Hampi, the world heritage site in Karnataka, maybe a hot destination for tourists seeking architectural grandeur in the ruins of the Vijayanagar Empire. It may just be the hot hippie spot, outside Goa, for many others in India. But look through a pair of binoculars and you could discover a new Hampi — a birder’s heaven, home to over 230 recorded species of birds.
“Most of North Karnataka, including Hampi, is a neglected area as far as biodiversity goes. No one knows much about the region, and most people head to Mysore for bird-watching. So I found a need to explore this area and bring it to the limelight,’ says Samad Kottur, who has authored Birds of Hampi , a pocket guide to over 230 species that he and his group of friends, comprising naturalists and photographers, have identified and recorded.
Samad is an English lecturer, who’s completed his MSc in environmental sciences. With a keen interest in conservation, he has worked as an honorary wildlife warden of Bellary District of Karnataka from 1997 to 2000 and 2002 to 2005. He has also authored Daroji- An Ecological Destination on the Daroji bear sanctuary in Karnataka. He has helped organisations like Wildlife SOS in curbing ritual poaching of bears during the Ugadi festival.
Samad has formed an informal group called the North Karnataka Birders Network (NKBN) to encourage the hobby of bird-watching among people in the region, including in places like Bellary, Raichur, Hubli and Dharwad. “I initiated bird-watching activity in the area in 2000, conducting camps for school students. I’ve been documenting and photographing birds since 2006.”
The Bombay Natural History Society and BirdLife International have selected Hampi as an Important Bird Area (IBA) as it holds a significant population of the yellow-throated bulbul, a globally threatened species. “A lot of American tourists come to Hampi, and we found that out of every five, at least one is a birdwatcher. This book will help interested tourists in looking for places to spot particular birds,” points out Samad. The book is for both the seasoned bird watcher and lay man.
It acts as a field guide with pictures of each bird, complete with description of scientific and common name, size, colour, habitat, dispersal, plumage, behaviour, habits, breeding season, migratory patterns and best places to find them in Hampi’s vicinity. It also gives information on resident and migratory birds. There is space on each page to record observations, time and place of sightings.
The varied landscape of Hampi — rocky boulders, small lakes, the Tungabhadra reservoir, canals, dry scrub jungle — all provide ample habitat for a variety of birds. A large number of winter migratory birds such as flamingos and sandpipers come to Hampi every year, and the Great Indian Bustard, a highly endangered species has also been sighted in Bellary district.
Hospet-based MSPL Limited has sponsored the publication of the book. It is published by The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Hampi-Anegundi Chapter. The book is available in stores and is priced at Rs. 399. Proceeds from the sales will go towards natural conservation programmes of INTACH. The author can be contacted on samadkottur@gmail.com
