Waterbird Diversity in Seven Villus (Natural Lakes) in Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka

Authors

  • Shashi Madhushanka School of Science, Faculty of Health and Environmental Science, Auckland University of Technology,Auckland, New Zealand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4911-8512
  • Danushka Weerasekara Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1704-0266
  • Kithsiri Ranawana University of Peradeniya, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Keywords:

Biodiversity , Dry avifaunal region, Natural lake, Richness, Waterbird, Willpattu National Park

Abstract

Wilpattu National Park (WNP), located in Sri Lanka’s dry avifaunal zone along the Central Asian Flyway, serves as a vital habitat for resident and migratory waterbirds. This study provides the first assessment of waterbird assemblages in WNP, recording abundance across seven selected villus over six months using binocular surveys at randomly chosen points. A total of 46 species comprising 4,324 individual birds were documented. Diversity varied among sites, with the highest Shannon diversity at Site A (H' = 3.070) and the lowest at Site F (H' = 1.330); Pielou’s evenness ranged from 0.399 to 0.879, with Site G highest. Although Shannon diversity generally increased with species richness, Site F deviated from this trend. Hierarchical clustering indicated notable ecological heterogeneity among wetlands, while CCA results, though not statistically significant, revealed distinct ordination patterns. Environmental correlations showed dead tree cover negatively affected species richness (r = -0.276), whereas salinity had a positive relationship (r = 0.276). Six nationally threatened species and one rare migrant kingfisher were recorded. Despite this, overall richness was lower than in other northern wetlands, underscoring the importance of ecological research to identify factors limiting waterbird diversity in WNP.

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Published

2026-10-01

Issue

Vol. 29 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Animal Science

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Copyright (c) 2026 Shashi Madhushanka, Danushka Weerasekara, Kithsiri Ranawana

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