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It is well established that free-ranging cats affect the bird community structure and composition. The annual loss of bird life to cat predation has been estimated to be between 1.3-5.5 billion birds Thus, cat predation might explain part of the drastic decline in the global bird population. There has been no previous study in India on the impact of cats on bird population in India. In this study, we will examine the predation pressure of free-ranging cats on resident and migratory birds in the bird-rich city of Dehradun, located in the Himalayan foothills.
1. Ascertain if cat predation is a serious concern for bird population at this study site.
2. Identify bird species that are more vulnerable, and ascertain vulnerability based on nest location, body size, flock versus solitary, etc.
3. Examine factors, including gender, age, diet, feeding frequency, etc., responsible for variation in cat predation.
4. Sensitize cat owners and green space managers and users about this looming threat to the bird diversity of the study area.
- Sampled bird communities across 18 urban green spaces
- Conducted questionnaire survey in Dehradun to understand the effect of pet dogs and cats on bird communities. Approximately 450 households were surveyed
- Conducted 8 outreach activities in urban green spaces
- Presented a poster highlighting initial findings of the survey at the Uttarakhand Bird Festival, 2024
- We created a booklet covering commonly seen birds within the urban green spaces of Dehradun, Uttarakhand