Dropping water levels may shoo away birds

KOCHI: The depleting level of water bodies in  the district is likely to send birds fleeing from their usual hubs. The number of birds in Mangalavanam, a haven for nesting and roosting, and those in Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary is likely to dwindle if the water bodies are not conserved. The water birds depend on water for feeding. The deep water birds, shallow water birds and fringe water birds source their food from water.“Diving birds such as darters, cormorants and dabchicks go deep down into the water for food and depleting water levels will force them to hunt for food elsewhere,” said ornithologist P Sugathan. Birds such as ducks, sea gulls and tearns feed on the floating or submerged vegetation in shallow waters. Snipes and coots source their food from marshy areas, the forest birds such as flycatchers and kingfishers prefer to feed on the insects that fly on the surface of the water, he said.In Mangalavanam, it is the tidal fluctuation that waters the marshy pond but the mouth of the canal is narrowing by the day due to silting which is affecting the birds. “Birds seek solace in Mangalavanam for nesting and roosting because of fast urbanisation and total loss of habitat. The birds nesting and roosting there are more than the capacity of land and water,” he said.In Thattekkad the species of water birds have risen to 33, thanks to the artificial lake formed as part of the Periyar Valley Irrigation project. But as the artificial lake was constructed for irrigation purpose, when monsoon sets in, the bund in Bhoothathankettu dam is opened and the water in the reservoir is drained. As a consequence, the birds go to other places and return only once the bund is closed by September. If it takes longer, they may not return that year, he said.