Assessing avifaunal diversity and anthropogenic impacts on Ladhwaya Pond, Gwalior, India

Village ponds serve as important micro-wetland habitats that support diverse avifauna yet are subject to anthropogenic pressures. The present study assessed the avifaunal diversity and seasonal variations in Ladhwaya Pond, Tekanpur, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), India, during 2024–2025 using point count and line transect methods. A total of 52 bird species belonging to 33 families and 17 orders were recorded, comprising resident and migratory species. Passeriformes was the dominant order, followed by Columbiformes and Charadriiformes. Diversity indices revealed the highest species diversity during winter (ShannonWiener H’ = 1.563; Simpson index = 0.826), indicating the pond’s seasonal importance as a refuge for migratory and water-dependent birds. Most species (98.1%) were categorized as ‘Least Concern’, while one ‘Near Threatened’ species, the Asian Woolly-necked Stork was documented, emphasizing the conservation value. Field observation indicated that grazing, unregulated fishing, agricultural runoff, and human disturbance significantly influenced habitat quality and bird assemblages, favouring disturbance-tolerant generalist species over sensitive taxa. The study highlights the ecological role of small rural wetlands in sustaining local and migratory bird populations and underscores the urgent need for habitat restoration, disturbance regulation, and community-based conservation measures to maintain avifaunal diversity in such anthropogenically pressured pond ecosystems.