BirdPests: Damage and Ecofriendly Management

Abstract

In various agro-ecological zones of the nation, birds have been known to severely damage a range of crops at their susceptible stages. The amount of bird damage to any crop relies on a variety of factors, including the density of the local bird population, area covered by the crop, cropping pattern, season, and the physiological condition of the birds. It has been identified that about 1200 species of birds belonging to 20 different families and only 2% of it damage the crops. The Grey Partridg,e (Perdix perdix), Blue Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), and House Sparrow (Passer doemsticus) have been found to cause the maximum damage to crops. Other species which nest close to agricultural areas include the Rose-ringed parakeet (Pscittacula crameri), Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus), Tricoloured munia (Lonchura malacca), and Spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) also extensively damage the crops. Moreover, it has been documented that bird damage varied with respect to seasons, areas, number of species, their density, concentration of migrants, and their feeding patterns. It was also more prevalent in the isolated fields that matured slowly or quickly. In order to attain the desired yields, the production system must be safeguarded and birds pests must be effectively managed to reduce crop losses. While traditional methods for managing predatory birds include erecting a perch amid crop fields, scare crows and drumming, the ecofriendly methods of controlling birds include modifying habitat, block plantations, reflective ribbon, reflective paper plates, and hybrids that are resistant to birds.