Other bird species too losing out on habitat
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MADURAI:
It is not just sparrows that are vanishing from the neighbourhood for
lack of food and shelter. Birds like mynas, parakeets, spotted owlets,
red-breasted barbet and hoopoes may soon vanish for the same reasons.
Fewer numbers of withered wood or tree trunks also deprive such birds of
shelters as they are axed for firewood and to clear land of unwanted
vegetation.
Ambudoss Arvind, a bird researcher in Madurai, points out that dead wood - dried and rotting - act as nesting and breeding places for several species of birds. "These bird species are known as hollow nesting birds because they make their nests in rotting wood because they can't peck a live tree for nest. Due to increased human interference and movement, no dead tree is spared for firewood. Resultingly, these birds are in danger of losing habitat," he said.
"Not just birds, every rotting wood support hundreds of life forms like insects. Even a withered tree is home to many birds. Dead wood should not be removed from the vast campuses of institutions. Of course, no one may like to have a rotting wood on their house plots," opined S Bharathidasan who works for a wildlife NGO.
T Badri Narayanan, an ornithologist, noted that modification of environment is always a threat to birds. "Nowadays, people may not like to safeguard withered wood," he said.
Badri also pointed out another phenomenon affecting birds. "People are not interested to plant native tree species which provide birds with food and shelter. Man prefers trees that are useful to him, but even a live tree may not be helpful for birds," he remarked.
One possible way to help hollow nesting birds is providing artificial nests in gardens. "Such artificial nests can be made of simple PVC pipes. In hollow structures birds may nest," Arvind added.
Ambudoss Arvind, a bird researcher in Madurai, points out that dead wood - dried and rotting - act as nesting and breeding places for several species of birds. "These bird species are known as hollow nesting birds because they make their nests in rotting wood because they can't peck a live tree for nest. Due to increased human interference and movement, no dead tree is spared for firewood. Resultingly, these birds are in danger of losing habitat," he said.
"Not just birds, every rotting wood support hundreds of life forms like insects. Even a withered tree is home to many birds. Dead wood should not be removed from the vast campuses of institutions. Of course, no one may like to have a rotting wood on their house plots," opined S Bharathidasan who works for a wildlife NGO.
T Badri Narayanan, an ornithologist, noted that modification of environment is always a threat to birds. "Nowadays, people may not like to safeguard withered wood," he said.
Badri also pointed out another phenomenon affecting birds. "People are not interested to plant native tree species which provide birds with food and shelter. Man prefers trees that are useful to him, but even a live tree may not be helpful for birds," he remarked.
One possible way to help hollow nesting birds is providing artificial nests in gardens. "Such artificial nests can be made of simple PVC pipes. In hollow structures birds may nest," Arvind added.
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