Rare bird sighting hints at growing forest cover

KOCHI: Giving enough hints of expanding natural forest area under the Malayattoor forest division, Malayan night heron (Kaattukokku in Malayalam with the scientific name of Gorsachius melanolophus), an elusive nocturnal bird seen only in verdant forests, has been sighted for the first time in the area.

The bird was caught on the lens by P.B. Samkumar, a bird watcher who works as the assistant legal officer with the Kalady Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit.

According to Dr Nameer P. O., head of Centre for Wildlife Studies, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricul-tural University, Thrissur, this bird is usually seen near streams and swamps in thick forests. It is considered as uncommon, and its local movements are still unknown.

“It is under-reported probably due to its shyness, forest habitat and nocturnal habits. The bird was formerly spotted in the Silent Valley National Park, Parambikulam Wild Life Sanctuary, Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Shendurney Wild Life Sanctuary and Peppara Wild Life Sanctuary, but not from Malayattoor area. However, the bird has not so far been caught in its immature plu-mage as seen in this case. It is spotted in areas with thick forest cover,” he said.

A previous record of photographic evidence of the bird in Kerala is from Silent Valley Wild Life Sanctuary in 1991 by P.K. Uthaman, a well-known bird watcher-cum-photographer.

Ms Jainy Maria Kuriakose, who has photographed over 1,200 species of birds from all around India, said it was for the first time she saw such a perfect picture of the bird in India.

 

 

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