Sanctuary |In the Field
memory. Every now and then, my species
counts included non-avian visitors, such
as the yellow-throated marten. I was
delighted, but the birds were less than
pleased, and scattered away in fear of
their lives and nests.
To correlate the diff erence in bird
diversity across sites with extractive
activities, I had to physically measure
canopy cover, girth and height of each
tree, the density of understory shrubs
and saplings, and other such structural
characteristics typically aff ected by
extractive activities. Our plots were laid
on mountain slopes with steep inclines –
sometimes up to 75 degrees! Ritobroto
and I slipped and slid all over the forest
fl oor in our fancy trekking gear, while
marvelling at the local women skillfully
climbing to the tops of 20-30 m. tall
trees to lop off branches for fi rewood,
equipped with just a sickle, bare feet
and experience.FOREST STRUCTURE AND
SPECIES DIVERSITY
Species survival at such elevation
depends on the availability of food in the
oak forests across seasons. Winters are
harsh with few feeding options. Acorns
are eaten by larger birds such as the
Eurasian Jays, Red-billed Blue Magpies,
Striated Laughingthrushes and Slaty-
headed Parakeets. Rhesus macaques,
Himalayan langurs and black bears also
feed on this crucial resource in winters.
The Rhododendron arboreum tree,
abundant in oak forests, fl owers in late
winter and early spring – a period of
relative scarcity. Rhododendron fl owers
are an important food source for a
number of birds like the Green-tailed
Sunbird, which feeds on the nectar, and
the Rufous Sibia, which consumes the
entire fl ower. Interestingly, the fl ower
attracts virtually every bird species- insectivore, frugivore, granivore,
underscoring the keystone role of the
TARUN MENONTARUN MENONTARUN MENONA guild is a group of species that
exploit the same environmental
resources in a similar way. In our
study, we looked at how avian
guilds based on diet and habitat
specialisation were affected by
forest extraction, thus allowing us
to assess the relative vulnerability
of these groups.The Black-headed Jay (top) is an endemic species restricted to the western Himalaya and is
usually seen near forest edges and agricultural fi elds while the Rufous-bellied Niltava (middle)
is frequently found in the dense understories of undisturbed oak forests. The White-throated
Laughingthrush (above) feeding on the nectar of a rhododendron fl ower is seen here with pollen
dust all over its forehead. It will pollinate the next fl ower it visits, a win-win for both species.