Bird Diversity and Habitat Associations in the Tara Gedam Monastery Church Forest: A Seasonally Informed Study in Northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The expansion of seasonal agriculture has contributed to forest habitat loss and declines in avian populations dependent on these ecosystems. This study investigates how habitat structure and seasonal variation influence bird species richness, abundance, and community composition in the Tara Gedam Monastery church forest, a sacred grove. The forest was stratified into edge, intermediate, and interior zones based on distance from the edge and vegetation structure. Data were collected during the wet (August–October 2019) and dry (December 2019–February 2020) seasons using 200 point counts across 20 sample blocks. Tree density and diameter at breast height (DBH) were measured within 20 m × 20 m quadrats. Bird community structure was assessed using Shannon diversity, evenness, and equitability indices, alongside Chao‐1 and ACE estimators. A total of 94 species and 2375 individual birds were recorded, with an overall Shannon Diversity Index of 4.009, indicating high species diversity. While bird abundance was 61% higher in the wet season, species richness and diversity remained remarkably stable between seasons, reflecting the forest's role as a perennial refuge. Multivariate analysis revealed that avian community structure is shaped by complex interactions among habitat class, distance from edge, tree density, and tree DBH (Roy's largest root = 1.731, p = 0.009). Contrary to classic edge effect predictions, both species richness and abundance were significantly higher at the forest edge, highlighting the ecological importance of ecotone habitats. Foraging guild analysis revealed a community dominated by insectivores (25 species) and omnivores (38 species), with near‐equal representation of arboreal (39 species) and ground‐foraging (41 species) strata, underscoring the importance of vertical habitat heterogeneity. These findings emphasize that the conservation value of sacred groves extends beyond species richness to encompass functional diversity and community resilience. Preserving structural complexity, particularly at forest edges, is critical for sustaining avian biodiversity in fragmented agricultural landscapes.