BIRD ABUNDANCE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH MICROCLIMATE AND HABITAT VARIABLES IN OPEN-AREA AND SHRUB HABITATS IN SELANGOR, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Rajpar, M. N. and M. Zakaria

Department of Recreation and Ecotourism, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia,
 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Corresponding Author e-mail: mzakaria@upm.edu.my

ABSTRACT

Malaysia characterized by diverse habitats, such as forests, open areas, shrub lands and woodlands, that attract a wide array of bird species. Microclimate and habitat structure are major driving forces that influence avian community composition in particular habitats. This study examined the effects of open-area and shrub habitats on bird species composition and abundance. Bird abundance was determined using the distance sampling point count method. The relationship between bird abundance and microclimate and habitat structure was determined using canonical correspondence analysis. A total of 5,144 birds belonging to 84 species representing 35 families were detected. Open areas contained 62.44% of all the birds (3,212 individuals representing 75 bird species and 35 families), and shrub lands contained the remaining 37.56% (1,932 individuals representing 68 bird species and 33 families). Flowering and fruiting trees dominated the open-area habitat, whereas densely clustered young woody saplings and shrubs (i.e., less than 10 ft tall and less than 10 cm dbh) were abundant in the shrub habitat. The findings of this study indicate that the bird species composition and distribution in both habitats are influenced by various factors of microclimate (i.e., temperature, relative humidity and light intensity) and habitat structure (i.e., vegetation cover, vegetation composition and distribution).
Key words: Microclimate, Open Area, Shrub Habitat, Distance Sampling, Relative Abundance, Birds, Correlationship, Habitat Structure