Manjunath Nayak:
Pushed to extinction, the White-Naped Tit was spotted in Kappatagudda Sanctuary recently. This rare bird is so shy that it can hardly be spotted and was recognized only by its unique calls in this sanctuary located in Gadag district, Karnataka, India.
Endemic to India, the White-Naped Tit is found in dry thorny scrub forest in two populations that are isolated – ranging from Western India (Rajasthan, Gujarat & Haryana) to Southern India (eastern ghats of Karnataka, AP, & Tamil Nadu). In Southern parts of Karnataka, the White Naped Tit has been documented only in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Skanda S N, Ornithologist from Bengaluru says, “The White-naped Tit is a rare bird species with a small population found across six states in India. To conserve this species, it is crucial to protect its natural habitat.”
The team which tracked this species included: Sangamesh Kadagad, Skanda S N, Harish. N Sharanu Goudar in association with Sangamesh Neeralagi, and Deputy Range Forest officer Kadako.
The White-Naped Tit is usually nests in cavities and holes that are made by woodpeckers and coppersmith barbets.
The White-Naped Tit is a passerine bird of the tit family: Paridae. This species is found only in patches and sparsely seen due to scarcity of its habitat. According to IUCN Red List, it has been listed as “Vulnerable” and the species has been declining fast.
Kappatagudda has a wonderful natural grassland ecosystem zone and this rare bird has been found here, much to the delight of bird lovers, adds Kantaraju D, Wildlife Photographer, Bengaluru.
This species is considered as vulnerable to extinction as thorny scrub forests are being illegally utilized for fuelwood and charcoal. The felling of acacia trees especially in Kutch has severely affected the survival of these birds in India.
The White-Naped Tit is just about12-13 cm and is medium sized, shy bird. This species prefers scrub thorny trees and mainly feeds on insects and nectars on flowers of Caper berries (Chippuri/Kariuppi).
The population of White-Naped Tits is rapidly declining because of habitat destruction as it prefers nesting and roosting only in cavities made by coppersmith barbet and woodpeckers on old trees.
And these trees are Indian frankincense (Guggal Dhoopad Mara-Endangered), Tooth Brush Tree (Karigoni Mara), Gum Arabica (Karijali Mara), and Indian Jujubi (Mullu hannu, Barihannu). Unfortunately, these trees being exploited for medicinal values, fire wood and charcoal purposes.
PHOTO CREDIT: SKANDA S N @ KADAKOL VILLAGE, SHIRAHATTI TALUK, GADAG DISTRICT)