Habitat Preference, and Behavioral Activities of Senegal Thick – Knee (Burhinus senegalensis) in Bayara Wetland, Elssuki, Sudan

Abstract

The study conducted in Bayara Meadow, located in Essuki town at sinnar, state. Sudan. It sits at the eastern bank of the Blue Nile (E:03352351 N: 1319302) Which considered as breeding, roosting sites for many bird’s species. The total area of it is 35,862 km2 (129m length, 278m long). The study extended from 28/7/2022 to 7/11//22022 during the rainy season, first period from 28/7/2022 to 7/9/2022, the second period from 12/ 10/2022 to 20/10/2022 the last period from 24/10/2022 to 7/11/2022. The total area was divided to four plots of (3225 length 278long) total area 8965.5 M2. The direct count method is used to count the birds number and try to monitor its behavior, feeding roosting site and other activities on the morning and evening. The morning count begin at 6 o’clock till 10 o’clock while the evening watching begin from 4:00 o’clock to 6:00 o’clock. Equipment used for data collection are a pair of binoculars (8X50 magnifications), Telescope - Swarovski (660 - 940), digital still camera for documenting, data recording sheets, notebook The bird was observed, counted if inside each block only and notes were taken directly about activities pattern. A pair sample test was used to compare between the number of birds in the morning and evening, using PSPP programmer. The total number of bird is 2789. In the morning 646, 473, 226 with total 1345 in the three period respectively and evening 696, 514, 234 total 1444 first period the high number of individual recorded in block number 1, while the lowest in block number 4. Apair sample t. test result revealed no statistically significant difference between the two periods p<0.05 ((t (10) = 0.29, p= 0.788). Senegal thick- knee is very sensitive to human, favored habitat is near water but spent more time at high land between bushes. Feeding on some grasses, small reptiles and insects or anthropods. No nest recorded during the study period in the site but there are evidences that the bird fly away crossing the Blue Nile to the other bank. Other individuals observed building nest on roofs of houses in the town.