JOIN USThe State of India’s Birds 2020, which was released recently, is a unique record of India’s bird wealth in all its diversities. It is a detailed and scientific study that provides very valuable information about the country’s birds. Birds, like many animals, are close to humans and are an essential part of nature. They have played important roles in human life and culture. But the message conveyed by the study is not a happy one. It says that over a fifth of India’s bird diversity has suffered serious long-term decline over the last 25 years, with the population of some common birds falling by as much as 80%. The study is comprehensive as it was produced by 10 credible global organisations and is the result of both scientific and citizen-led observations. Over 15,000 birdwatchers have contributed to it. It has provided fresh data and filled gaps in information about several bird species.
Birds are under severe stress and strain because of human activities and many of them are facing a threat to their survival. The threats come in various ways, such as habitat loss and damage to ecosystems, agricultural and industrial activities and issues like pesticide poisoning and effluent discharges, urbanisation and, to some extent, hunting and pet trade. The study has noted both long-term and recently recorded annual losses. Some species which were categorised as being of “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) were found to be seriously endangered. There are reasons for “high concern’’ over 52% of the species which figured in the study. Some geographical areas present greater threats to them than others. Some species which are found in the Western and the Eastern Ghats are fast dwindling. The Western Ghats, a great home for many birds, have seen the numbers of some of them dwindle as much as 75% in the last two decades. The ecological changes in the Terai grasslands in Northern India have adversely affected birds endemic to them and many migratory species.
Amidst the bleak news, one bright spot is about the sparrows which had disappeared from cities but are now found to be stable in numbers in other areas. That shows some resilience but the conditions that helped them to survive may not be available to other birds. Protection of habitats and other steps to save the birds should get high priority. We are yet to realise that the disappearance of birds from nature or the diminution of their numbers will make life difficult for us. Nature and the life forms that it supports are crucially dependent on each other and the link should not be snapped.