-six (66) were resident and seven (7) were migratory. Water birds constitute 20.55% of the total number of birds observed while 79.45% were terrestrial birds. The order Passeriformes constituted the predominant group, representing 23.3% of families (n=7) and 31.9% of species (n=23). The results further shows an estimated population of nine hundred and fifty –nine (959) individuals from seventy-three (73) bird species inhabiting the wetland. Among bird species, adapted to the wetland, Slender- billed Weaver, African-black Kite, Shelley’s Francolin, and Black- headed Weaver were prominent. It was concluded that Ayede wetland is important as bird habitat and that conservation of considerable area of surrounding vegetation may provide adequate protection for the wetland birds in the area.
Keywords: Conservation; Wetlands; Vegetation; Abundance
