Excessive use of fertilisers and poison in crop cultivation poses “threat” to the winged guests in the national Capital, according to experts. The spate of bird deaths reported in Central Park at Hauz Khas has alarmed ecologists. For the local, inter-State birds and migratory vegetarian and partially vegetarian birds crops are the source of food. large number of migratory birds throng Nazafgarh lake during winters.
Meanwhile, bar headed geese and grey legged geese have landed at Okhla Bird Sanctuary and interestingly both the birds are vegetarian and for their regular diet they are dependent on either crops or aquatic fauna, said experts.
Notably, wildlife sanctuaries Sultanpur and Najafagrh are surrounded by farm land and according to TK Roy a leading ornithologist, migratory
birds species have started landing in sanctuaries.
"Winter span of three-four months is the hosting period of birds from Central and Northern Asia and they stay in both sanctuaries having aquatic vegetation, upon which vegetarian, partially vegetarian species rely for their diet,"
Roy added.
There is a need for deep and track monitoring on the movement and behaviour of birds, "The flu infected birds can be segregated and culled in order to save the life of other birds, be it local or winged guests," he added.
Although it is difficult to say the deaths of birds was due to flu but one must understand the core fact that birds never die due to climate change, said
the expert.
"The virus H5N8 has been found positive in reports but it has not been confirmed yet, the other reason behind the numerous deaths is food poisoning," said Roy.