Survey calls for naming wetland sites as bird sanctuaries 

By Our Staff Reporter

 KANNUR, MAY 12. Bird population in the wetland and mangrove areas in the district that are  identified as sites frequented by migratory waterfowls and associated birds will continue to decline   due   to  the   ongoing largescale reclamation of these areas for developmental activities,  unless  urgent efforts  are made by the authorities to protect these sites as bird sanctuaries,  according  to  a  survey conducted in such areas and their bird population, The survey of the wetland areas  of  Pazhayangadi,  Ezhom Moola, Madakkara, Mattui and Kattampally in the district and the waterfowls found in these areas conducted by the ornithologists  and  environmental  activists, Khaleel Chowa and C. Rajeevan, focuses on the urgency of protecting the wetland and mangrove areas in the district that provide a congenial environment for breeding, nesting  and feeding of a number of waterfowls. 

"Construction and reclamation works in the areas identified   as   sites   frequented   by migratory birds, including globally threatened birds and birds included in the Schedule One and endemic birds, should be banned by the authorities for checking further destruction of habitats of birds," Dr. Khaleel, who is the Reader and Director of Botany Department at the Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, said at  a  press   conference  here  recently. 

The survey, which has been  submitted to the Forest Department, has found that intensive poaching of ducks and waders, burning of grass in the dykes and use of insecticides and pesticides by farmers are the major problems facing the bird population of the wetlands here. Some of the birds found by the survey in the areas included those enlisted in the Red Data Book prepared by the International Union for Conservation if   Nature    and    Natural    Resources, Dr. Khaleel said. 

The survey of resident and migratory birds conducted to observe seasonal changes in the occurrence and number of migratory birds,  their behaviour and flight pattern during breeding and non breeding season has found that Kattampally and  Pazhayangadi areas are important  as  they   provide  regular wintering area of greater spotted eagle, a globally threatened species classified as vulnerable in the Asian Red Data Book. The presence of the lesser spotted eagle, which is rare, threatened,  and endemic to India, has enhanced the importance of these wetland areas, the survey says. 

It also claims that it is the first report about the presence of  streak-throated swallow in the  wetlands of the district. The presence of the species such as Common Stone Chat, Great,  Spotted Eagle, Lesser Spotted Eagle,  White  Necked  Stork,  Pheasant Tailed Jacana, Darter and Peregrine Falcon are also first reported from Pazhayangadi  and  Ezhome  wetland  areas  as  is the presence of 13 Pheasant Tailed Jacana, a pair of Lesser Spotted Eagle and Shovellers observed in the Kattampally area. 

The survey says that as many  as 139 of the 149 species of birds located in the coastal areas out  of the total 475 species reported  from the State are found in the wetlands  here.  Among  them,   94 species are migratory in nature coming from the Himalayas, it  says. Migratory birds use the  wetlands as stepping stones, it says. The survey has found that  the  important  trans-oriental  migratory birds found in the  district are Garganey, Northern Pin Tail, Lesser Whistling Teal,  Cotton Teal, Shoveller, Marsh  Harrier,  Golden Plover, Little  Ringed Plover, among other  species. 

A checklist of different species found in these areas has also been prepared as part of the survey. The total number of species of birds observed at Pazhayangadi  and  Ezhome Moola is 107, which is 74 in Kattampally, 65 in Madakkara and  64 in Mattui. The Kattampally  wetland has already been identified as Important Bird Area  (IBA) under the IBA Programme of the Birdlife International.   The survey says that the  number of birds has dropped  over the years in the Kattampally area due to the ecological  damage caused by the Kattampally Irrigation Project which,  though  originally started  to check saline water intrusion, has wrought havoc on traditional 'kaipadu' paddy cultivation in the area. The study reveals that the Pazhayangadi and Ezhome Moola areas are having maximum number of waterfowls  among  the  sites studied. The aim of the survey, according to Dr. Khaleel, is to highlight the urgency of protecting the wetlands and mangroves which are now facing  survival threat from 'developers'. 

The Kannur DFO, K. K. Chandran, who was present at the press meet, said that the Forest Department  could  protect  the wetland and mangrove areas if  they were included in the ecologically fragile areas. The ornithologist, C. Sasikumar, said  that though there was growing  awareness among the local people on the need to protect migratory  birds,   what   often caused large scale disturbance to the habitats of birds was developmental works such as construction  of roads  across  a wetland area.