BENGALURU: The most sought-after bird festival is back, and will be held at Kollur in the Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary. The theme and mascot of the 9th edition of the festival is the ‘Malabar Trogon’, which is also called fire crow, because of its metallic red and crimson plumage and crow-like appearance. The Karnatala Eco-Tourism Board, organising the festival, has listed January 6-8, 2023, as dates for the bird festival.
Board Chairman Madan Gopal told TNIE that the bird and the location have been chosen to create awareness of the species and its habitat. Very little is known about the bird, even as it is endemic to the region and the Western Ghats.
He said that every year, different themes and birds are chosen, so that the rich biodiversity of the region and the state are known to all. To add to the knowledge, lectures and walks are being planned for participants. Meanwhile, the area that has been chosen, between Udupi and Shivamogga, offers a unique blend with many birds for ornithologists to study. Over eight trails have been identified for the birds on location.
Officials from the board informed that Karnataka is home to over 500 species of birds, and January is the ideal time to spot the fascinating winged creatures due to season. Many migratory and native birds can be seen and counted during December-February. Officials added that this is also a step towards diversifying from tiger-centric tourism. So far, bird festivals have been held at Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary in Mandya, Kali Tiger Reserve in Dandeli, Daroji Bear Sanctuary in Ballari, Pilikula Nisargadhama in Mangaluru, Halladakeri Tree Park in Bidar, Nandi Hills in Chikaballapur, BRT Tiger Reserve in Chamarajanagar, and the last one was in Madikeri.