Avian assemblages of urbanized habitats in north-central Namibia

Abstract

Studies were conducted by means of the line transect method in 4 towns (Ondangwa, Ongwediva, Oshakati, Outapi) and 12 larger villages in Ovamboland, north-central Namibia. In overall, 59 residential bird species were recorded. In particular across settlement, the number varied from 6 to 34 (x = 20:2;sd = 9:99). The Simpson’s Diversity Index varied from D = 0:61 to D = 0:93. Overall, dominants comprised 68.1% of all pairs recorded (N = 2105), with Passer domesticus accounted for 32.2% (eudominant). Other dominant species included: Uraeginthus angolensis, Cypsiurus parvus, Corvus albus, Streptopelia senegalensis and Urocolius indicus. Subdominants (5 species) comprised 14.2%. Bird assemblage in Ruacana proved to be fairly distant from that in other Ovambo settlements. Latitudinal trends have been shown for the proportion between Pycnonotis tricolor and P. nigricans and Passer diffusus and P. domesticus species. Passer domesticus almost totally replaced Passer diffusus, while Streptopelia senegalensis almost totally replaced Streptopelia capicola in the urbanized habitats of the northStudies were conducted by means of the line transect method in 4 towns (Ondangwa, Ongwediva, Oshakati, Outapi) and 12 larger villages in Ovamboland, north-central Namibia. In overall, 59 residential bird species were recorded. In particular across settlement, the number varied from 6 to 34 (x = 20:2;sd = 9:99). The Simpson’s Diversity Index varied from D = 0:61 to D = 0:93. Overall, dominants comprised 68.1% of all pairs recorded (N = 2105), with Passer domesticus accounted for 32.2% (eudominant). Other dominant species included: Uraeginthus angolensis, Cypsiurus parvus, Corvus albus, Streptopelia senegalensis and Urocolius indicus. Subdominants (5 species) comprised 14.2%. Bird assemblage in Ruacana proved to be fairly distant from that in other Ovambo settlements. Latitudinal trends have been shown for the proportion between Pycnonotis tricolor and P. nigricans and Passer diffusus and P. domesticus species. Passer domesticus almost totally replaced Passer diffusus, while Streptopelia senegalensis almost totally replaced Streptopelia capicola in the urbanized habitats of the north-central Namibia.