Avian Biodiversity: How to save our winged friends?

Debananda S Ningthoujam *

Prelude

There is a hoary Manipuri saying, "O ill-fated heron, a trap-net in front of you, and an arrow behind you!". This is how our 2-winged feathered friends are encircled with threats of deforestation and habitat loss, pollution, oil spills, climate change, overhunting and illegal trade etc. in this year of biodiversity.

Unless we take urgent steps, these creatures of beauty, grace and elegance will be gone for ever. If that happens, what justifiable explanations can we give to our grandchildren and great grandchildren?

The classic example of a fascinating bird which has gone extinct quite some time back is the dodo (which looks like a bigger version of pigeon with a peculiar beak). Scientists say that it became extinct due to overhunting. With the passing away of the dodo, a species of tree was also supposed to have gone extinct (as its seeds depended on the dodo for germination). Is this a case of symbiosis?

What are birds?

Birds are vertebrates that belong to Class aves which consists of 23 orders, 142 families, and 2057 genera.

Habitats

Birds are found in several types of habitats. The major habitats are:

• Streams
• Pastures
• Wooded slopes
• Lakes
• Other wetlands
• Forests

Classification of birds

Birds are a part of the Class Aves which in turn is part of the Phylum Chordata and the Subphylum Vertebrata.

The Class Aves is currently divided up into 23 orders, 142 families, 2,057 genera and 10,027 species of birds (as of 2010). Over half the species of birds in the world are in one order, 'Passeriformes' (known as the Passerines) The remaining orders of birds are put in the group 'the Non-Passerines'.

Passerines are the perching birds. House sparrow is an example of a passerine bird. Great Indian bustard is an example of a non-passerine bird.

What do birds eat?

Birds eat all kinds of food but individual birds will differ in their preferences. Crows and jays are generalists while eagles eat only meat, warblers eat only insects and cardinals only seeds. Some major types of foods that birds eat are:

• Seeds
• Insects
• Nectar
• Meat
• Berries
• Plant material

Threatened bird species

According to Bird Life International, as of 2010, there are 10, 027 bird species recorded of which 1240 species are considered threatened.

Threats to avian diversity

• Habitat loss
• Pesticides
• Domestic cats
• Trade in exotic birds
• Invasive alien species(IAS)
• Overharvesting
• Climate change
• Oil spills
• Diclofenac

Destruction and degradation of habitats due to burgeoning human population is a prime driver for decline in bird populations worldwide. Agricultural activities, industrial development, cash crops or monocultures, wetland draining, mining and road construction pose serious threats to avian biodiversity. Tropical birds are seriously threatened by deforestation globally especially in Asia.

Many arctic bird species are threatened by habitat loss due to global warming. Island species are especially vulnerable to habitat decline. Also, as they evolved in absence of predators, they are very susceptible to overharvesting or predation by IAS.

Pesticides such as DDT and other man-made chemicals cause egg shell thinning and endocrine disruption which might have caused decline of several bird species especially predatory birds. Pharmaceuticals such as diclofenac are supposed to be the culprits responsible for massive decline in Asian vulture populations.

Why conserve birds?

Why save birds in the wild? Can't we keep them in the zoos? There are myriad reasons for conserving avian biodiversity in the wild. Some of the major motivations include:

• Birds are living symbols of beauty, grace and elegance
• Sources of inspiration for poetry, songs and myth
• Bioindicators: they can act as bioindicators of ecosystem health
• Descendants of dinosaurs
• Scavengers
• Pollinators
• Food chains: birds are critical links in the food chains of several ecosystems
• Predators
• Prey
• Symbiosis: birds symbiotically protect the trees
• Ecotourism

How to conserve bird diversity?

Some of the short-term programs may include:

• Local participatory projects
• Provision of funds
• Technology transfer
• Ecological economic accounting
• Protection of indigenous peoples' interests so that they are encouraged to protect birds
• Monitoring of environmental assets
• Checking of deforestation
• Controlling of predator populations
• Protection of nesting sites
• Creation of urban green patches & Backyard gardens
• Making governments and common people aware of importance of bird conservation
• Taking pro-active steps to control climate change

Coda

We need to conserve our winged friends for our own survival even if we do not want to protect these beautiful animals for altruistic reasons. In addition, they have their own right of survival on this blue planet. After all, the Earth is equally their home as well as ours. Remember that whatever happens to the 'web of life' will ultimately impact us humans.

Let's listen to the anguished calls of these ancient creatures that descended from the dinosaurs (of the "Jurassic Park" fame). Their survival is at stake due to anthropogenic activities. Let's save them before it's too late. Because if all our feathered friends become extinct, it will not he long before Homo sapiens go extinct!

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* Debananda S Ningthoujam wrote this article for The Huieyen Lanpao (English Edition)
The author teaches biochemistry in Manipur University and researches on biodiversity and biotechnology areas especially microbial biodiversity and biotechnology. He also writes popular science articles on scientific biography and science, environment & biodiversity issues. This article was webcasted on July 19, 2010.

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