European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

CAMPUS BIRD DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE DURING CAMPUS BIRD COUNT 2026: A FOUR-DAY ASSESSMENT AT SIR C.R. REDDY WOMEN’S COLLEGE, ELURU, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

*Dr. Ch. Swapna, Smt. T. Aruna Prasanthi

ABSTRACT

Urbanization is a major driver of biodiversity alteration, leading to habitat fragmentation, vegetation modification, and shifts in species composition. However, urban green spaces such as educational campuses, parks, and institutional landscapes can function as semi-natural refuges that support considerable avian diversity. Birds are ecologically significant vertebrates and serve as reliable bioindicators of environmental quality due to their sensitivity to habitat changes and trophic interactions. The present study documents avian diversity recorded during the Campus Bird Count (CBC) 2026, conducted from 13th to 16th February 2026 as part of the global Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) held annually during the second week of February. The survey was carried out at Sir C.R. Reddy Women’s College, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, India, The survey involved active participation of second- and third-year undergraduate students as part of academic field engagement, covering approximately 10 acres consisting of academic buildings, open grounds, ornamental gardens, avenue plantations, shrub vegetation, and limited water-associated habitats. Standard Visual Encounter Survey (VES) methods were employed during morning and evening sessions over four consecutive days. A total of 929 individual birds belonging to 34 species were recorded. The avian community comprised multiple feeding guilds including insectivores, granivores, omnivores, nectarivores, carnivores, piscivores, and scavengers. Dominant species included Rock Pigeon, Rosy Starling, House Crow, Asian Palm Swift, and Rose-ringed Parakeet, indicating strong adaptability to semi-urban environments. Water-associated birds such as Little Cormorant and Intermediate Egret were observed, reflecting habitat heterogeneity. The presence of raptors including Black Kite and Shikra indicated functional trophic dynamics within the campus ecosystem. The findings confirm that institutional campuses act as biodiversity reservoirs within urban landscapes. The study establishes baseline avifaunal data for long-term ecological monitoring and highlights the importance of citizen science initiatives in strengthening biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness.

Keywords: Avian diversity, Campus Bird Count, Urban ecology, Species richness, Feeding guild, Biodiversity monitoring.