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The two egrets are back in farms

Spotted: Cattle egrets and little egrets throng farms in Bahour in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: The winged friends of farmers have started settling down in the farm lands of Bahour and other rural pockets of the region. The monsoon visitors - cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and little egret (Egretta garzetta) – belonging to the heron family, are back in action.

Farmers look forward to visits from the two birds as they keep the numbers of crop pests down and bring down cattle tick infestations, says P. Devaraj, Deputy Conservator of Forest.

According to him, the species are spotted in Puducherry, especially in Bahour and Seliamedu, during the monsoon when paddy cultivation begins. “Farmers welcome the arrival of these winged visitors, as they eat the pests that pose a grave threat to the crop.”

The cattle egret, a gregarious species, is most commonly seen forging with grazing stock. Birds belonging to the species feed on ticks and lice found on animals, he said.

With reports of poaching during the last monsoon, the department has deployed special squads in Bahour and Seliamedu to thwart any such attempt.

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