Estimation of Predatory Bird Damage to Winter Guava Crop
K Yodha, D Singh, A Kour, R Yadav, P Dahiya, R Kumar
Abstract
The present study was aimed to record bird community characteristics and extent of damage caused by birds in guava orchard at Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar and village Salemgarh from August, 2019 to January, 2020. Rose-ringed Parakeet was the worst avian pest at both locations. In guava crop, the pestilence at location I was caused by Rose-ringed Parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet, Red-vented Bulbul, Brown-headed Barbet and Western Koel. At location II, the frugivorous species which inflicted damage to the guava crop were Roseringed Parakeet and Red-vented Bulbul. The parakeets preferred both unripe and ripened fruits, while the other species preferred only ripened fruits. Birds other than parakeets thrived only on the pulp and seeds of those fruits that the parakeets had previously consumed. Different effective methods of bird manual scaring were employed at location I and bird damage to guava fruit was 4.92%. Bird manual scaring methods were not implemented on a regular basis at location II, fruit damage was estimated to be 8.91%. There was significant difference in the mean damage fruit yield production of guava crop at location I and II. Therefore, implementation of auditory technique were effective to minimise bird depredatory attacks, reduce economic losses and improve crop quality and yield.