Nesting Ecology and Breeding Performance of Sarus Crane, <i>Grus antigone</i> (Linnaeus, 1758) among Different Habitats in Gurugram, Haryana, India

Abstract

Sarus Crane belonging to order Gruiformes is considered one of the tallest flying birds in India. It is also designated as vulnerable species by IUCN. Sarus crane breeds from July to October, but unusual breeding patterns were also seen in this species. The study furnished here was conducted in IBA (Important Bird Areas) sites of Haryana namely, Basai Wetland and Sultanpur National Park, Gurugram from November 2018 to October 2021. The location of the nests was recorded using the etrex Garmin GPS. Adetailed map of nest locations was prepared by using recorded locations with the help of Arc GIS 10.5 software. The average nest height was 23.61±2.29 cm (mean ± standard error), 32.54±0.94 cm, and 34.18±2.44 cm in village pond (n=2), perennial wetland (n=5), and agricultural land (n=3) respectively. The distance of the nest from the road (nearest) was positively correlated (R² = 0.197) to the depth of water around the nest. Hatching success was maximum in perennial wetlands and agricultural land (66%) followed by village ponds (33%). Our study suggested that Sarus Crane can tolerate low water depths (as in agricultural land) and breed successfully in such habitats. Whereas, the breeding success was maximum in the nests of agricultural land (33.3%) followed by perennial wetlands (22%). However, the disturbance level was higher in the village pond (100%) compared to other habitats. This research provides a scientific baseline for future research to better understand the ecology of the selected species and will be helpful in the conservation of this threatened species.