Shorebird community and diversity in Bagan Serdang Beach, North Sumatra

The occurrence of shorebirds is strongly influenced by environmental factors, especially food availability. Shorebirds are closely linked to their habitat conditions, so they seek out feeding sites according to their life cycle. Coastal conditions that have changed due to human activities may affect the assemblage of shorebird community. The aim of this study is to determine the diversity of shorebird species and the factors that influence them. Bird observations were made for three days using the point count method while the number of individuals was estimated by using “block method”. The results revealed 17 shorebird species from the families, Charadriidae, Scolopacidae and Sternidae. The dominant species were Charadrius mongolus, Pluvialis fulva and Sterna hirundo. The number of species in the morning observations was higher than in the afternoon. The diversity index for migratory birds ranges from 1.16 to 1.96, which is relatively low. This study showed that mudflats in Bagan Serdang Beach, Pantai Labu District is occupied by shorebirds in this region.