Birds: Friends or Foes in Agriculture

BIRDS- FRIENDS OR FOES IN
AGRICULTURE
Suresh R. Jambagi
M.Sc. (Agri) Agril. Entomology
University of Agricultural Sciences
Dharwad, Karnataka-580005
Email: jambagisuru@gmail.com

1 • Introduction
2 • Importance of Birds to Humans
3 • Birds as Friends in Agriculture
4 • Beneficial Birds
5 • Birds as Foes in Agriculture
6 • Depredatory Birds
7 • Crop loss due to Birds in different crops
8 • Management of Depredatory Birds
9 • Case studies
10 • Conclusion
OUTLINE
2Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

3
BIRDS…..???
Anon., 2020
Warm blooded animals – body covered with
feather – which can fly, swim and walk – lay
eggs – shows parental care.
They evolved from dinosaurs millions of years
ago
“Archaeopteryx lithographica” - The First Bird
Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

CLASSIFICATION:
Kingdom- Animalia
Phylum- Chordata
Sub phylum- Vertebrata
Class- Aves
4

GENERAL CHARACTERS OF BIRDS…..
 Warm blooded (104° F)
 Mouth as a beak
 Fore limb modified into wings
 Hind limbs used for walking, running and
swimming
 Heart four chambered
 Body contains air sacs which help in flight
5

7
Dramatic loss of
Biodiversity
Large scale loss of Natural habitats
Declining trend of birds in
Agricultural landscapes in
20th century
Human activities
Decrease in
availability of
food
Climate change
“Greatest extinction threat to birds”
AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURE
Kross et al., 2016Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

7
DIVERSITY OF BIRDS
World- 10,000 Species
Southern Asia- 1400 Species
India- 1295 species of birds
Karnataka- 500 species
Anon., 2020

8
46
Beneficial
Birds
ALL- Feed on
insects
6- on Rodents
15- Omnivorous
food habit
Dual Role in Agro- ecosystem
63 Bird species (19
families)- Damaging
several crops
Anon., 2020
AS FRIENDS
AS FOES

9
As a food
Economic contribution
Communication
Used for hunting
Competition games Beauty to nature
Company for man
Beauty or attraction
Part of the food
chain
Scavenger role
Key to seed
propagation
IMPORTANCE OF BIRDS TO HUMANS

10
BENEFICIAL ROLE OF BIRDS IN AGRICULTURE
POLLINATION SERVICE
 Humming bird- Key for wild flower
pollination
 Sunbird (Tropics), Honeycreepers
(Hawaii), Honeyeaters (Australia),
Brush-tongued parrot (New guinea) and
Spiderhunter.
 Plants- Shrimp plants, Verbenas, Bee
balm, Honey suckles, Fuchsias, Hibiscus
and Bromeliads
 5% food and medicinal plants
 31 Hawaiian bellflower species gone
extinct
USDA, 2019Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

11
SOIL FERTILITY
Birds excreta is rich in uric acid.
The birds around the farm may contribute less to the manure.
PEST CONTROL
Birds rely on insects, their larva and pupa to feed themselves and their babies.
Birds keep the pest growth under control and help the crop from pest attack.
RODENT CONTROL
Eagles keep an eye on these rodents and carry away for consumption.
 Thus they keep the rodent growth under control, which in turn helps the
farmers.

12
DIFFERENT FORAGING STRATEGIES OF BIRDS
1. Ground-foraging species: Juncos and Sparrows
2. Bark-foraging Species: Woodpeckers and Nuthatches
3. Aerial foraging species: Swallows eat flying pests in the
adult stage
4. Foliage gleaning birds

BENEFICIAL BIRDS
1. Stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)
Habitat:
Fallow country, Preferred open
fields, scrub forests, etc.
Food:
Lizards, Insects, Worms etc

2. Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia)
Habits:
Arboreal, Seen in pairs or in
small parties in gardens
Food:
Larvae, insects etc.

3. Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis )
Habitat:
Mainly gardens and grooves in the
villages
Food:
Chiefly insects
15

4. Indian - Robin (Saxicoloides fulicata)
Habits:
seen in pairs, stony scrub
areas.
Food:
Chiefly insectivorous
16

5. Black – winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
Habits:
Seen regularly in winter
Food:
Larvae, Aquatic insects, etc.
17

6. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Habits:
Gregarious, mostly associated with
cattle
Habitat:
Damp grass land, Paddy fields
Food:
fishes, frogs, Insects, etc.
18

7. Black-shouldered Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Habits:
Usually seen in cultivated areas
with scattered trees or woodland glades.
Food:
Insects

8. Pariah Kite (Milvus migrans govinda)
Habits:
Gregarious throughout the year
Habitat:
Around human habitation
Food:
Garbage remains, termites, etc.
20

9. Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus)
Habitats:
Any open flat ground near
water
Food:
Grubs, Insects, molluscs, etc.

10. Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
Habits:
Nocturnal bird seen singles
or in pairs in old forts, ruins
Food:
Rats, Mice, Lizards etc.

11. Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)
Habits:
It is crepuscular and
nocturnal
Food:
Chiefly insectivorous,
also lizards
23

12. Green Bee-eater (Merops orientalis)
Habits:
Usually in pairs, seen in open country,
Telegraphic wires in the city environs
Habitats:
Open country with scattered trees
Food:
Insectivorous, Mainly feeds on
Diptera

13. Red-rumped swallow (Hirundo daurica)
Habits:
Gregarious can be seen on
telegraphic wire, etc.
Habitats:
Open grassy hill slopes
Food:
Insectivorous

14. Bay-backed Shrike (Lanius vittatus)
Habits:
singles , seen in dry
open country.
Food:-
Locusts, mice
26

15. Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)
Habits:
Open country, Usually perches
on telegraph wires.
Habitats:
Open cultivation
Food:
Insectivorous

16. Bank Myna (Acridotheres ginginianus)
Habit:
Gregarious foraging in flocks
Habitat:
Cultivated farmland and open
water
Food:
feed on
caterpillars, sorghum, grape and pearl
millet
28

17. Common Mynah (Acridotheres tristis)
Habit: Open woodland bird with a strong territorial
instinct
Habitat: Adapted well to urban environment
Food: Omnivorous
‘Grasshopper hunter’
29
First natural enemy to be introduced from
India to Mauritius to control Red locust
(1762).

Although it is well known that insectivorous and predatory birds play a very
useful role in controlling insect and rodent pests of crops, only a few
attempts have been made to evaluate this role and these too only in case of
insectivorous birds (Anon., 2020).
 Our knowledge on the impact of predatory birds on rodent populations in
India is practically nil (Anon., 2020).
Verma (2006) found that house sparrow, common myna, red-vented bulbul,
Pycnonotus cafer and three other bird species in addition to wasps play
important role in reducing Catopsilla sp. larvae in a medicinal crop, Cassia
angustifolia.
30

Several species of insectivorous birds have been found to feed on insect pests
of crops including Helicoverpa armigera (Chakravarthy, 1988; Parasharya et
al.,1988; Singh et al., 1990).
 Insectivores birds have also been found to play an important role in
biological control of insect pests through disease transmission besides direct
predation (Battu, 1987; Vyas et al., 1988).
Some of these bird species transmit NPV infecting H. armigera to healthy
larvae of this pest (Vyas et al., 1988).
31

CASE STUDY-I:
Objectives:
1. To know avian-mediated pest control services in Alfalfa
2. Effect of habitat management on avian population in Alfalfa
Kross et al., 2016 32

Treatment Position Weevil abundance (No./kg
alfalfa
1. Exclosure
a. At edge of field (5m) 35.19
b. Within exclosure 52.95
2. Control
a. At field interior (Bird can access) 12.53
b. At field interior where bird could
not access
18.86
Results:
 Birds reduced insect pests in conventional alfalfa by 33.56%.
Conclusion:
 Increasing avian abundance in field lead to lower weevil densities.
 Reduction of pests occur where crops are near bird habitat- Habitat is Key
 Woody vegetation along alfalfa field edges provided a huge boost in benefits.
 Complexity of field edge habitat increases overall diversity and abundance of birds.

FIG.1. Effect of bird exclosures and in-field avian abundance on the mean number of weevils/kg of harvested alfalfa
 Here, Bird exclosures were positioned close to field edges (5m exclosures) and within fields (55m
exclosures).
 Avian abundance was negatively associated with weevil density near the edge of the field whereas, opposite
results were obtained at sampling point 55m inside the field.

35
HARMFUL EFFECT OF BIRDS IN AGRICULTURE
Birds can inflict damage to the crops in all the stages of crops right
from sowing/ planting until the harvesting.
At the sprouting stage, sometimes this damage is so severe that
farmers have to re sow the affected fields.
Negative impact of the birds on agricultural crops vary from “region
to region and season to season”.

Concentration of local bird population
Concentration of migrants
Total area under the crop
Cropping pattern of the area
Ecology of the Area
Cropping season
Food habit of the birds
Physiological status of the birds
36

TYPES OF DAMAGE BY BIRDS
Birds causes crop losses by…..
 Feeding on grains, fruits and sown seeds
 Pulling up seedlings
 Trampling seedlings
 Breaking branches when roosting
 Nipping buds
 Fouling nursery stock and lawns
 Damage irrigation pipes
 Serve as vectors of plant pathogens like bacteria
37

VERTEBRATE PESTS IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE
Group Total No. of Species
No. of species assessed to be
causing crop damage
Rodent 103 14
Bird 1364 63
Antelope 6 3
Deer 9 1
Elephant 1 1
Gaur 1 1
Wild boar 1 1
Black napped hare 1 1
Primates 13 5
Anon., 2018 38

52
14
15
23
NUMBER OF BIRD SPECIES THAT AFFECTED VARIOUS CROPS
CEREALS
PULSES
OILSEEDS
FRUITS
Anon., 2018 39Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

EXTENT OF BIRD DAMAGE TO CROPS
CROP STAGE OF
DAMAGE
BIRD EXTENT OF LOSS
(%)
Groundnut Ripening Crows 24
Maize Sprouting Crows, Doves, Babblers 20
Mustard Ripening Parakeets, Crows 63
Pearl millet Ripening Sparrows, Parakeets, Weaverbirds 10-100
Peas Ripening Pigeons 54
Pulses Sprouting Doves, Pigeons, Parakeets, Sparrows 66
Rice Sprouting Weaverbirds, Sparrows 41
Ripening Sparrows, Weaverbirds, Munias,
Parakeets, Saras cranes
26
Sorghum Ripening Pigeons, Doves 12-85
Sunflower Sprouting Crows 65
Ripening Crows , parakeets 22
Wheat Sprouting Crows 17-20
Kale et al., 2012 40

DEPREDATORY BIRDS
1. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
Habits: A very adaptable species often
associated with cultivation.
• Causes severe damage to the Maize
crop
Feeds on: Pearl millet, Wheat,
Paddy, Maize, Sorghum, Sunflower,
Safflower
41

2. Rosy Pastor ( Sturnus roseus)
Habit: Gregarious, form huge
flocks at rich feeding sources.
• Causes damage to pearl
millet, sorghum
•Habitat: Cultivation , damp
grass land
• Food:- Insects etc.

3. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
• Causes damage to pearl millet, paddy,
sunflower
• It also feeds on green leafy
vegetables.
Food: Omnivores, grains, insects,
fruits, buds etc.

4. House Crow (Corvus splendens)
Habitat: Closely associated with
human activity.
• Damage wheat, cobs of maize,
jowar, groundnut, ripe fruits of fig,
mulberry and chillies.
Food: Omnivorous and also useful
scavenger

5. Baya-Weaver (Ploceus philippinus)
Habitat:
Cultivation , Paddy fields ,
pearl millet
Food:
Insects, grains, etc.
46

6. Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Habits:
Often congregates in flocks
where food is abundant
• Damaging the wheat fields
Food:
Seeds, Cereals etc.

7. Blue Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Habits:
Lives in colonies all year
Feeds on Cereals, pulses and
nuts

8. Ruff and Reeve (Philomachus pugnax)
 Damage the wheat fields
 Damage by these birds reported first
time in coastal areas of Gujarat
when the crop is at sowing and
seedling stage.
Food:
Seeds, annelids,
molluscs, crustaceans, spiders,
insects, fish and amphibians

9. Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa)
Habits: Feeds mainly by walking slowly
 Damage the wheat fields
 Damage by these birds reported first time in
coastal areas of Gujarat when the crop is at
sowing and seedling stage.
Food:
Aquatic insects larvae, worms,
molluscs etc.

10. Lesser Whistling Teal (Dendrocygna javanica)
•Habits: Roosts in the daytime in trees
•Habitat: grass land and paddy fields
 Damaged paddy crop in Kole area of Kerala.
•Food:
Chiefly vegetarian
51

11. Demoiselle Crane (Anthropoides virgo)
• Habits: Highly Gregarious
• Damage Wheat and Groundnut crops
• Heavily damaged wheat fields in Bhal area of
Gujarat.
• The migratory Demoiselle cranes caused damage
up to 10% at the time of harvesting of groundnut
crop.
• Food:- Insects, aquatic insects
52

12. Short – toed lark (Calandrella cinerea)
Habit:
Similar to those of other
larks damaged wheat fields heavily
in Bhal area of Gujarat.
Food: Insects, etc.
53

13. Pied Myna or Asian pied starling (Gracupica contra)
• Granivorous bird feeds mainly on
sorghum
Food: Insects, figs, etc.

14. Red-billed weaver (Quelea quelea)
Habitat:
 World worst bird pest caused heavy lost in African
countries.
 Hence the name ‘Africa's feathered locust’.
 Feeds primarily on seeds of annual grasses, but also
causes extensive damage to cereal crops.
 It feeds in huge flocks of millions of individuals
 A serious agricultural pest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
55

56
CROP LOSS DUE TO BIRDS IN DIFFERENT CROPS

1. PEARL MILLET
 A total of 24 depredatory species were recorded in pearl
millet crop.
 Rose ringed parakeet, Rosy pastor, House sparrow, Baya
damaged the crop in North-western India.
 Estimation of bird damage varied highly in different states.
 Gujarat - 0.3 to 40%
 Andhra Pradesh -1.5 to 9%
 Punjab - 45%
 Delhi - 60% during kharif season.

White-cheeked Bulbul (Pycnonotus leucogenys)
• This was reported first time to feed on the pearl
millet crop in large numbers in the arid and
semi-arid zones.
Anonymous, 2018 58Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc (Agri) Agricultural Entomology

2. WHEAT
• About 13 species of birds damaged standing wheat.
• Damage was significantly high in Rajasthan.
• Most common species:- Rose ringed Parakeet, Ring dove, Baya
• Other species:- Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Little Brown Dove,
Large Grey Babbler and Red wartled Lapwing.
Extent of damage: 0.2 to 41%
 Germinating late sown crop- 38-95%
 Sprouting stage- 78%

3. PADDY
• 39 species of birds fed on the grains of standing crop in Gujarat.
• The Indian Pea Fowl teals and Common Moorhen caused the damage
to the tune of 10.5% and 12% respectively.
• Most common species:- Baya, House Sparrow, and Rose ringed
Parakeet
• Minor species:- Gargany Teal and Whistling Teal
Extent of damage:
 Nursery- 0.6- 5%
 Ripening stage- 1.4- 25.9%
 Punjab- 0.1 to 6.5%
 Kerala- 1.5 to 6%
 Andhra Pradesh- 1.5 to 3%
 Gujarat- 0.1 to 1%
60

4. SORGHUM
• It is one of the preferred crops by the granivorous birds.
• Total 26 species were recorded feeding on sorghum.
• Most common species:- Rose ringed Parakeet, Rosy Pastor and
Bank Myna
Rajasthan- 2.3 to 48%
Andhra Pradesh- 0.5 to 16.6%
Gujarat- 0.4 to 18.6%
61

5. MAIZE
• 10 species of birds were reported to feed on maize,
of which the Rose ringed parakeet was important in
all the states.
 Gujarat- 0.3 to 2.5%
 Punjab- 3.3 to 7.5%
 Andhra Pradesh 10 to 40%
 Rajasthan- 0 to 20%

6. SUNFLOWER
• Rose ringed parakeet and House crow were the predominant
depredators.
• Only because of the bird problem, the crop could not be
introduced in Gujarat state.
 Andhra Pradesh- 10-30%
 Rajasthan- 40-90%
 Punjab- 5.7-29%
63

7. SAFFLOWER
• Rose ringed parakeet was the only species
feeding mainly on the peripheral plants of
the crop.
• The damage was negligible in Andhra
Pradesh and Gujarat.
64

8. GROUNDNUT
• Maximum damage can be seen from sowing to sprouting stage.
• About 3 to 33% damage was done by 10 species of birds in
Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
• The migratory Demoiselle cranes cause damage up to 10% at the
time of harvesting.
• After harvest, about 100 kg/ha grains remained in the field.
• Major bird species:- Rose- ringed parakeet, Blue Rock Pigeon, Ring
Dove, Black Ibis, Indian Ring Dove, Rosy pastor.
65

9. FRUIT CROPS
CROP STAGE
EXTENT OF DAMAGE
(%)
BIRD SPECIES
MANGO Ripening 3-10 Rose-ringed Parakeet
GUAVA Ripening 3-5 Rose-ringed Parakeet, Large Indian Parakeet, Red vented Bulbul,
House Crow, Jungle Crow, Small Green Barbet
POMOGRANATE Ripening 2-20 Rose-ringed Parakeet, Large Indian Parakeet, House Crow, Jungle
Crow
GRAPE Ripening 2-27 Purple Sunbird, Red vented Bulbul, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Koel,
Rosy Pastor, Common Myna, Golden Oriole
DATE PALM Ripening 0.1-1 Rose-ringed Parakeet, Bank Myna, Common Myna, Brahminy
Myna, House Crow, White throated Munia
APPLE Ripening 5-13 Slaty headed Parakeet, Rose- ringed Parakeet, Large Indian
Parakeet, Blossorn headed Parakeet, Himalayan Bulbul, Jungle
Crow, Red billed Blue Magpie, Great Hill Barbet, White cheeked
Bulbul, Streaked Laughing Thrush, Scaly bellied Green
Woodpecker
BANANA Ripening 19.4 Small Green Barbet, House Crow, Jungle Crow, Common Myna
PAPAYA Ripening 19.9 Koel, House Crow, Jungle Crow, Red vented Bulbul, Brahminy
Myna, Small Green Barbet
Anon., 2018 66

67

CASE STUDY-II:
Objectives:
1. To know the level of awareness among the farmers about crop damage caused by birds.
2. To know current measures undertaken by them to reduce bird damage.
3. To asses the damage to the field crops caused by crop land birds.

Methodology:
Location: Maharashtra- Pune, Akola and Amaravati
Method:
A. Questionnaire survey through farmers interview in 22
villages (757 farmers)
B. Damage assessment study:
 By visual estimation and digital camera
 Select plots at edges and interior.
 Size of each plot: 1𝑚2
 Total No. of plots: 22 X (8 Interior X 8 Edges )= 352
plots
 𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆 =
𝑫 𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 + 𝑫 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓
𝟐
69

Results:
A. Awareness of crop damage
perceived by farmers:
 Questionnaire reveal that maximum No. of
farmers was aware of crop loss due to birds
 They feel that there is a need for a
sustainable solution to control bird damage.
 All farmers accept that they are using some
kind of traditional bird scaring techniques.
 Most of the farmers were not satisfied with
conventional bird scaring techniques due to
their less effectiveness and non-reliable
nature.
70

B. Assessment of crop damage:
 They concluded that crop loss was more at the edges of
crop land due to the presence of trees , bushes and
fencing along edges.
 Sorghum crop damage at interior was more as compared
to edges.
 Maximum loss- Sorghum (52%) by Sparrows, Weaver
bird and Parakeets.
 Minimum damage – Wheat (7%) by Crows.
 Peas -42% by Pigeons
 Groundnut- 26% by Sparrows and Weaver bird
 Maximum damage to the Pearl millet and Sunflower was
caused by Sparrows and Weaver bird.

Conclusion:
 Sorghum was the most affected crop due to depredation followed by Pearl millet
and combined Chickpea and Pigeon pea crops.
The birds can cause 10-40% damage and may cause 90% damage in isolated areas
in Sunflower field.

MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR DEPREDATORY BIRDS:
1. Shooting
2. Fumigation
3. Poison bait
4. Nest destruction
5. Wrapping method on maize crop
6. Reflective ribbon for bird scaring
7. Screen crop
8. Lure crop
9. Bio-acoustics 73

10. Automatic mechanical bird scarer (Pyrotechnic method)
11. Botanical repellents
12. Seed treatment for protecting sprouting seeds
13. Habitat manipulation
14. Spraying of egg solution/ rock salt solution
15. Netting
16. Scare crows (Pitcher-effigy)
17. Machan
18. Drumming

19. Potter trap
20. House trap
21. Hanging dead bird
22. Balloons
23. Fireworks
24. CD’s and DVD’s

Mr. Suresh R. Jambagi, M.Sc. (Agri) Agricultural Entomology 76

Birds: Friends or Foes in Agriculture

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