Avian Nest Abandonment and Human Impact on Freshwater Ponds in Punjab: Policy Interventions Needed

Anthropogenic disturbances in cultivated areas of developing countries negatively impact wildlife. This study observed the effects of such disturbances on bird breeding activities at ponds in agricultural regions of three districts from March to September 2023. Sixty-seven nests of eight bird species were monitored, with twenty-eight nests abandoned. The bird species included Black-winged Stilt, Baya Weaver, Cattle Egret, Common Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Purple Sunbird, Red-wattled Lapwing, and White-breasted Waterhen. They nested in tree species like Acacia nilotica, Azadirachta indica, Bambusa vulgaris, Bauhinia variegata, Morus alba, Ziziphus nummularia, and aquatic weeds like Alternanthera philoxeroides and Eichhornia crassipes. Disturbances around pond habitats in villages directly impacted breeding activities, leading to nest abandonment. Protecting avian breeding sites from human activities by educating local communities about the breeding season and the importance of wild vegetation as nesting sites is crucial.