Kozhikode: Several rare species of birds, including a few Red-headed Vultures, were spotted during a dawn-to-dusk bird race organised by a collective of environmental organisations in association with Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. (HSBC) in Malabar on Sunday.
The bird race organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Salim Ali, Bird Man of India, was held simultaneously in two other cities besides Kozhikode in the State.
More than 260 species of birds, including some globally threatened genus, were spotted during the race. Red-headed Vulture, Wayanad Laughing Thrush, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Shaheen Falcon, Turn Stone, Rosy Starling and Malabar Trogon were some of the rare birds spotted during the survey.
As many as18 teams, comprising four members representing different northern districts of the State, participated in the event. The Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) took the lead in conducting the event.
The teams reached their destinations on time to ensure that they started out the race right away from the identified hotspots at 6 a.m.
The teams spent the entire day logging details of the birds roaming across the identified areas. They also made it an occasion to learn about the finer aspects of bird watching from experts.
The teams met at a venue in Kozhikode for dinner and shared their experiences. The participants included children, young enthusiasts, teachers, social activists and nature lovers.
They covered regions from the Western Ghats to the coast exploring almost all the known habitats. It included hotspots such as the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kadalundy Estuary, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Ezhimala Wetland, Porathur Estuary in Malappuram, Nilambur Forest, Janakikkad forest and the Muzhuppilangadu beach.
Prizes were given to the team which spotted the maximum number of species. The team which sighted the rarest bird got an award. The first prize was grabbed by N.R. Anoop and team of Wayanad - it spotted 186 species of birds.
The second prize was won by Dr.Jayan Thomas and team of Kannur district with 123 species and the third prize by a Kannur team represented by Sasidharan Manekara with 117 species.
Red-headed Vulture, which is included in the ‘Red-data Book' of globally threatened species, was spotted by Vishnudas and team from Wayanad. It was also declared as the bird of the day.
Besides HSBC, Kerala Birder, an internet mailing group of bird watchers, Yuhina Eco-Media, the Mumbai-based organisation specialising in natural history and environment-related activities, and the MNHS were the organisers of the event.
Source: The Hindu, 16-11-2010
The bird race organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Salim Ali, Bird Man of India, was held simultaneously in two other cities besides Kozhikode in the State.
More than 260 species of birds, including some globally threatened genus, were spotted during the race. Red-headed Vulture, Wayanad Laughing Thrush, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Shaheen Falcon, Turn Stone, Rosy Starling and Malabar Trogon were some of the rare birds spotted during the survey.
As many as18 teams, comprising four members representing different northern districts of the State, participated in the event. The Malabar Natural History Society (MNHS) took the lead in conducting the event.
The teams reached their destinations on time to ensure that they started out the race right away from the identified hotspots at 6 a.m.
The teams spent the entire day logging details of the birds roaming across the identified areas. They also made it an occasion to learn about the finer aspects of bird watching from experts.
The teams met at a venue in Kozhikode for dinner and shared their experiences. The participants included children, young enthusiasts, teachers, social activists and nature lovers.
They covered regions from the Western Ghats to the coast exploring almost all the known habitats. It included hotspots such as the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kadalundy Estuary, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Ezhimala Wetland, Porathur Estuary in Malappuram, Nilambur Forest, Janakikkad forest and the Muzhuppilangadu beach.
Prizes were given to the team which spotted the maximum number of species. The team which sighted the rarest bird got an award. The first prize was grabbed by N.R. Anoop and team of Wayanad - it spotted 186 species of birds.
The second prize was won by Dr.Jayan Thomas and team of Kannur district with 123 species and the third prize by a Kannur team represented by Sasidharan Manekara with 117 species.
Red-headed Vulture, which is included in the ‘Red-data Book' of globally threatened species, was spotted by Vishnudas and team from Wayanad. It was also declared as the bird of the day.
Besides HSBC, Kerala Birder, an internet mailing group of bird watchers, Yuhina Eco-Media, the Mumbai-based organisation specialising in natural history and environment-related activities, and the MNHS were the organisers of the event.
Source: The Hindu, 16-11-2010
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