J. Env. Bio-Sci., 2014: Vol.

28 (2): 257-259 ISSN 0973-6913 (Print), ISSN 0976-3384 (On Line)

DAMAGE OF PEARL MILLET BY BIRDS

K. B. Patel
Department Of Zoology
Sheth M.N.Science College, Patan
email: kbpatel1970@gmail.com

Received: 29-01-2014 Accepted: 21-10-2014

Patan district is situated in semi-arid zone of North Gujarat. Bajara is main cereal crop grown in Patan District for food and fodder
purpose. Rose ringed parakeet is a common destructive bird pest in this District. Therefore a field study was under taken to
estimate the damage by Rose-ringed Parakeet in pearl-millet earhead at Hansapur village in Patan Taluka in North Gujarat during
2006-2008 and the results obtained are presented here.

Bird deprecation in cereals and other crops is an age old
problem and as such, their damage has been reported
periodically in the last five decades. The Rose ringed Parakeet
has been reported to be very destructive to crops and riping
fruits, thus reducing the yield substantially. It eats by gnawing,
thus wasting far more than what it actually eats. Taking into
consideration its destructiveness to grain crops, the present
study was undertaken to quantify the damage of Roseringed
Parakeet to pearl millet crop, which is the staple food crop in
not only Patan District but throughout North Gujarat agro-
climatic zone.
Study Area: Patan is situated in the Northern part of Gujarat.
It is bounded on the North West and North by Rann of Kutch
and Banaskantha District. Patan District lies between 230 41'
and 230 55'n latitude and 710 31' and 720 20'e longitude. Patan
is situated on 82.30 mts. height from the sea level in the
Northern part of Gujarat. The region is having the minimum
temperature as low as 50C - 100C and maximum temperature
as high as 400C - 480C. The average rainfall in the region is
about 701 mm.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Studies on the bird visitants in Pearl millet were conducted at
Hansapur village in Patan Taluka in North Gujarat during 2006-
2008. A field of Pearl-millet crop having 1.5 acres respectively.
A unit areas of 5.00 x 6.00 m. are was demarcated in a pearl-
millet field in kharif and summer season for counting birds3&4.
The percentage of damage was assessed and compared for
the two seasons (Kharif and Summer) by taking counts of
healthy and damaged ear heads in this unit area. The bird
counts were made in the morning and evening only. Since
Preliminary studies made from dawn to dusk showed these to
be the feeding hours. The observations were made with (7 x
50) magnification field binocular to watch the bird pests from a
distance. The studies were carried out during the peak hours
bird visits from 6 am. to 10 am. in the morning and 3.00 pm to
6.00 pm in the afternoon. The method adopted for assessing
the population in the field was by visual counting. For each
bird species the population of birds per hour indicates the
total number of a particular bird pest species which visited the
fields indifferent groups at different junctures during the particular
hour2.).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The data recorded showed that the Pigeon (Columba livia)
and House crow (Corvus spendens) were the first to invade
the crop after sowing and cause damage at the germination
and seedling stages. These pests picked the seed from the
field after the post-sowing irrigation and fed on the soaked
seeds which were in the process of germination. They also
pluck out the developing young seedlings. Damage by these
birds was not noticed in the subsequent phases of crop growth.
At the flowering stage, the Rose ringed Parakeets
(Psittacula krameri)1 infest the male inflorescence (Tassel)
and feed on the anthers and pollen grains. At the tender
earheads stage, the Parakeets damage the earheads with the
silky style and green husk. This type of damage was negligible
compared to the damage at the subsequent milky stage of
 Damage of Pearl Millet (258)

Table-1. Population data of bird visitants in pearl-millet crop at Pearl-millet experiment plot
Date House Crow Roseringed Parakeet Indian Myna
Morning Evening Total Morning Evening Total Morning Evening Total
6-7 7-8 8-9 9- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 3- 4- 5-
10 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6
Kharif – 2009 - 2010

25- 11 13 15 15 15 10 9 88 20 22 24 24 25 20 15 150 5 6 5 3 6 3 5 33
ix-
2009
26- 15 19 11 13 12 15 11 96 75 90 97 66 20 44 61 453 10 6 6 - 4 11 12 49
ix-
2009
27- 20 22 15 18 15 13 18 121 25 63 70 75 16 39 60 348 3 2 3 2 4 12 10 36
ix-
2009
28- 13 12 19 25 22 20 19 130 38 80 76 67 30 48 52 391 2 3 1 - 2 4 6 18
ix-
2009
29- 25 23 22 21 11 12 15 129 49 69 81 80 40 48 52 419 3 1 3 2 8 9 11 37
ix-
2009
30- 28 30 20 25 14 20 25 162 50 60 61 80 25 40 58 374 2 2 3 1 6 7 9 30
ix-
2009
Summer – 2009 - 2010
23- 3 4 2 2 5 10 14 40 18 11 12 13 22 11 16 103 8 3 2 1 2 - 1 17
v-
2009
24- 8 6 3 5 6 8 13 49 27 40 45 22 21 23 33 211 5 3 2 1 1 1 - 13
v-
2009
25- 2 3 - 3 5 1 3 17 22 61 35 70 17 33 30 268 4 3 1 - - 1 2 11
v-
2009
26- 1 2 - - - 5 5 13 31 40 35 30 18 42 12 208 4 3 1 1 2 - 3 14
v-
2009
27- 2 3 - - - 2 8 15 42 33 40 40 22 42 22 241 4 4 1 1 - - 4 14
v-
2009
28- 3 5 - - - - 2 10 43 30 30 30 23 40 24 220 2 3 1 - 2 - - 8
v-
2009
29- 2 3 - - - - 2 7 44 35 30 25 18 35 23 210 1 2 2 1 2 - - 8
v-
2009

Table-2. Percentage of damage to pearl-millet dough stage during 2009-2010

(259)
the earhead when they split and strip away the covering (bracts)
thereby exposing the grain for easy feeding and further damage
this type of feeding is continued up to maturity of the earhead
but maximum damage was recorded at the dough stage of the
earheads.
Data recorded on the population density of the birds infesting
pearl-millet crop at the dough stage during the various period
of the day are summarised in Table-1.
Damage by crows started after the grains in the earhead attained
the dough stage. Crows prefer the earheads in which damage
was already initiated by parakeets and in such earheads they
completely removed the spathes, exposed the earhead and
ate the grains. However, crows damaging a fresh healthy
earhead from the apical portion by pulling down the green
spathes is not uncommon. During this process, each green
spathe is torn into small places to expose the grains fully.
Mynas (Acridotheres tristis) also visited the crop but only in
small numbers and they were mostly seen picking the insects
from the fields and occasionally eating a few pearl millet grains.
The damage to pearl-millet crop due to bird pests at the earhead
stage was assessed by taking counts of healthy and damaged
earheads in the unit area. The extent of damage in terms of
earheads was 24.01% in Kharif and 11.98% in summer under
unprotected conditions in the field. The higher percentage
damage in kharif can be attributed to a convincingly high
population of birds infesting the crops during the Kharif season
Patel
(Table-1). Further the standing other pearl millet crop adjacent
to the pearl millet experiment plots in dough stage also served
as a source of food for parakeets.
It is inferred from the foregoing that house crows and
Roseringed parakeets. It is inferred from the foregoing that
house crows and Roseringed parakeets are the major bird
pests of pearl-millet as observed at the pearl-millet experiment
plot. However a survey carried out in the cultivators' field in
major pearl-millet growing areas in Patan district and also as
reported by the farmers have shown that crows are not a pest
in pearl-millet when the crop is grown in large acreage. In
experimental plots or in pearl-millet crops raised near human
habitations, damage by crows may also be evident.
REFERENCES
1. Ali, M.H., B.H.K. Rao, M.A. Rao and P.S. Rao, (1981).
J. Bomb. Nat. His. Soc., 79: 20.
2. R.K. (1976). Significance of bird management and
control. Pesticide Annual :PP 74-83
3. Jotwani, M.G., Beri, Y.P, And verma, K.K (1969). A note on
bird damage in millets. The Allahabad Farmer., 43(1):43-
44.
4. Sarwar, H.A.K. and Murty, K.N.(1982). J.Bomb. Natural
Hist.Society., 79:1: 200.