Birding growing among people in Mangalore region

There are a growing number of people around Udupi and Mangalore who have taken up birding, said M. Shivashankar, a birder and software professional.

Mr. Shivashankar said more people in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi have taken to birding as they are growing more aware of their changing neighbourhood.

The awareness is driving them into exploring nature. More people in the two districts are realising the need to retain natural resources, water, forest and environment.

He said, “Two years ago, there were hardly 20-25 bird-watching friends in these districts that I knew of. Now there are more than 400 people interested actively in birding.”

Since he was looking at ways of popularising birding and watching nature, he readily agreed when Dr.Arunchalam Kumar (former dean of Nitte University) suggested writing a book on birds in the Nitte University campus.

Dr. Arunachalam already had a checklist of birds he had gathered over the last eight years.

He said about Dr.Arunachalam, “I was fascinated by his observation on migration and other nature-related topics.”

The new book book, “Birds of Nitte University Campus” is a handbook with photographs to help identify birds in the Nitte University campus, located 12 km south of Mangalore.

The book has a list of 86 species of birds spotted along with their photographs.

He said while it was challenging to choose the best images that would help beginners identify any bird in an easy manner, it helped that he had earlier written a book already (Birds of Southern Coastal Karnataka).