Have you heard about Nilgiri laughing thrush? Known as ‘Nilgiri chilappan’ in local terms, this bird was most commonly seen in Nilgiris quite a few years ago. Interesting fact is that sometimes while they make sound it seems as if they are laughing. One of the beautiful creatures of nature has now listed under endangered species. It’s the case of 1/8^th of bird species of earth. Let us have a look.

Bird life international, an organization located at UK makes an annual report very year to know more about existing species of birds. According to published reports in 2012, more than 10,000 species of birds have been discovered till now. It’s shocking that 1/8^th of these species are in life threat. Among those 1333 species, 197 are critically endangered. 389 species are listed under endangered and 727 under vulnerable list. Main treats of birds are deforestation, chemical fertilizers and pollution.

In the past 500 years, about 150 bird species have already disappeared. Eskimo karlu seen at Artic tundra is the best example. This bird has been missing for the past 49 years! After one more year, this bird will be declared, ‘extinct’. Hunting for meat was the main reason behind their exit from earth surface. Recent studies have proved that endangered species of Albatross and Crane species are 77 anf 73 percentage respectively. Big birds are more threatened species. 75% of them are below 10,000 in number and 50%, below 2500. Certain birds are below 50 in number. Sea birds trapped in fishing nets also die in huge number. So, all these figures are enough to prove that it’s only man and his selfish thoughts that ring last bell for most of these living organisms on earth.

Migration of birds is one of the mysteries of nature. There are birds that travel 40,000 kms between arctic and Antarctic zones. More than 50 species of birds arrive in Kerala and other south Indian states from other continents. But since 1980’s, their number has reduced more than half. Wetlands are disappearing from Kerala. That’s the reason why migrating birds too have lost their way! Similar to man, birds too need rest stations in between, while they are on long journey. If those destinations are already lost, will those guests reach here? We have missed them all somewhere somehow. 

Article Posted By : Sandhya Rani  On October 13, 2013lView All Articles

I am really hurt seeing those fingerprints of nature lost

Article Source :

http://www.veethi.com/articles/these-birds-missing-article-2766.htm

Keywords :
disappearance of birds , endangered birds , migrating birds