The relative impacts of hunting and habitat on
waterbird community were studied in agricultural wetlands
of southern India. We surveyed wetlands to document
waterbird community, and interviewed hunters to document
hunting intensity, targeted species, and the motivations for
hunting. Our results show that hunting leads to drastic
declines in waterbird diversity and numbers, and skew the
community towards smaller species. Hunting intensity,
water spread, and vegetation cover were the three most
important determinants of waterbird abundance and
community structure. Species richness, density of
piscivorous species, and medium-sized species (31–65 cm)
were most affected by hunting. Out of 53 species recorded,
47 were hunted, with a preference for larger birds. Although
illegal, hunting has increased in recent years and is driven by
market demand. This challenges the widely held belief that
waterbird hunting in India is a low intensity, subsistence
activity, and undermines the importance of agricultural
wetlands in waterbird conservation.
Journal Article
2017
Hunting or habitat? Drivers of waterbird abundance
and community structure in agricultural wetlands of southern
India
Ambio, 46(5): 613-620. DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0907-9