Abstract:
Our study aimed to identify the harmful/useful birds in palm grove of El Atteuf (Ghardaïa). During 5 months from November 2022 to March 2023 and using the IPA bird study method, we have inventoried 28 species structured into 16 families, with a dominance of the Muscicapidae, Columbidae and Hirundinidae families. However, the Passeriformes order is characterized by a very large number of species. Relative Abundance showed that the majority of species are ranked as very rare species (23 species), and some species are abundant such as: rock pigeon Columba livia (868 individuals), hybrid house sparrow (344 individuals) and Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto (213 individuals). This fauna is distributed among several different classes: accidental species represent 35.71%. Followed by accessory species (32.14%). However, the regular category represents only 3.57%. Biodiversity is estimated to be high (2.77 bits) in these two palm groves. But with a weak balance between the number of different species inventoried (E=0.58). Because the Rock Pigeon represents more than 40% of the total population (868 individuals). From the point of view, the origin of this diversity is the Mediterranean and European and Turkestano-Mediterranean part. Ultimately, the palm groves of El Atteuf are a good ecologically and agricultural area, allowed the installation and passage of multiple populations of birds with various characteristics. Where the majority of species (18 species) are useful and only 5 species can be considered as crop pests.
