DOI: 10.15468/ekt374
title: Rapid Documentation of Avi-faunal diversity of Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary, Nadia, West Bengal, India

description: The publication titled "The Rapid Documentation of Avi-faunal Diversity of Bethuadahari Wildlife Sanctuary, Nadia, West Bengal, India" has been published by Nature Mates Nature Club.
The establishment of this wildlife sanctuary in 1980 aimed to safeguard a specific area of the Central Gangetic alluvial ecozone, situated beside NH-34 in the Nadia district of West Bengal, India.
The sanctuary, spanning approximately 67 hectares and situated amidst agricultural lands and rural settlements, was established with the primary objectives of safeguarding, preserving, and conserving native flora and fauna, while also fostering education on biodiversity conservation.
The wildlife sanctuary was officially designated to that effect on August 19, 1998, by the Department of Forest, Government of West Bengal. 
The sanctuary provides a habitat for a tropical moist deciduous forest, characterised by the presence of various tree species in the upper canopy, including Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.), Siris (Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth.), Sissoo (Delbergia sissoo Roxb.), Sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn.), Mahogany (Swietenia macrophyla King), and Ficus (Ficus spp.). The middle and lower canopy, which exhibits less distinct boundaries, consists of various plant species including Syzigium cumini (Jamun), Cassia sp. (Minjiri), Aegle marmelos (Bael), Annona squamosa Linn (Atha), and Polyalthia suberosa (Roxb.) (Hamjam).The ground vegetation is predominantly composed of shrubs such as Cassia tora Linn, Ageratum sp., and Polygonum spp., along with various species of Colocasia. In addition, the ecosystem comprises of various sparsely distributed grass species, including Imperata sp. (commonly known as Ulloo grass), Paspalum sp., Panicum sp., Cynodon sp., and Brachiaria sp. These grasses contribute to the formation of a heterogeneous landscape characterised by alternating patches of green vegetation and exposed soil.
The sanctuary boasts a multitude of natural trails. During daylight hours, tourists have the opportunity to leisurely walk amidst the pleasant sounds of birds chirping and cooing, as well as observe grazing chitals.
The soil composition in the region is characterised by the Gangetic riverine, Ganga flat, and Ganga lowland associations.
The climate of this region is distinguished by warm summers, consistently high levels of humidity throughout the year, and evenly distributed precipitation.
The Sanctuary is renowned for its deer insemination programme, which has garnered significant attention. In addition to this, the Sanctuary boasts a substantial population of various species, including jackals, Bengal foxes, porcupines, Asian palm Civet cats, Jungle Cats, Small civet Cats, Black Napped Hares, and common langurs. In addition to the presence of mammalian fauna, the region sustains a diverse array of avian and reptilian species. The region is also inhabited by a population of Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).
The current dataset encompasses rapid documentation of avian species observed during a visit to the sanctuary spanning from January 5th, 2021 to January 7th, 2021.
All species that have been identified have been categorised and classified at the level of either genus or species. The research conducted in this study recorded the existence of a total of 73 avian species. These species were further categorised into 40 separate families and 14 distinct orders.