Abstract:
This study sought to determine bird abundance and diversity within Ololunga town, Narok County, Kenya.
Using point counts and line transects, a rapid assessment of three habitats, based on levels of human
disturbance was conducted. A total of 394 (n=394) birds belonging to 25 families and 34 species were
recorded, with bushland recording the highest abundance and species richness (43.15%; and 26), followed
by farmlands at 31.47% and 15; and human settlement recording the least (25.38% and 10). The Tukey
HSD test established a significant difference in bird abundance between bushlands and human settlement
areas (p = 0.014), with no significance between bushlands and farmlands (p = 0.082); nor between
farmlands and human settlements (p = 0.356). Jaccard index / similarity coefficient across habitat scores
noted a reducing similarity across avian sighted habitats at 0.316, 0.281 and 0.2 for human settlementsfarmland; farmland-bushlands; and human settlement-bushland, respectively. Study results demonstrate
that human influence has an impact on avian species composition, distribution, and abundance, especially
within peri-urban areas of Narok, Kenya. Our study proposes creation of avian sensitive buffer zones within
the habitats and ecotones; targeted community education on impacts of anthropogenic activities on avian
diversity; and a deeper appraisal on seasonal and functional diversity in habitat types and overlapping
ecotones on avian species, with a lens on resource availability
