PALM GROVES, AN IMPORTANT REFUGE FOR AVIAN SPECIES IN THE ALGERIAN SAHARA

Abstract

We conducted an avian count from November 2017 to October 2019. This qualitative and quantitative study at the level of an artificial environment, in the case of the palm grove d’El Hadjed in El Ménea, provides an objective inventory of the birds' diversity. A total of 48 species have been identified by researchers, distributed among nine orders and 19 families. The order Passeriformes is the most dominant, with 11 families and 36 species, or 75% of the recorded species. As for Muscicapidae, the Sylviidae are the best represented, with 11 and 5 species, respectively. Depending on phenological status, there are17 species of passage visitors (35.42%), 18 breeding species, of which 13 are residents (27.1%), and 5 are migratory species (10.42%). 12 species (25%) represent the winter visitor birds. At the national level, executive Fiat Algerian law (N°12-235) protects 8 species, or 16.67%, while Ordinance (06-05) protects one other species (Peregrine Falcon). Two species have an international status of "near threatened" (Lanius senator), while one species is classified as "vulnerable" (Streptopelia turtur). Shannon index values fluctuate between 2.91 bits (2018) and 2.99 bits (2019), and evenness index (E) values fluctuate between 0.56 bits (2018) and 0.62 bits (2019).