Good insect, bad insect 

Insects that destroy plants have high breeding rates whereas those which are carnivorous have low breeding rates. Plant-eating insects lay thousands of eggs on the leaves of plants, which are eaten by other insects. This helps minimise the number of harmful insects and their eggs. In some developed countries, good insects are used by farmers to kill bad insects. Lady bugs, praying mantises and honey bees are some good insects while grasshoppers, tomato horn worms and gypsy moths are examples of harmful insects. The use of good insects to kill bad insects is called the bio-control method of pest control. 

Helpful birds 

Similarly, birds like drongos, mynas, sparrows, pipits, orioles, paddy birds, egrets, doves, pigeons, owls, storks and cranes help to kill harmful insects and their eggs in the field. Thus, they help farmers save their crops. We see many birds on farms and think that they may be destroying our crops but they, in fact, help farmers in many ways. 

If we make farmers understand this fact and make them aware of the advantages of birds, they will not spray poisons and pesticides. Instead, they will welcome birds to their farms and work for their conservation. But due to the haphazard use of pesticides, harmful pests are killed along with useful insects and birds. The frequent use of pesticides also reduces the quality of crops and destroys soil fertility. 

Safe habitat 

If humans do not threaten birds or destroy their nests and eggs, don't throw stones at them or poison them, birds will consider the area safe and visit every year. This will help farmers get good crops while providing a safe breeding location for birds. The regular visit of birds in our homes and on the farm can provide us with peace of mind as well. The co-existence of birds and farmers is called 'economy of ornithology'. In Jamaica, birds have been found to be very useful on coffee farms where female farmers preserve eggs inside the farm. Two researchers, Johnson and Jedlicka, have documented the usefulness of birds in comprehensive insect management.

Birds also help humans by eating leftovers and keeping the area clean. We can see birds like sparrows, swallows, crows, shrikes, Indian rollers, prinias and warblers in our garden and yards. They are our friends, not foes. The flycatcher is so named because it catches insects. Birds eat more than their body weight in a day. It has been recorded that insects comprise 95 percent of the food of birds. Other birds like vultures, kites and falcons also help us control the population of rodents (mice, field rats, rabbits and squirrels). Vultures are scavengers. They do not kill by themselves but only eat the rotten and stale dead bodies of animals. Hence, they help keep the earth clean. 

So birds are very important for farmers in particular and to humans in general. Therefore, the government, the private sector, schools, local clubs and farmer's organisations should work together for the conservation of birds.

Kadel is an executive member of Bird Education Society, Sauraha, Chitwan