Hornbills thriving in Malayattur forests

K.S. Sudhi
KOCHI,  
The Hindu, March 19, 2011

Hornbills are thriving in the Malayattur forests.

A recent bird survey held in the Malayattur forest division has revealed the presence of an “excellent population of Great Pied Hornbills.”

While the Malabar Grey Hornbill was spotted in good numbers, the Malabar Pied Hornbill was spotted from two base camps set up for the survey, said P.O. Nameer, State coordinator, Indian Bird Conservation Network and Important Bird Area Programme.

The Red List of threatened species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature has included the Great Pied and Malabar Pied Hornbills in the Near-Threatened category.

Though the Great Pied Hornbill, says the BirdLife International, “has a large range, it occurs at low densities and is patchily distributed.

It is likely to be declining moderately rapidly throughout its range, and is therefore considered Near Threatened”.

Regarding the Malabar Pied Hornbill, the international agency for conservation of birds says that the species “has a moderately small population size, and is likely to have declined as a result of continuing habitat loss.

It is therefore considered Near Threatened, and should be carefully monitored for any future increases in the rate of decline”.

The hornbill species are mostly found at an elevation between 200 metres and 1400 metres in evergreen forests of the State. These birds are frugivorous (feeding on fruits).

The forest stretch in Kerala that begins from Parambikulam and runs through Nelliampathy, Vazhachal, Sholayar, Malayattur and Pooyamkutty houses excellent population of hornbills. This stretch also forms part of the Anamalai region of the southern Western Ghats.

Survey

The survey was conducted by the Cochin Natural History Society and the KeralaBirder in association with the Kerala Forest Department from February 11 to 14.

Vishnupriyan Kartha and J. Praveen led the survey in which 56 birdwatchers participated.

The survey succeeded in identifying 193 species from the division. This included nine of the 16 endemic bird varieties of the Western Ghats and six Near-Threatened ones.

Nilgiri flycatchers were located from Variyam whereas Lesser Fish-Eagles were spotted from Kappayam and Pooyamkutty. While Grey-headed Bulbuls were located at several camps, Black Baza, Spangled Drongo, Drongo Cuckoo, Philippine Shrike, Black Bittern, Speckled Piculet and Great Black Woodpecker were identified from two camps each.

Oriental Broad-billed Roller and Great-eared Nightjars were spotted from almost all the camps and Red-winged Crested Cuckoo and Blackcapped Kingfishers from Anakkulam. Sri Lankan Frogmouths were located at Idamalayar and Mountain Hawk-Eagle from Malakkappara, he said.

Dr. Nameer said harvesting of reeds from the forest range for commercial purposes was posing serious threat to the habitat.

The habitat destruction would have its impact on elephant and birds populations, he said.