A Checklist of Birds of Prey of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Adjacent Areas

Wildlife is declining worldwide due to loss of habitat, pollution, introduction of exotic species, climatic changes etc. Birds of prey are believed to be rapidly declining in Pakistan though no reliable recent data is available and the available literature suggests its previous wide distribution throughout Pakistan. This current study was carried out in the Rawalpindi, Islamabad and some adjacent areas (latitude N 33 o 27.34-33 o 48.05 longitude E 72 o 59.34-73 o 27.30) to make a checklist of previously and newly existing prey birds as well as to study their general behaviors and biology. Targeted areas were studied at different times of day in different seasons of the year. After identification of prey birds through photographs taken during the study, presence and absence of prey birds was also recorded. Some species, which were formerly not reported in region, were also identified and the relative abundance among different species was calculated.


INTRODUCTION
According to taxonomic point of view, modern living birds are approximately nine thousand eight hundred species to ten thousand and fifty (Gill, 2006;Clements, 2007). The number of genera and species continues to change as revisions and discoveries are made. Generally, modern birds are divided into the two main groups: Passerine and Nonpasserine. All prey birds fall in category of non-passerine group. The prey birds are the flying creatures which are the indicators of environmental health (Koskimies, 1989). They are commonly found in all habitats like desert and semi-desert areas, open steppe, plains, forests, arid-zones, mountains, coastal-areas, marshes, rivers and lakes water lakes, grounds and near human habitations. Few of them are resident while the rest of them are migratory. A few years ago, 660 species of non-passerines occurring in Pakistan had been reported, out of which 36.5% are oriental, 63.5% are of Palearctic origin while 0.5% are cosmopolitan (Roberts, 1991). They are obvious barometers of environmental health and for this reason alone they deserve our understanding (Kemp and Kemp, 1998). Birds of prey have been categorized into: Osprey, kites, buzzards, hawks and shikras, harriers, eagles, falcons and vultures. Most of the work on the prey birds had been done (Waite, 1948;Roberts, 1991;Whistler 1930 andMirza, 1998), but current field study was conducted because the knowledge about the previously existing prey birds in selected areas is no more authentic due to invasion and extinction of many species in the past few years. Therefore, the aim of this study is to make a checklist of previously and newly existing prey birds as well as to study their general behaviors and biology.

Study Area
The selected study area was Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Margalla hills, Rawal Lake and partially the Potohar region. The range of the latitude (N) and longitude (E) of the selected study area is given below: Latitude (N): 33° 27.34 -33° 48.05, Longitude (E): 72° 59.34 -73° 27.30. Topography of the study area is rugged and elevation ranges from 450 to 1580 m. Average minimum and maximum temperature is 19.5° C and 33.3°C, respectively. Study area is shown in Figure 1 (a and b). The study area was divided into different zones and appropriate points were selected for the identification and observations of prey birds. At different times and different seasons of year, study areas were visited. Field binoculars, having a range of about 500 meters, was carefully used to note down the distinguishing features of prey birds. A spotting scope with a movable stand having a range of ten kilometers was used to observe distinctive behaviors of prey birds. Surrounding areas were also scanned for prey birds on the obvious perches & then photographs were taken carefully with the help of digital camera having a range of about thousand meters. Various characteristic features such as color and flight pattern, body size, calls and songs were recognized with the help of a computer and its accessories. The observed species were compared with the provided checklist and unreported species were estimated. Relative abundance of existing species was estimated by counting their number in the study area. Relative statistical test was applied to estimate the relative abundance of the bird's prey of the selected area.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The current study revealed four categories i.e. present or confirmed species, not confirmed species, absent species and newly found species. Dramatic changes can occur in species population of certain area over years which can also result in extinction of native species and addition of species (Catherine et al., 2005). Therefore, the categories in current were formed regarding the comparison of previous literature and data collected in current study.

Confirmed or Present Species
The detailed data of confirmed or the present species of birds of prey in previously recorded data and current study areas are given in Table  1.

Not Confirmed Species
The detailed data of species of birds of prey that are not confirmed in previously recorded data and status in current study areas are given in Table  2.

Absent Species
The detailed data of species of birds of prey which are present in previously recorded data while are absent in current study areas are given in Table 3.

Newly Reported Species
The detailed data of species of birds of prey which are absent in previously recorded data while found in current study areas are given in Table 4.
The population of different species of birds of prey varied in the current study area. Black Kite, Pariah Eagle and Steppe Eagle had higher population while Black Eagle, Merlin and other birds like Red Kite, Buteo Regalis, and Sooty Falcon etc. were less in population. The details are given in Table. 5. The relative abundance was also calculated in which black eagle showed highest  Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Metropolitan areas of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Aquila pomarina
Lesser Spotted Eagle Rawal Lake, Islamabad Kazmierczak, 2000 Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Aquila rapax vindhiana
Tawny Eagle Throughout Punjab and Potohar region Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Rarely seen at metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad

Butastur teesa White eyed Buzzard
Rawalpindi, Punjab salt range and potohar region Waite, 1948 andRobrets, 1991 Very rarely seen at the Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Buteo buteo vulpinus Desert Buzzard
Occasionally encountered throughout Punjab Roberts, 1991 Very rarely seen at Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad

Buteo rufinus Long Legged Buzzard
Throughout Punjab and Potohar region Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Very rarely seen at Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad 7 Circus cyaneus Hen Harrier Margalla hills and Potohar Plateau, Rawalpindi Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Rarely seen at Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Margalla hills 15 Booted Eagle Punjab salt ranges, Margalla hills, Potohar regions Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Encountered very rare in the Margalla hills and Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad

Circus macrourus
Pallid Harrier Potohar Plateau of salt ranges and throughout Punjab Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Very rare at the metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi, Rawal Lake and Islamabad 10 Falco subbuteo Northern Hobby Northern Mountains, Murree hills and Rawalpindi Whistler, 1930 andRoberts, 1991 Rarely seen at metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi, Margalla hills, Rawal Lake and Islamabad

11
Falco biarmicus jugger Lagger Falcon Punjab and Rawalpindi Whistler, 1930;Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Very rare at the Margalla hills, metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad 12 Falco cherrug Saker Falcon Rare in Potohar region, Murree hills and Rawal Lake Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Very rare at the metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Margalla hills 13 Falco peregrinus Shaheen Falcon Scarce at Rawal Lake and Potohar region Whistler, 1930;Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Very rare at Rawal Lake, Margalla hills, metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad  Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Rare at Rawalpindi and Islamabad 16 Hieraaetus pennatus Booted Eagle Murree foot hills Roberts, 1991 Rare at the metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Elanus caeruleus Black-Shouldered Kite
Throughout Punjab and Potohar region Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Absent in metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad

Haliastur Indus
Brahminy kite Absent in most of Punjab while present at Rawal lake Roberts, 1991 andMirza, 1998 Absent from Rawal Lake, Metropolitan areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad  Figure 2.

CONCLUSION
Wildlife is declining globally, as in Pakistan. The Red Book by IUCN suggests the extinction of 3 species per day of various fauna from the surface of earth. Diurnal birds of prey, like all carnivores, are especially vulnerable to pesticides, insecticides, and other human made toxic chemicals. These birds of prey are exposed to a variety of bacterial, viral, and fungal diseases, as well as internal and external parasites from the prey they eat. Though not usually fatal, infections may make a bird weak and vulnerable to other environmental factors.
This study revealed that the birds of prey are declining due to the invasion and extinction of many species. According to reliable literature, in the study area 100 species were abundantly present in the recent past. Out of those 100 species 34% species confirmed present, 39% rare, 17% absent and about 10% have been reported new according to our study. It appears from this result that fauna of the region is on the verge of declining. If necessary actions are not taken accordingly, the conditions may result into even worse situation. It is recommended that relative agencies organizations should be dedicated to meet this challenge and to ensure the survival of rich variety of wild life.