76 species of birds spotted on Nitte University campus

The Campus Bird Count 2022 is a part and sub-event of Great Backyard Bird Count

The Campus Bird Count 2022 was conducted in Nitte University's Mangalore campus led by Nitte University Center for Science Education and Research (NUCSER). This year the birders recorded 76 species of birds on campus. Experts have projected the number to increase to 100+ species across various campuses of Nitte DU with various green initiatives undertaken by the University.

The Campus Bird Count 2022 (CBC 2022) is a part and sub-event of Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The GBBC has been organised regularly since 2015 by Bird Count India in collaboration with eBird (The Cornell lab of Ornithology). CBC is an effort to record bird diversity across different campuses in India. This year more than 250 campuses registered for CBC from different parts of the country.

During the bird count, researchers, doctors, professionals, professors, bird enthusiasts and students of Nitte University conducted a systematic survey in Paneer and Deralakatte campus. The recorded species include residential birds such as White-cheeked Barbet, White-throated Kingfisher, Asian Koel, Greater Coucal, Common Myna, House Crows, Cattle Egret, Brahminy Kite, Black Kite, Common Iora, Jungle Babbler, Black Drongo, Rock Pigeon, Red-whiskered Bulbul commonly seen in the campus and rare birds such as Red-wattled Lapwing, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Rose-ringed Parakeets, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Kingfisher. Besides, the birders recorded some migratory birds and winter visitors such as Purple Sunbird, Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Indian Pitta. A few species of nocturnal birds such as the Indian Scops-Owl, Barn Owl, Indian Nightjar and Jerdon’s Nightjar were also reported.

61 bird species at Aloysius

A total of 61 bird species have been identified in the campuses of St Aloysius College in Mangaluru and St Aloysius Institute of Management and Information Technology (AIMIT) in Kotekar Beeri.

The two institutes were among the 262 colleges to take part in the event.

This is the fourth year that St Aloysius College is participating in the event. Apart from the 37-acre campus of the college located in the heart of Mangaluru, the bird count was carried out for the first time in the 17-acre campus of AIMIT.

Among the birds that were seen in the two campuses were Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, Jungle Mynas, Common Mynas, Rock Pigeons, Purple Rumped Sunbirds, Pale Billed Flowerpeckers, Asian Koels, Oriental Magpie Robins, and Red Whiskered Bulbuls. Large predatory birds namely Black Kite and Brahminy Kite were seen soaring around the campus. Migratory birds namely Indian Paradise Flycatcher, Indian Golden Oriole, and Blue Tailed Bee Eater were also spotted.

Nilgiri Flowerpecker, Ashy Woodswallow, Red Wattled Lapwing, Black-headed Ibis, Jerdon’s Leafbird and Orange-headed Thrush were spotted in the AIMIT campus.

The birding event resulted in the identification of 26 species of birds in St Aloysius College Mangaluru Campus and 35 species of birds on the AIMIT campus.

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