Birders rue low bird sighting due to ‘habitat deterioration’

Thiruvananthapuram: Birders who explored Punchakkari wetlands, the birding hotspot of the capital city, as part of Bird Race 2022 have observed that the sighting was very low with regard to the species and number of birds. They attributed the trend to the plastic waste, glass bottles, construction waste and other such solid wastes at the site which indicates bird-habitat deterioration. Suggestions were put forth by them for conducting regular awareness campaigns and clean-up drives by conservation organizations and authorities concerned to educate the public about proper disposal of wastes.
As part of the bird race, the annual one-day dawn to dusk bird-watching event organized nationally in connection with Salim Ali Day on November 12, 11 teams explored the bird diversity in and around Thiruvananthapuram. At the experience-sharing session held later in the evening at Christ University Nodal Office, Vazhuthacaud, the teams exchanged their concerns regarding the declining bird population in most areas in the district, its possible reasons and other observations.
According to birders who visited Poovar, proper steps should be taken to reduce the house crow population in beaches, as they compete with all migratory waders which feed along the shore. The other reasons for an alarming decline in bird population noted by the birders include pollution of waterbodies, sound pollution due to construction and degraded quality of wetlands due to anthropogenic pressures like unsegregated waste dumping.
It was also observed that bird activity in the Kallar-Ponmudi forests was high owing to less disturbance as the destination was closed to the public for a few months. Arippa forests got the highest number of bird species with 92 species sightings, including seven birds of prey which included the migratory black baza.