Water bird diversity of madjen djedj marsh, northeastern Algeria

The study was conducted (2016–2017) on Madjen Djedj Wetland (Marsh) to determine the seasonal diversity and population dynamics of aquatic avifauna. Seasonal differences in relative species abundance were analyzed from the viewpoint of diversity/dominance. The study revealed the occurrence of 15 species belonging to 6 families, out of which 9 species were passage visitors, 5 species were migratory and 1 species was breeder migrant. The seasonal structure of water bird communities indicates highly dominated assemblages manifesting themselves in reduced species diversity and increased dominance of certain species. The highest number of species (9 species) was found in November and February. The Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata) was highly dominant species together accounting for more than 20.68 percent of water bird communities. This study indicates that Madjen Djedj Marsh is a suitable habitat for diverse water birds and thus should be protected in order to enhance the population of water birds species.