Habitat loss

Loss of Habitat

Recently I was asked to do a piece on the birds and trees on our golf course which has a large number of trees and water bodies and is there fore home to a variety of birds. However the neighborhood which was once a scrub jungle and agricultural land has now become a thriving commercial and residential hub. This has resulted in the loss of natural habitat for the birds and more than 50% of the bird variety has disappeared. Those that were sorely missed are the beautiful Rosy pastors [starlings]. There was a time when they arrived in such large numbers that the whole tree seemed to be covered with these birds. Then there was this bird, Yellow Wag tail which arrived in hundreds all the way from northwest India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Balkans. I haven't seen one since the last five years. Possible reasons could be the conflict in that region/loss of resting areas enroute/ use of insecticides and herbicides on the golf course and the like. Same holds good to others like the whoopo, Bee eater, Indian roller to name a few

Creating a habitat

In front of my house and couple of other houses we have planted some trees. Ficus Benjamina, Behulia, Singapore Cherry, silver oak. These trees attract Bulbuls, Parakeets, warblers, Mynas, Green Barbet and the Koel. Just a few trees have invited this variety of bird life.