Effects of sacred grove size and isolation distance on avifaunal assemblages in the forest–savannah transition zone of Ghana

Abstract

Sacred groves which are remnants of old-growth forests protected by indigenous people with the view that their gods reside in them and protect them from all forms of calamities, may be important areas for forest-dependent birds in Ghana. However, the information of how bird communities utilize them is inadequate. Bird survey was conducted in the sacred groves located in the forest-savanna transition zone of Ghana. The goal was to determine the effects of sacred grove size and isolation (distance from the nearest large fragment) on the density and diversity of tropical forest-dependent bird species. Thirty sacred groves were selected and point transect method of bird sampling was adopted for the survey. The findings revealed that sacred groves of larger sizes supported a large number of different species of birds. The study, however, also revealed that, most bird community composition was basically determined by the structure of the vegetation. Similarly, it has also been shown that, sacred groves protect habitats which are suitable for the conservation of birds. In view of this, it is recommended that effective conservation measures should be put in place, taking into consideration the concerns of the local people, so as to conserve this relict of old growth forests.