EXTINCTION

OF BIRDS

Let the wind carry you home,

O Blackbird! fly away.

9)

EVS Innova*ve Project

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 DELHI TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
(FORMERLY Delhi College of Engineering)
Bawana Road, Delhi-110042

CANDIDATES DECLARATION

We, & students of B. Tech. (Civil Engineering) , respec=vely hereby declare

that the project Disserta=on =tled “Ex=nc=on of Birds” which is submiHed
by us to the Department of Environmental Studies, Delhi Technological
University, Delhi in par=al fulfilment of the requirement for the award of the
degree of Bachelor of Technology, is original and not copied from any source
without proper cita=on. This work has not previously formed the basis for
the award of any Degree, Diploma Associateship, Fellowship or other similar
=tle or recogni=on.

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 DELHI TECHNOLOGICAL
UNIVERSITY

PROJECT REPORT
SUBMITTED TO
ANUNAY GOUR

PREPARED BY

NITESH AGGARWAL 2K20/CE/103 VISHAL GUPTA 2K20/CE/163

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 CONTENTS

• Candidate Declara=on
• Cer=ficate
• Introduc=on
• Importance of birds
• Causes of ex=nc=on of birds
• Case study on birds:
o SpoHed Owlet
o Siberian Crane
• Efforts at Conserva=on
• Bibliography

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 INTRODUCTION

Birds are vertebrate creatures that have evolved to fly. Many of them can
even leap, swim, and dive. Some birds, such as penguins, have lost their
ability to fly but s=ll have wings. Birds can be found in a variety of habitats
all over the world. The ostrich, which stands nine feet tall, is the highest. The
bee hummingbird, which is just two inches long, is the =niest.

The ability to fly is reflected in every aspect of a bird's anatomy. For

example, the wings are shaped to generate lif. The leading edge is thicker
than the back edge, and it is covered in pointed feathers. The wings of an
aero plane are modelled afer the wings of a bird.

The wing's bones and muscles are also highly specialized. The main bone,
the humerus, which resembles a mammal's upper arm, is hollow rather than
solid. It also connects to the bird’s air sac system, which, in turn, connects to
its lungs. The keel, a special ridge of bone that runs down the middle of the
thick sternum, or breastbone, is where the shoulder's strong flight muscles
connect. Steering is done with the tail feathers.

Birds have a unique diges=ve system that allows them to eat on the fly and
digest later. Their beaks are used to catch and swallow food. Even the way a
bird reproduces is linked to its ability to fly. They lay eggs and incubate them
in a nest rather than bearing the extra weight of growing young within their
bodies.

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Birds evolved alongside dinosaurs during the Jurassic period 160 million
years ago, according to the fossil record. Archaeopteryx, which was around
the size of a crow, is the most well-known fossil.

The
Berlin Archaeopteryx
specimen

An ar=st’s impression of
Archaeopteryx,
the pre-historic bird.

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 IMPORTANCE OF BIRDS

We reside on a blue planet that is governed by laws of the nature. A quick

glance at a wetland, rainforest, scrubland or even one's own backyard
reveals an elusive bond between various species that keeps everything alive.
Staff with biological roles are assigned to ecosystems like these and they
ac=vely communicate and shape our environment. Our ecosystems are
connected by a series of processes that lay the groundwork for a non-
physical network of interac=ons, whether it's plants, insects, animals, or
birds. The homeostasis of our world is dependent on this complex web of
life. Here, we'll take a look at some of the roles played by our feathered
friends in ques=on which have benefits cut out for not only the habitats
around us but for us human beings as well.

• Pollina*on:
Though different types of insects and bats serve as essen=al
reproduc=ve extensions for flowering plants, birds too provide a
helping hand in ensuring the con=nua=on of the biodiversity
prevalent on our planet. Ornithophily is a term used for pollina=on
carried out by birds as they travel from one flower to another.
Sunbirds, white-eyed warblers, and other small birds fall into this
group because of their nectar probing adapta=ons, which enable
plants to s=ck pollen to either their feathers or bills. This reciprocal
exchange is extremely beneficial to the environment because one
receives food (nectar) and the other receives its own pollen
distribu=on system.

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 Humming Bird playing its role
in pollina=on.

• Weed Control:
If it weren't for grain-ea=ng birds, the range of plants we see would be
much smaller. A few plant species could easily take priority over others
because their seeds would spread rapidly across vast swaths of land.
Birds like sparrows, munias, doves, parakeets are instrumental in
feeding on countless seeds that drop to the ground which helps in
keeping certain species of plants from becoming invasive.

Sparrow

Munia Bird

• Pest Control:

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 Needless to say, if birds vanished from our planet, we would be
wracked by insect swarms. Ecosystems will die in months with liHle
to hold their popula=ons under control, causing mass hysteria. Birds
are known for ea=ng massive amounts of insects, with es=mates
ranging from 400 to 500 million tons per year. Although some birds,
such as bee-eaters, drongos, swallows, and hawks, eat mollusks,
bee-eaters, drongos, swallows, and hawks eat insects. With such
capable agents at our disposal, we can stop using pes=cides and
insec=cides to protect our crops and instead use nature's own
resources to ensure that our food is protected and much safer for us
to eat.

• Decomposers:
Some animals are specialized scavengers. Nature's cleanup team
includes vultures, kites, magpies, and crows, which eat carcasses
within hours. They eat flesh in such a way that very liHle of it rots,
and without them, feral animal popula=ons will explode, resul=ng
in an increase in diseases spread between them. Without these
decomposers, we would be much more vulnerable to contagious
pathogens from romng carcasses.

Black-billed Magpie

CAUSES OF EXTINCTION OF
BIRDS
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It might be easy to spot what's harming birds, especially if it's right in your
own backyard like the tragic pile of feathers by the side of the highway, or
the cat with a bird between its teeth. The greater threats, on the other
hand, are less visible and less direct.

• Industrial Farming:
Agriculture covers more than a third of the earth's land surface. We
always think of farmland as a peaceful, natural semng, but it is
responsible for the ex=nc=on of 74 percent of the world's
threatened birds. It not only destroys important ecosystems,
especially in tropical areas, but some pes=cides are also poisonous
to birds. Migra=ng White-crowned Sparrows Zonotrichia leucophrys
exposed to a class of pes=cide known as neonico=noids lost a
quarter of their body mass and fat reserves, according to a new
report from the United States.

Industrial farming as
a threat to birdlife.

• Logging:

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 Since forests are home to nearly two-thirds of all species, logging is
a major issue for birds. Quite a numerof these animals are not able
to survive outside of forests and are unable to fly between
fragments that remain. Global demand for wood, paper, and land to
grow commodity crops and biofuels drives logging.

Logging in the forests.

• Invasive species:
Invasive species are well-known, but few people understand how
dangerous they are to birds. Interlopers including rats and mice
have been responsible for more than 70% of bird ex=nc=ons in the
last half-century. Since they evolved with liHle natural predators,
birds on remote islands are par=cularly vulnerable to this threat.

Because of rat removal on Kayangel

Atoll, the Micronesian Scrubfowl
popula=on count is on the mend.

• Hun*ng and Trapping:

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 Illegal bird hun=ng and capture will result in massive popula=on
declines in a short period of =me. The Helmeted Hornbill Rhinoplax
vigil is one of the most harrowing examples. Afer hunters started
hun=ng it for its widely sought-afer strong "Red Ivory" casque, this
magnificent bird went from Near Threatened to Cri=cally
Endangered in 2015.

The Helmeted Hornbill could

be driven to ex=nc=on by
hun=ng for its casque.

• Climate Change:
Climate change has had a nega=ve impact on about a fifh of the
bird species studied so far. Already, breeding and migratory cycles
are evolving. According to a recent report, warmer UK springs cause
caterpillar numbers to spike sooner, resul=ng in a shortage of
caterpillars by the =me many bird chicks hatch.

The pied flycatcher has been

having trouble adjus=ng to
climate change.

CASE STUDY ON BIRDS:

SPOTTED OWLET
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 (Athene brama)

Spo\ed Owlet

Scien*fic name: Athene brama

Family: Strigidae

Conserva*on status: Least Concern (Popula=on stable)

Class: Aves

Higher classifica*on: Athene

Order: Owls

The SpoHed Owlet is a small bird (21cm) with a stocky build. The upperparts
are a grey-brown colour with white spots. The underparts are white with
brown streaks. The iris is yellow and the facial disc is pale. A white neckband
and supercilium are present (line above each eye). Males and females have
the same appearance. The flight has a lot of twists and turns. It is confused
with the LiHle Owl in Baluchistan, but can be dis=nguished by its unstreaked
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crown and narrow tail bands. The nominate type is darker than the paler
indica forms found in drier climates. They bob their heads and look at
intruders when distracted from their day=me loca=on.

This species is nocturnal but is ofen seen in the day. It is some=mes tracked
down by small birds that swarm it when it is perched in a tree. It eats insects
and small vertebrates of all kinds. In Pakistan, they've been discovered to
eat mainly insects. They have been observed taking more rodents (especially
in the genus Mus, and avoiding other rodents such as Tatera) just prior to
the breeding season in the arid region of Jodhpur. There have been reports
of bats, toads, and small snakes like Ramphotyphlops braminus. Scorpions
and mollusks are also possible prey.

November to April is the breeding season. Bill gripping, allopreening, and

ritual feeding are all examples of courtship behaviour. The female may invite
the male by bobbling her head and deflec=ng her tail. Mul=ple males may
copulate with a female, and females may aHempt pseudocopula=on in
poten=al displacement coi=on displays, as the social structure of family
groups is unclear.

They compete with other hole-nesters, such as mynas, for nes=ng cavi=es.
They can also create nests in ver=cal embankment holes. The nest may be
lined with leaves and feathers or with the lining of a previous occupant's
nest. The average clutch size is three or four and the white eggs are very
spherical (30.9mm long and 26.3 mm wide, 11.6g).

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CONSERVATION AND SURVIVAL:

The spoHed owlet's global popula=on size has not been determined. The
species' overall popula=on paHern is thought to be stable.

This owlet species is said to be widespread across its range. The genera=on
is 4 years long. It has a distribu=on area of around 10,800,000 square
kilometers. The key threats to the survival of this owlet species are habitat
modifica=on and degrada=on, as well as the capture of adults and juveniles
for the pet trade.

The IUCN (Interna=onal Union for Conserva=on of Nature) has categorized

and evaluated the owlet species and has listed it as of "Least Concern".

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 SIBERIAN CRANE
(Grus leucogeranus)

Siberian Crane

Scien*fic name: Grus leucogeranus

Family: Gruidae

Kingdom: Animalia

Class: Aves

Higher classifica*on: Grus

Order: Gruiformes

The Siberian crane is a large bird with a body length of 140 cm and a weight
of 5,000 to 8,500 grammes. The wingspan varies between 200 and 230 cm.
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Male cranes are slightly larger than female cranes, and both have iden=cal
plumage. The plumage is snow white except for the black primaries.

From the base of the bill to behind the eye, a dark red mask covers the fore-
crown, face, and side of the head. The bill is a dark grey in colour. The iris is
a light yellow colour. The legs are pinkish red and long. A feathered mask
and cinnamon plumage with white patches dis=nguish the juvenile crane.
The sound of their call is similar to that of a flute.

Wide expanses of shallow fresh water, slow-flowing rivers, eutrophic

wetlands, moss-covered marshland, wetland depressions with unregulated
vision, and flooded plains are all home to these Siberian crane species.

Plant maHer such as roots, rhizomes, submerged leaves, seeds, bulbs,

tubers, aqua=c plants, and sprouts are the primary foods of these crane
species. When the vegeta=on is covered in snow, the crane's diet changes to
animal-based foods such as insects, fish, birds, rodents, and other small
animals.

These cranes are divided into two popula=ons: Arc=c East Siberian (between
the Yana and the Alazeya rivers in Yaku=a) and West Siberian (the Ob,
Konda, and Sossva river basins).

The eastern popula=on winters in China's Yangtze River and Lake Poyang.
Iran hosts the western wintering community (Fereydunkenar near Caspian
Sea). The last sigh=ng of the =ny crane popula=on that used to winter in
India (Keoladeo Na=onal Park) was in 2002. It is most likely ex=nct.

CONSERVATION STATUS AND CONCERNS:

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The global popula=on of Siberian cranes is es=mated to be between 3,500
and 4,000 individuals. Under CITES, they are cons=tu=onally covered in all
eleven range states (the Conven=on on Interna=onal Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

The demographic trend as a whole is considered disturbing. They are

classified as Cri=cally Endangered. The ex=nc=on of these crane species is
threatened by the destruc=on of wetlands and marshes due to human
ac=vity, poaching, poisoning, and emissions from oil and petroleum.

The IUCN (Interna=onal Union for Conserva=on of Nature) has categorized

and evaluated these Siberian crane species and has listed them as "Cri=cally
Endangered".

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 EFFORTS AT CONSERVATION
Birds depend on trees and water sources for survival, but their numbers
have declined due to urbaniza=on and deforesta=on. Here’s how six groups
in India are changing that in =ny but important ways.

In the face of rapid urbaniza=on, biodiversity is losing its posi=on in the race
of survival. Birds that depend primarily on trees and water sources have
seen a drama=c decrease in numbers. However, six communi=es in India,
ranging from east to west, are taking small but important measures to help
birds repopulate. Here's a list:

• The Bidar Feeders:

Two young boys in Bidar, Karnataka's north-east corner, have taken it

upon themselves to bring more birds to their town. Vangapalli Vinayak,
a postgraduate student, was mo=vated by the concept of hanging food
and water pots for birds. It gave him an idea, and he turned a tripod
into a potholder. He put millet and water in the two pots and hanged
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 them in an empty plot next to his home. The sounds of birds chirping
and fluHering by awoke his family the next morning. “Bidar is
experiencing record-breaking weather. The majority of the bodies of
water, wells, and boreholes are drying up. “We felt we should do
something about it,” Vinayak told The Hindu, “because while caHle and
pets are fed at least once a day by their owners, wild animals and birds
are on their own.” Many people are calling to inquire about where
they can get the feeders. Some claims it's rewarding to feed the birds.”
Another engineering student, Sainath Sharma, was inspired to set up
bowls of water and seeds in his garden as a result of this. He also
captured bird sounds on his phone and played them via the phone,
which he kept concealed in the bushes, to aHract the birds.

• The Hornbill Saviors of Pune:

Bird lovers in Pune are adop=ng hornbills from Arunachal Pradesh.

Hornbill numbers were plumme=ng at an alarming pace in India's
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 northeast, so forest officials enlisted the support of the local Nyishi
group to protect the birds' habitat. Amruta Rane, a Pune-based bird-
lover, decided to appeal to other Pune residents for funds to help the
Nyishi community maintain their habitat and save the nests. “When
people adopt a Hornbill's nest, they donate money that is used to
provide financial assistance to the locals who protect the nests,” Rane
told the Pune Mirror. “This money pays for their wages and
equipment. Local communi=es have been ac=ve in making the area a
safe haven for birds as a result of this ini=a=ve.” She has persuaded
many residents to contribute at least Rs 5000 per year, which has
helped the city maintain a healthy hornbill popula=on.

• Free Nests in Nagpur:

The Yashodhara Founda=on, a Nagpur-based NGO, has spent the last

four years working to raise awareness about the importance of birds
and how to restore their popula=on. Early this year, they built 1000
nests and distributed them to locals. These nests were on show at
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 events and exhibi=ons. When people sign up for a nest, a
representa=ve from the NGO comes to their home and installs it for
them. “We don't charge them anything,” Tanveer Mirza, the NGO's
president, told TOI. We only expect them to keep it in good working
order by ensuring a steady supply of water and food grains.” They have
built 1600 bird houses at different houses over the course of three
years and intend to add 1000 more by the end of 2016. During the
NGO's training sessions and seminars, students from schools and
colleges build the bird houses.

• Rare Stork Protectors of Assam:

The remaining 1800 storks in Nagaon's Sensowa and Khu=ko=ya

villages (about 122 kilometres east of Guwaha=) are being protected
by Assamese women. The UN has classified the Greater Adjutant
Stork, locally known as Hargila, as an endangered species. Around 70
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women from these villages form the Hargila Army, which ensures that
no trees are cut down in their communi=es. These storks breed and
raise their young on tall silk trees, and their numbers have plummeted
as a result of deforesta=on. One of the villagers, Nirola Bora, is
guarding a tree with five nests. “I adore these birds and have made it
my life's mission to protect them. She told TOI, "I am pleased that I
have been recognised for protec=ng a tree where the hargila lives and
establishes its colonies." Purnima Devi Barman, who came to the
village in 2008 to do a PhD on these storks, leads the villagers. She was
shocked by the villagers' lack of awareness and used her NGO,
Aaranayak, to raise awareness among them. Since then, the number of
nests has increased, which the villagers and Barman have welcomed as
a posi=ve growth.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
• hHps://images.newscien=st.com/wp-content/uploads/
2019/05/28150114/dga-1140282.jpg

• hHps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeopteryx

• hHps://explore7.wordpress.com/2014/03/28/from-flower-to-flower-
into-freedom/

• hHps://www.indiabirdwatching.com/importance-of-birds/

• h H p s : / / e n . w i k i p e d i a . o r g / w i k i /
Bird_ex=nc=on#:~:text=The%20top%20human%20causes%20of,na=ve
%20plants%20and%20diversity%2C%20pes=cides%2C

• hHps://www.thebeHerindia.com/53012/women-cops-india-proud/

• hHps://ucanr.edu/sites/PollenNa=on/Meet_The_Pollinators/Birds_/

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