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Disappearing birds

The sharp decline in the number of migratory birds reported by the U.N. Environment Programme is a worrying sign that these true citizens of the world may be losing out to developmental pressures. Several countries celebrated the unique phenomenon of bird migration on May 10 and 11 to raise awareness about the threats faced by birds. As an indicator of the state of biodiversity, birds are supremely important, although many aspects of their migratory travels between breeding and wintering grounds spanning different continents remain unexamined. A lot of work remains to be done, for instance, on the role of the earth’s magnetic field, of light and visual indicators in bird migration. What little we know shows that migration is truly extraordinary. The longest non-stop flight — 7,189 miles — is made by a wader species, the bar-tailed godwit, between Alaska and New Zealand; the Arctic tern makes a return trip between its northern grounds and Antarctica, covering about 24,000 miles. Not all countries that lie along the flyways of migratory birds, however, are sensitive to their needs. It is incredibly sad that of 522 migratory waterbird populations on the African-Eurasian flyways, an estimated 41 per cent have suffered decline due to factors such as habitat loss, climate change, and degradation of wetlands.

As a major host country, India has conservation obligations under international conventions governing biodiversity and migratory species. Unfortunately, it has not been doing enough. Migratory birds, which were protected from hunters in the country through enlightened laws, have declined precipitously due to environmental factors. In what is the most famous national migratory site, the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur, the arrivals have dwindled from the thousands to just a handful, as people appropriate all water from the river that feeds it. Not surprisingly, the critically endangered Siberian crane, a graceful, slow-breeder, was last sighted in India in the winter of 2002. Several hundred wetlands favoured by visiting birds are confirmed to be toxic with heavy metals and pesticide residues. Other habitat changes are affecting songbirds as much as waterbirds, and global warming may be accelerating the decline. Reversing the losses should be not just a scientific goal but a national priority, and it can happen only with better understanding of migration. Liberal national funding of ornithological research, and permissions from the Ministry of Environment and Forests to ring and study birds in sufficient numbers are vital. This is an agenda to which India needs to commit itself.

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