At least five bird species in Nagaland that have been recognized to be in need of the highest conservation priority by the recently released State of India’s Bird Report 2023. The five birds are Naga Wren Babbler, Blyth’s Tragopan, Dark-rumped Swift, Manipur Fulvetta, and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush. As stated by the publishers, more research needs to be done in this area. While the Blyth’s Tragopan is not native to Mokokchung, the other four birds are. If further research were to be done in Mokokchung, it would most certainly reveal that more bird species are in decline. Experience and simple observation is enough to conclude that the bird populations have drastically reduced in Mokokchung over the years.
The decline in bird populations can be attributed to a combination of natural and anthropogenic (human-induced) factors. Reversing this decline requires a multifaceted approach. It is no longer the time to talk about the importance of conserving bid populations but to start acting upon it. Experts say that Habitat Loss and Degradation, Pollution, Overhunting, Climate Change, Invasive species, Disease and Parasites, Collisions and Power Lines, and Lack of Awareness and Conservation Efforts are the chief reasons for loss or decline in bird populations. Various reversal strategies relevant to the local context can and should be employed to check declining bird populations before it is too late.
There are a number of things that can be done to reverse the decline in bird populations, with or without government support. In fact, volunteering and community participation will be more effective here. Protecting and restoring habitats can be done by creating protected areas, managing land for conservation, and reducing pollution. This can be done easily in any village. Using less pesticides and fertilizers is another way to reduce the amount of pollution that harms birds. Further, regulating hunting can help to protect the bird species from overhunting. Planting native fruit bearing trees will provide food and shelter for birds. These are just a few of the many things that we can do to help reverse the decline in bird populations and ensure that birds continue to play an important role in our ecosystem.
Another urgent need in Mokokchung as far as bird conservation is concerned is that some concerned individuals should volunteer to form a bird conservation organization. Declining bird populations is not only distressing from the ecological and environmental perspective, it is equally distressing from a cultural perspective because it entails loss of language, stories, wisdom and heritage associated with the birds – which are many.