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Avifauna of district Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India: A Systematic checklist, Photographic documentation and Diversity assessment

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Zoology, GGM Science College Jammu, J&K (UT), India

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 15, Issue (4), Pages 18-38, October,22 (2026)

Abstract

The present study was carried out from April 2023 to March 2024 to document the avifaunal diversity of District Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India. Systematic field surveys recorded a total of 146 bird species belonging to 15 orders and 52 families. Among the recorded taxa, Passeriformes was the dominant order, comprising 83 species (56.84%), followed by Accipitriformes (13 species; 8.90%) and Piciformes (11 species; 7.53%). Based on their relative abundance, 78 species were categorised as common, 25 as frequent, 30 as occasional and 13 as rare. Analysis of residential status revealed that resident species predominated, accounting for 103 species (70%), followed by 33 summer migrants (23%), six winter migrants (4%) and four passage migrants (3%). Assessment of the conservation status following the IUCN Red list indicated that 139 species were classified as Least Concern, three as Near Threatened, two as Endangered and two as Critically Endangered. The documentation of globally threatened species, including the Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus), White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Steppe Eagle (Aquilla nipalensis) and Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) underscore the ecological and conservation importance of the study area. This study provides the first comprehensive and updated inventory of the avifauna of District Udhampur, serving as an important baseline for future ecological investigations, biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning in the region.

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