Distribution and habitat selection of the threatened Green Avadavat Amandava formosa at Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Content of image described in text. Summary The endemic Green Avadavat Amandava formosa occurs within a restricted range in India and is categorised as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Ecological requirements of the species and the factors responsible for its highly localised distribution are not well understood. Surveys to establish its distribution and habitat requirements at Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, a stronghold, were carried out during the non-breeding season (March–August 2023). Presence of the species using visual/vocal detection was recorded in 129 1×1 km2 squares within the study area. In each square, percentage cover of grass and shrubs, the latter comprising three species (Carissa spinarum and the invasive Lantana camara and Biancaea decapetala), was recorded, along with mean altitude and survey duration time. The avadavat was detected in 40 of 129 surveyed squares mainly situated in the north and centre of the study area, but was absent around the periphery of the sanctuary (both at higher altitudes and in the foothills). The best-supported linear model (GLM) indicated that it is associated with areas with high percentage of grasses and shrubs at higher altitudes. These habitats are at increasing risk from sprawl and land-use change. Although invasive shrub vegetation such as Lantana and Biancaea tend to pose a threat to biodiversity, its removal from the sanctuary needs to be managed experimentally in order to gauge its value as cover for the avadavat.