May 26, 2013
We generally make time to write an article in relation to wild life during the summer months, to inspire young children to pick up their digital cameras and spend time outdoors, photographing wildlife, in their surrounding environment. Walking the natural trail provides the basis of a lifelong learning experience that will last a lifetime in the minds and hearts of children. Parents can play an active role in helping kids get outdoors, reconnect with wildlife and become more aware of the natural world in their own back yard.
Today, most kids spend twice as much time on computers and TV sets, missing out on the simple pleasures and lasting mental and physical health benefits of daily outdoor activities. Children interacting with the natural world, learn to appreciate value of community and bond with people and have a enhancing social interaction. In the recent past children have been increasingly spending most of their childhood indoors compared to the older generation leading to very high levels of obesity. Walking hand in hand with nature has many advantages. It not only increases fitness levels and build active healthy bodies, but also improves vision and raises the level of vitamin D. Often children who love nature are less stressed out.
Recently "Daijiworld Weekly" brought out a very interesting article on Earth day. Earth Day is observed on April 22 each year. Earth day is the perfect opportunity to take the pledge to take children outdoors and sensitize them towards Nature. Earth Day is an annual day on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
It is important for one to understand that we are surrounded by nature and it is not necessary to seek nature in only wildlife sanctuaries. A small wooded place or a pond or river bed on the outskirts of a buzzing city can be teaming with various bird species.
Wildlife activities are instrumental in helping kids of all ages connect with nature. Observing Birds and animals, in their natural habitat offers interesting educational discoveries and bonds children with nature. Nature is a great Teacher and when a child or a student learns to appreciate nature, it allows them to gain insights, awareness and knowledge of the natural world. In simple terms, it allows the individual to respect the laws of nature.
From India's standpoint of view, children are increasingly alienating themselves from Nature for a host of reasons....peer pressure, crash courses in summer, etc. However, one must realize that the human costs of alienation from nature, among them diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses.
We have posted pictures of the Pied Kingfisher which is commonly observed near small ponds and lakes. The pictures that you see were taken at Joe's Ecofriendly coffee Plantations, Sakleshpur, Karnataka state. More importantly, this fearless bird is quite adaptable to human behavior and one can watch the birds activities from a safe distance without disturbing it. Youngsters can learn from the birds behavior not only in terms of how it catches the fish, but also the way it eats its prey.
Distribution : The Pied Kingfisher is found widely distributed across Africa and Asia. In India it is distributed mainly on the plains. The Pied Kingfisher is estimated to be the world's third most common kingfisher, and being a noisy bird, hard to miss
Description : This is the only Kingfisher with all black and white plumage. the distinctive bird has white spotted, black upper parts and white under parts, with a broad band of black streaks on the upper breast and a narrow black bar below. There is a prominent white eyebrow and a black eye band that stretches to the back of the neck as well as a white throat and collar and a white patch on the wing coverts. The rump is barred black and white, the iris is brown and the feet and legs are black. The male Pied Kingfisher is distinguished from the female by the presence of two full breast bands with the female having just a single incomplete band.
A large headed, stout bodied and short legged bird with a straight, strong dagger like black bill. The bird is extremely agile in the air and hovers more often than any other king fisher's. In flight it holds the body almost vertical, with the head and bill angled sharply downwards, and beats the wings extremely rapidly. when perched , it frequently cocks it tail up and down and raises a crest of feathers on its head. This boldly patterned, black-and-white bird is the only kingfisher that regularly fishes offshore. Instead of watching for prey from a perch, as many other kingfisher species do, it flies rapidly above the surface with its head facing down as it scans the water below. If it spots food, it hovers on the spot, and then dives down to make a catch. It can also eat while in flight, another unique adaptation.
Habitat : The pied kingfisher occupies a variety of fresh and saltwater habitats, including large, inland, slow-moving rivers, estuaries, mangroves, tidal rock pools, lagoons, dams and reservoirs, requiring some water-side perches such as trees, reeds, fences and other man-made objects. It occurs up to altitudes of around 2,500 meters in Africa and 1,800 meters in Asia.
Status : The pied kingfisher is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List
Size : Length: 25 cm ,Male weight: 68 - 100 g, Female weight: 71 - 110 g
Diet : Primarily consist of fish, but they will also eat crustaceans and large aquatic insects, such as dragonfly larvae. It is the only King fisher which can hunt on salt and freshwater.
Breeding : The breeding season is February to April. Its nest is a hole excavated in a vertical mud bank about five feet above water. The nest tunnel is 4 to 5 feet deep and ends in a chamber. Several birds may nest in the same vicinity. The usual clutch is 3-6 white eggs. The pied kingfisher sometimes reproduces co-operatively, with young non-breeding birds from an earlier brood assisting parents or even unrelated older birds. In India, nesting's have been found to be prone to maggot infestations and in some areas to leeches. Nest holes may sometimes be used for roosting.
The pied kingfisher nests in holes in vertical sandbanks that are excavated by the breeding pair. The tunnel is around 1.2 meters in length and leads to a 20 to 30 centimeter wide chamber in which the nest is constructed. The tunnel takes around 26 days to excavate by stabbing with the open bill and kicking the sand out with the feet . Between one to seven, usually four or five, eggs are laid and incubated mainly by the female for around 18 days. The pied kingfisher is a cooperative breeder, meaning that the breeding adults are assisted by helpers in caring for the young. The helpers are usually one year old offspring of the breeding pair, but may also be other adults that have failed in breeding, and assist with tending the chicks and defending a territory around the nest. The chicks stay in the nest for 24 to 29 days, learning to hunt by 38 to 43 days of age, and becoming fully independent at 1 to 2 months. The pied kingfisher reaches sexual maturity at a year old but may not breed until its second or third year.
Threats : The pied Kingfisher which was once commonly observed near ponds and lakes has suffered declines due to pollution and chemical poisoning. By far the greatest threat is the disappearance of wetland habitats.
Conclusion : Children of all ages should experience the benefits of spending time with nature. Researchers suggest that children disconnected from nature and outdoor activity tend to suffer from physical and emotional health. For a fact, most adults who today enjoy outdoor activities, first learned them as Kids. Parents need to sacrifice time and take their children outdoors to explore the natural world. The time spent will be an investment for the future well being of the child. In our opinion, schools should play an proactive role in providing enough outdoor education or recreation to make children feel comfortable with nature.
Dr Anand & Geeta Pereira - Archives