Devendra Singh Porte and Seema Gupta

Department of Zoology, Govt. Nagarjuna P.G. College of Science, Raipur - 492010 (India)

ABSTRACT

Nesting parameters viz., nesting trees, nesting period and construction time, nest construction materials, nest morphometry, and visitization rate of Indian pond heron, Ardeola grayii from the initiation of the nest construction until completion was studied in Ratanpur for a period of two years (2013-2014). Dendrocalamus strictus (Poaceae), Pithecellobium dulce (Fabaceae), Pongamia pinnata (Fabaceae), Ficus religiosa (Moraceae) and Azadirachta indica (Meliaceae) were preferred as nesting site with higher frequency of Azadirachta indica while Pithecellobium dulce was less used. The nest construction period by Ardeola grayii was found in summer between late May and starting of June with average nest construction duration of 10 ± 1.63 days. The nest visitation rate by the adult A. grayii was higher during initial and middle stage as comparison from late stage. The nests were made of sticks and twigs of Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica, Cassia tora, Dendrocalamus strictus, Ficus religiosa, Mangifera indica, Pongamia pinnata, Tamarindus indica, Vachellia nilotica, dry leaves of Dendrocalamus strictus & Ficus religiosa and dry seeds of Pongamia pinnata. The weight (197.43 ± 11.48 g), length (30.12 ± 0.78 cm), breath (22.28± 0.76 cm), depth (2.82 ± 0.26 cm) and circumference (83.68 ± 1.62 cm) of the nests revealed that the nest constructed by the species was sufficient to lay 3-5 eggs at a time.

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