Roosting Behaviour of Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) Inhabiting the Arid Zone of Rajasthan

Abstract

The word “Roost” means “a sleeping house of fowls”. The roosting ecology of Black-winged kite was studied from January 2012 to December 2014 in rural and urban areas of Churu city and rural areas of Ratangarh of Churu district, Rajasthan, India (Lat 29˚ N, Long 75˚ E and 286 Msl). The aim of this study was to find out the factors like the roost site selection, tree preference for roosting and roosting hours of Black-winged kite to help in long term management and conservation of this bird. During this period, 29 roosting sites were studied out of which 24 (82.76%) roosting sites were located in rural areas while 5 (17.24%) roosting sites were located in urban areas. Temporary and permanent roosting sites were mostly located near agriculture farm houses and sand dunes. Twelve species of trees were available for roosting out of which only one species of trees was mostly preferred for roosting, namely Khejari (Prosopis cineraria). It prefers Khejari (Prosopis cineraria) tree due to its height, canopy and diameter at breast height (DBH). The waking and sleeping calls were also recorded during this study period. The average waking calls were made at 06:11 hr SD±0.50 hr (n=12) and average sleeping calls were made at 18:54 SD±0.04 hr (n=12) in summer season. It roosts early in the winter and late in the summer and rainy season because the duration of the day time is longer than the winter.