Abstract :
This research examined the Bird Species Richness and Diversity in Armyworms Infested Maize Plots in
Olabel Farms, Southwestern Nigeria. Survey Method: Point count method was used to collect data on
bird species richness and diversity in the study area. In all five counting stations were used and counting
bands of the 50 m radius were used for all the stations. One counting station per plot was used for this
study. On arrival at the sites, birds were allowed time to settle before recording all the birds seen or
heard for a predetermined time usually, 20 minutes. Bird calls were also recorded with a voice recorder
and played back later for confirmation. Results: A total of 77 bird species belonging to 10 orders and 32
families were encountered in the study area; the order Passeriformes constituted the highest number of
bird species in the study area. The family with the largest number of bird species is Accipitridae (n = 7).
The composition of bird species obtained in this research revealed that it was not only insectivorous bird
species that were encountered in the maize plots but also granivorous and frugivorous bird species that
were present on the farm. They probably were feeding on the armyworms as protein supplements. From
the results obtained, the relative abundance of the bird species in the study area indicated that Ploceus
cucullatus has the highest of relative has abundance (0.0825) while the following bird species have the
lowest relative abundance: Egretta intermedia (0.055), Streptopelia semitorquata (0.0325), and Vanellus
lugubris (0.03). The Shannon_H diversity index was relatively higher (3.992) during wet season than dry
season (3.661) when compared.
Keyword :
Key words: Armyworms infestation, avian species, conservation, diversity, richness