1 Birds and Insectivory: Agrobiodiversity Implications in Sustainable AgricultureAbraham Verghese, Viyolla Pinto and Senthil Kumar Radhakrishnan GPS Institute of Agricultural Management, Techno Industrial Complex, Peenya 1st Stage, Peenya, Bengaluru , Karnataka, India

2 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYBirds and insects have one common feature: both are winged and capable of flight. Insectivorous birds have often kept a strong check on insects especially in mono-crops.

3 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYA Chrysomelid beetle when unchecked can proliferate to 60 million offspring A dozen of aphids can develop 13 generations and produce ten sextillion individuals in a year

4 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYMajor insectivorous birds belong to 17 families Accipitridae, Aegithinidae, Apodidiae, Campephagidae, Cisticolidae, Hirundinidae, Laniidae, Meropidae, Monarchidae, Motacillidae, Muscicapidae, Paridae, Picidae, Rhipiduridae, Sylviidae, Turdidae and Upupidae.

5 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYBirds are not specific predators Birds are not amenable for releases in areas of prey (pests) However village hens are released to control soil insects and termites

6 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYDocumentation of insectivory in India began with Mason and Lefroy’s (1912) book (now not available in print) where birds were dissected and their guts analysis for insects were carried out. Now, gut analysis is ruled out. This study therefore, has used archived notes of the first author to extrapolate the biodiversity trends of insectivorous birds and insects over decades.

7 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYThe study area: North Bangalore of dry and wetland ecosystems. The main crops grown are fruits, vegetables and paddy. Around 400 acres. Adjacent to Hesseraghatta lake. The study period:1985 to 2015. Main documentation on species diversity.

8 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYRoving surveys along a definite transect path that encompassed all habitats of the area on a bicycle or on foot. A pair of 7x35 field glasses which was zoomable x 50 was used. The first author maintained the notes. Analyses on the diversity of birds on a temporal scale at yearly mid points in 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2015.

9 1 2 5 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 Sl no Common name Scientific nameDensity No/sq km 1985 1995 2005 2015 1 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea 3 x 2 Little Egret Egretta garzetta 18 10 4 Pond Heron Ardeola grayii 22 16 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 17 20 24 30 5 Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 6 Shikra Accipiter badius 7 Black-Winged Kite Elanus caeruleus 8 Merlin Falco columbarius 9 Black Winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus Red-Wattled Lapwing Vanellus indicus 11 Wood Sand Piper Tringa glareola 12 Little Stint Calidris minuta 13 Spotted Owlet Athene brama 14 Indian Nightjar Caprimulgus asiaticus 15 Asian Swift Apus apus

10 16 Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis 2 1 17 White Breasted Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis 18 Green Bee-Eater Merops orientalis 37 28 19 Hoopoe Upupa epops x 20 Golden-Backed Woodpecker Dinopium benghalense 21 Wood Shrike Tephrodornis pondicerianus 22 Common Iora Aegithina tiphia 23 Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus 24 Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus 8 6 4 25 White-Browed Flycatcher Rhipidura aureola 26 House Crow Corvus splendens 48 52 27 Jungle Crow Corvus macrorhynchos 150 176 254 Great Tit Parus major

11 29 Indian Bushlark Mirafra erythroptera 2 x 30 Ashy-Crowned Finched Lark Eremopterix griseus 3 31 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 4 32 Red-Rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica 12 33 Reed Warblerr Acrocephalus scirpaceus 1 34 Blyths Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum 35 Leaf Warbler Phylloscopussp 36 Jungle Prinia Prinia sylvatica 37 Ashy Prinia Prinia socialis 38 Common Tailor Bird Orthotomus sutorius 39 Jungle Babbler Turdoides affinis 7 8 40 White-Eye Zosterops palpebrosa 41 Jungle Myna Acridotheres fuscus 18 24 48 42 Common Myna Acridotheres tristis 22 26 28

12 Purple-Rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica 1 Purple Sunbird 43 Pied Bush Chat Saxicola caprata 2 x 44 Indian Robin Copsychus fulicatus 45 Tickels Flower Pecker Dicaeum agile 4 8 14 18 46 Purple-Rumped Sunbird Leptocoma zeylonica 1 47 Purple Sunbird Cinnyris asiaticus 12 10 6 48 House Sparrow Passer domesticus 300 49 Streaked Weaverbird Ploceus manyar 28 50 Baya Weaver Bird Ploceus philippinus 51 White Wagtail Motacilla alba 3 52 Pied Wagtail Motacilla maderaspatensis 53 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 54 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea 55 Indian Pipit Anthus rufulus

13 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYBiodiversity- Species richness S 55 40 32 25

14 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYNumber of birds in the various categories based on their sensitivity to farming interferences. Highly sensitive Moderately sensitive Sensitive Tolerant Adapted 13 7 14 17 4

15 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYA few sensitive birds whose numbers drastically declined. Baya Weaver Bird Streaked Weaverbird House Sparrow Jungle Prinia Indian Bushlark Common Iora

16 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYHouse sparrows bring food to their young (caterpillars and soft-bodied insects) around 20 times per day. Young birds consume more than their own weight of insects in food in 24 hours A pair of tits is capable of feeding at least 120 million insects caterpillars and pupae during breeding

17 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYA few sensitive birds whose numbers drastically declined. Golden-Backed Woodpecker Wood Sand Piper Night Heron Little Stint

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22 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYWhy some birds adapted/tolerated? Fruit trees ideal roosting niches Broad-leaved shrubs ideal nesting material Ornamental trees source of nectar Tractors churn out soil insects Less toxic insecticides?

23 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYCase Study in Mango Mangifera indica

24 Hoppers of mango and corresponding insectivorous birds spotted in mango ecosystem. Insectivorous birds Hoppers Idioscopus niveosparsus Amritodus atkinsoni No. of Hoppers: 2 No. of Insectivorous birds: 8 Idioscopus niviosparsus Idioscopus clypealis Idioscopus nagpurensis Amrasca splendens No. of Hoppers: 5 birds: 4 Leaf warbler White-eye X Tailor-bird Ashy-wren warbler Tickells flower pecker Grey-tit X Rufous-tailed fly catcher X Iora X

25 Cerambycids of mango and corresponding insectivorous birds spotted in mango ecosystem.Ceramb-ycid borer Batocera rufomaculata (only in neglected orchards) No. of Cerambycids: 1 No. of Insectivorous birds: 1 Batocera rufomaculata, Glenea multiguttata Buprestids No. of Cerambycids: 2 birds: 0 Golden-backed woodpecker X

26 Cerambycids of mango ecosystem.Glenea multiguttata Batocera rufomaculata

27 Citripestis eutraphera Orthaga exvinacea Citripestis etraphera Lepidopterans Acrocercops sp Parasa lepida Chumetia transversa Euthalia garuda No. of Lepidopterans: 4 No. of Insectivorous birds: 16 Citripestis eutraphera Orthaga exvinacea Citripestis etraphera Dudua aprobola Chlumetia transversa Nanaguna breviascula Penicillaria jacosatrix No. of Lepidopterans: 7 No. of Insectivorous birds: 9 Leaf warbler White-eye X Tailor-bird Ashy-wren warbler Tickells flower peckers Grey-tit X Rufous-tailed fly catcher X Iora X Green Bee-eater Hoopoe X Wood-Shrike X Black Drongo Jungle Babbler Jungle Myna Common Myna House Sparrow X

28 Lepidopterans of mango ecosystem.Chlumetia transversa Parasa lepida Penicillaria jacosatrix

29 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYA caterpillar eats twice its own weight in leaves per day. Food taken by a silkworm in 56 days will equal to 86,000 times its original weight.

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33 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYWhy sensitive birds left? Removal of scrub jungles Diminishing fallow lands Destroying marshy tracts Modernizing farm houses and cattle sheds Pesticides/fertilizers intolerance?

34 BIRDS-INSECTS AGROBIODIVERSITYHabitat erosion Due to increased area under agriculture While farming is a necessity, balance is needed. Suggestions: Refugia of scrub jungle, marsh, open meadows to encourage biodiversity of insectivorous birds Habitat management and conservation by enhancing roosting, resting, feeding and breeding niches.

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