THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As many 135 species of birds were recorded by birders at the WWF’s Bird Race, an initiative to popularise bird watching. The bird survey was conducted in eight sites in the capital with the involvement of 52 volunteers.
The survey was conducted at Punchakkari-Vellayani wetlands, Akkulam-Veli wetlands, Aruvikkara reservoir, Museum, Zoo premises and the Kesavadasapuram paddy fields-Kannammoola canal, Kallar-Ponmudi forests, Bonaccord forest, Palode forest, and Arippa forest.
The half-day event was organised by WWF-India jointly with Yuhina Canopy, HSBC and Department of Museum and Zoos. Each team was led by an expert birder accompanied by bird photographers and budding birdwatchers. The bird sightings included 45 species in Arippa forests, 34 in Bonaccord forests, 47 in Akkulam-Veli wetlands, 49 in Punchakkari-Vellayani wetlands, 43 in Aruvikkara reservoir, 39 in Museum, Zoo premises and the Kesavadasapuram paddy fields-Kannammoola canal, 56 in Palode forest and 43 in Kallar-Ponmudi forest.
Renjan Mathew Varghese, state director, WWF India, stressed on the need to protect the birding spots. “Together we should stand up and claim some recognition or protection status for these birding spots within and around the city. Just like the tree committee, we should propose a review committee that can review development plans which are proposed in these birding sites in the name of tourism and infrastructure improvement,” said Renjan Mathew. The bird race is held in the run-up to the annual Asian Waterbird Census scheduled in January 2020.
Noted sightings include the migratory blue-tailed bee-eaters at Aruvikkara reservoir; Broad-tailed grassbird and long-billed pipit at Ponmudi; Peafowl and grey-headed bulbul at Bonaccord and a flock of more than 300 migratory barn swallows at Punchakkari. The birders also spotted the ongoing breeding of oriental darters which are designated as endangered by IUCN within the zoo compound. Other birds recorded include Ceylon frogmouth and drongo cuckoo at Arippa; Marsh harrier and other migratory water birds at Akkulam-Veli, and speckled piculet and monarch blue flycatcher from Palode forest.
Usual winter visitors like yellow wagtail, barn swallow, pheasant-tailed jacana and rosy starlings were reported from Punchakkari wetlands. The sightings included 21 migratory species including Asian paradise flycatcher, golden oriole, blue-tailed bee-eater, water birds like whiskered terns, wood sandpiper, common sandpiper, grey wagtail, yellow wagtail, and pheasant-tailed Jacana. Endemic birds like Malabar whistling thrush, white-bellied blue flycatcher, crimson-backed sunbird, grey-headed bulbul and Malabar grey hornbill were also spotted.