Tag : Omnivores

New Delhi: A sizeable proportion of Indian bird species, especially carnivores, insectivores, or granivores are “declining more rapidly than omnivores and nectar eaters, indicating the impact of diet on the avian population. According to the second edition of State of India’s Birds Report 2023 released recently assessed 942 bird species across the country birds that feed on fruits and nectar are doing well, because these resources are readily available even in heavily modified rural and urban landscapes. "Bird populations are therefore not just influenced by direct threats to their habitats, but also by the availability of food resources," the report notes. The report has been published by a group of 13 government and non-government institutions, including the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI). The report is based on data provided by 30,000 birdwatchers across the country. It notes that birds in India that feed on vertebrates and carrion have declined the most, suggesting that this food resource either contains harmful pollutants or is declining in availability, or both. Some carnivorous birds are falcons, vultures, shikras and black kites. Moreover, birds that feed on invertebrates (including insects) like the Indian roller are declining rapidly. Recent findings show that insect populations worldwide have reduced and that pesticides are thought to be a main contributor to massive declines in European insectivorous birds. "A decline in insects, for example, could affect insectivorous birds. Mice in agricultural landscapes are food for several raptors, but these mice may carry pesticides and other agrochemicals that may be harmful for the birds that eat them," ...