Bird species dwindle in city, finds survey

Thiruvananthapuram: The recent survey conducted at seven sites in the city found that the number of bird species in the city has come down.

As many as 147 species of

birds

including rare and migratory birds were spotted during the survey carried out as part of Annual Bird Race 2017, organized by WWF-India with the support of Kerala forests and wildlife department.

“Over the years there is a decline in the number of bird species,” said WWF-India state director Renjan Mathew Varghese. Construction activities, dredging and pollution in wetlands are the reasons for this, according to experts.

“The wetland bird ‘Indian coot’ used to be seen in groups at Akkulam earlier. But during the last three years due to the construction activity, dredging and pollution, such wading birds have started disappearing,” said WWF-India education officer A K Sivakumar.

The Kesavadasapuram wetland, with an unbelievable bird diversity including many migratory species, was also found spoiled by plastic and other non-degradable wastes like used diapers. Aruvikkara Reservoir was seen covered with accumulated of plastic bottles and other garbage.

The Akkulam Lake, once a haven for birds and birders, was a great disappointment since the entire Veli Lake Estuarine Complex gave a listing of only 25 species including shorebirds like the lesser sand plover, said Sivakumar.

Of the 147 species spotted include rare birds such as grey-necked bunting, greater spotted eagle, Eurasian cuckoo and lesser sand plover. Migratory birds such as painted stork, Eurasian golden oriole and Asian paradise fly-catcher were also spotted.

The survey was done by teams led by Jaichand Johnson, Kiran R C, Anoop S S, Jishnu R, Venu P, C G Arun and A K Sivakumar.