Comparative Study on the Diet Composition of Selected Birds in Okara and Bahawalnagar Districts, Pakistan

Dietary Composition of Water and Terrestrial Birds in Pakistan

Abstract

This study investigated the dietary composition of wader and terrestrial birds in Pakistan, collecting approximately 30 bird samples. The study sites were Okara and Bahawalnagar Districts. The collected birds were dissected to get the stomach food contents. Gut samples were analyzed to determine food preferences between the two groups. The Common Redshank fed on plant seeds, grasses, weeds, invertebrates and insects. The Night Heron primarily consumed invertebrates, including bivalves, snails, worms, nematodes, beetles, as well as vertebrates like fish and various vegetation. The Common Sandpiper's diet included amphibians, insects, worms, crustaceans, grasses, weeds and seeds. The Laughing Dove mainly ate wheat, seeds, termites and small stones. House Sparrows consumed grasses, seeds, beetles and livestock larvae, while the Red-vented Bulbul ate fruit seeds, mulberry grains, insects, dipteran larvae and corn. Overall, non-waders typically ate grains, grasses and seeds, while waders preferred polychaetes, mollusks, bivalves, snails and worms. The study concluded that wader birds favored animal-based diets, whereas non-wader birds predominantly consumed plant-based foods.