Crested Serpent Eagle

Eagles are the largest raptors (birds of prey). In flight or while resting, they look magnificent and are a sight to behold. 

The Crested Serpent Eagle is just one of the numerous species seen in India. It inhabits thickly wooded forests in the plains and hills, often near water bodies. From a well chosen perch high up on a tall tree near forest clearings, it keeps vigil for its prey which includes snakes, hare, jungle fowl, partridges and other small birds. It grabs the prey in a swift swoop; the sharp talons and hooked beak do the rest in immobilizing the prey.

It is slightly larger than the common pariah kite, dark brown overall with white streaks on the chest and abdomen. It has a small crest on the head (not seen in these photographs). A distinguishing feature is bare yellow portion between the eyes and the beak and also the yellow eyes.
Sexes are alike. 

Photo courtesy: Upendra Chandratreya
Location: Bandhavgarh

Spare the trees

The road from Ambadi to Shirsad forms part of the highway connecting Mumbai to Ahmedabad. From Shirsad, a smaller road connects to the Nasik-Mumbai highway. For about 20 kilometers between Shirsad and Ambadi, the road is covered with a green canopy of over 300 gulmohur, mango, rain-trees and banyan trees. Motorists traveling along the road are truly privileged and never fail to appreciate the far-sighted vision of unknown road engineers (or foresters) responsible for it. Over a period of time, these trees have grown bigger and stronger, some of them with a girth of more than one hundred centimeters, providing shade and shelter to all wild creatures and mere mortals like us. But with time, as traffic along the route increased many fold, there arose a need to widen the road from the present two lanes to a four-laned carriageway.

Trees - first targets of road widening
As it usually happens in India, the responsibility must have been assigned to some city-based bureaucrat, who proposed that the widening be done on the existing alignment. In other words, the trees would have to make way for tar or concrete road laid by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. A more short-sighted proposal would be harder for even primary school children to come up with. Trees lining the roads are always the first targets for any road widening projects in India. We have seen this all over the country, including projects undertaken for metro-rail/mono-rail construction. Encroachments and illegal constructions, very often belonging to the political class and local land mafia, are most conveniently spared the stick (I mean the earth-movers). In many instances, the mafia working hand-in-glove with corrupt officials or talathis, construct a small religious structure (temple, mosque, cross) overnight, which makes it next to impossible to demolish them. Even if they are demolished by some upright official, she/he would face the combined forces of the political class and be forced on the backfoot. Look at what has happened to Durga. 

Land of Gods?
In the land of Rama, Krishna, Allah, Jesus and the Buddha, the politicians have become all powerful forces, fearing neither Gods nor the rule of the law. I am reminded of the song by Indian Ocean: Zara rukh ja re bandhe, zara tham ja re bandhe….(from the movie Black Friday, it can be loosely translated as: Oh brother, stop breaking the law and fear the Lord!)

Trees, without any political protection are ruthlessly hacked down, leading to loss of habitat for our feathered friends. Irreparable damage is done to the soil and the surrounding micro-environment. Presence of trees acts like a natural sieve, allowing rain water to seep into the ground, recharging natural aquifiers and increasing ground water table. Trees also prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil surface, an important factor in maintaining soil quality in hot and dry climatic conditions. 

Native species - a better choice

A significant point to be considered is that native tree species are better suited in ensuring soil stability than non-native or foreign species. Hence, deforestation cannot be compensated by planting non-native species, like subabul or eucalyptus. Experts have opined that reckless replacement of pine trees with golden oaks/silver oaks has been a major cause for the recent landslides and soil erosion in Uttarakhand. Pine needles form a thick bed on the forest floor allowing water seepage, preventing erosion and loss of topsoil.

Well, environmentalists, relax! The good news in the paper yesterday (TOI, 03.08.2013) is that the local development authority, MMRDA, has issued a stop-work notice to the Vasai-Virar Corporation and the permission to cut trees withdrawn. A new alignment has been proposed for four-laning the road – certainly a small victory for the green brigade and hopefully one of many more to come.

Go green, save paper, save our trees

White Cheeked Barbet

Not commonly seen in these regions, the White-cheeked barbet is an arboreal bird, inhabiting thickly wooded forests. Reported sightings are from Karnala and Phansad. Due to its overall green and dull brown appearance, it cannot be easily spotted in the upper reaches of leafy environs.

It is about the size of the common myna, with green body parts and streaked white and brown on the head, neck and chest. It can be identified from its thick beak and white protruding cheek parts and large black eyes.

The barbet’s large beak makes it convenient for it to feed on berries and small fruits of the banyan and fig trees. Sexes are alike and share all nesting duties. 

 

The nest is a hole, high up in the recesses of large trees, away from prying human eyes. Not many such places are left in India, which makes very essential that we preserve our natural heritage.

Location: Thekkady

Natural Calamities

Bird Behavior before Natural Calamities
Can studying bird behavior lead to the prediction of natural calamities? And can localized industrialization lead to extinction of some species?

Reported evidence suggests that birds have an inborn or inherent connection with nature. There have been instances of unusual behavior in birds before natural calamities have struck. Observations include birds abandoning their nests; hens not laying eggs; and crows gathering together in the middle of the night—all for no plausible reason. However,  scientific evidence linking bird behavior to changes in weather and atmospheric conditions has not been documented.

Could it be possible that birds and animals can really predict or sense approaching disasters?

Earthquakes

Birds, because of their geomagnetic sensitivity (which helps them in their migratory routes), may be able to sense minute changes in the geological movement of the tectonic plates. These changes result in abnormal behavior in birds. This kind of tectonic activity causes large flocks of birds to take to flight in middle of the night, or nocturnal birds to come out of hiding during bright daylight. They get excited and some of them die. 

Evidence indicates that sparrows are particularly sensitive to radio waves which may be emitted during earthquakes. They respond by chirping continuously (they do not twitter as they do normally) and edgily, and by taking short swift flights in large flocks. Cocks and hens try to get onto higher ground. Cocks begin to crow while hens lay defective eggs. Some birds like ducks stay away from water and become aggressive while others like seagulls fly away from water bodies. Birds such as parakeets may die.

Rainfall

Birds may be able to detect rapid changes in atmospheric pressure and humidity levels with the help of their extremely sensitive organs. They might, hence, be able to predict regional occurrences of rainfall and thunderstorms.

Can localized industrial activities and deforestation affect survival of species?

Human intervention in the environment can adversely affect the inborn abilities and survival instincts of birds and animals by interfering with their senses. For example, atmospheric pollution can cause birds to get disoriented during long migrations. This is something which happens with the best of our modern communication systems and highly trained personnel!

It is possible that destruction of local habitats on migratory pathways, which the birds depend on during migration, can eventually lead to extinction of particular species. Some species, like the crow and pigeon, have adapted very well to human habitations, but this is not always the case.

More studies are required before we can have a definitive answer to this question. What is beyond doubt is that natural calamities are due to adverse effects of human activities on the ecosystem.

The time to act is fast disappearing. Unless drastic efforts are made to protect the environment, the very survival of our future generations will be be at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Spot-winged Tit or Spot-winged Crested Tit
Location: Bandavgarh, Madhya Pradesh
Courtesy: Upendra Chandratreya