He immediately shared a photo of the crow to a local Facebook group for bird enthusiasts, but only received a few similar images reporting that something was wrong with the bird. Some birds appeared to have albinism, a partial loss of pigmentation in their feathers, and others had overgrown and misshapen beaks, also known as albinism or avian keratin disorder.
“Initially, we just had to coordinate with bird photographers and hobbyists and maintain the dataset,” said Shrestha, a senior researcher at Bird Conservation Nepal. “We thought it was important to study this phenomenon because there were no such studies in Nepal.”
![A house crow seen in central Nepal with an overgrown and deformed beak, a condition also known as avian keratin disorder. Photo: Nikeet Pradhan](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/01/05/6a8c0154-e176-4d45-a44e-8eaca2d22af6_9a42e0b6.jpg)
In December, Shrestha and colleague Niket Pradhan published the first report documenting deformities in birds in Nepal.Published in the journal of the ornithological society ornis hungaricaThe study recorded 20 cases of the deformity in 16 species of birds in 12 districts of the country.
“All records were found in urban areas with human disturbance, suggesting that the main cause may be human-induced environmental damage,” Shrestha and Pradhan wrote in their paper. Ta.
According to a 2016 report on the status of the country’s birds by international conservation charity ZSL, Nepal is home to around 878 bird species, of which 37 are classified as globally threatened and 167 are globally threatened. It is designated as a nationally endangered species.
Birds eat food made for humans, including junk and adulterated food
However, the increasing number of defects in birds has raised concerns among ornithologists. Shrestha’s research shows that most cases of avian deformities are associated with areas near human settlements, and that “anthropogenic toxic substances and environmental degradation” may be responsible for such phenomena. It suggests.
“Birds are eating food made for humans, including junk and adulterated foods,” Shrestha said. “Those chemicals may not be suitable for birds and may change the birds’ genes.”
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The study found that house crows, house sparrows, mynahs and swallows suffered from leukemia, avian keratinopathy and an unidentified color abnormality, and migratory birds such as coots, cuckoos and steppe eagles suffered from similar deformities. It’s been found.
According to the British Ornithological Trust, beak deformities have been found in more than 60 bird species worldwide, but a 2010 US study found that wild bird populations have the highest rates of such deformities. It has been suggested that it may be Alaska and Washington. The same goes for British Columbia, Canada. Scientists believe this malformation is due to several factors, including environmental pollution.
Other studies have also shown that increased anthropogenic activities that result in pollution impact bird health and survival.
![A semi-leucistic common cuckoo found in Nepal’s Dang district. Photo: Suman Ghimire](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/01/05/7a99e9d4-49a8-4ce4-9ef5-ece4718acfd2_3fd693f5.jpg)
Shrestha said that apart from birds eating unhealthy food containing chemicals made for human consumption, pesticides used on farms also affect wild and domesticated birds. He said that there is a possibility that Pesticide residues on grain can take a long time to cause disease in humans, but small amounts can harm birds more quickly, he said.
“Pesticides are also responsible for genetic changes and other disorders in birds,” says Shrestha.
Hem Sagar Baral, a veteran conservation biologist and ornithologist, said experts had been witnessing bird deformities for some time, but in recent years, more and more people were photographing and documenting birds. , said the frequency may have increased. But over the years, leucistic traits in birds have proven to be a “worrying trend,” he said.
“This malformation makes it difficult for the bird to sustain life,” he says. “It also makes them more visible to predators.”
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Barral said such changes in birds could be the first step toward specialization, and while adaptation could benefit some birds in the long term, such changes They did not ignore the fact that human-induced environmental destruction may be to blame. Research was needed to draw concrete conclusions.
“The deformities we’re seeing may be a combination of factors,” he says. “Environmental degradation and pollution are increasing, and birds are eating food laden with chemicals. All challenges are related to anthropogenic products. These are all anthropogenic threats.”
Shrestha agreed, adding that further research and clinical tests are needed to know the exact cause and extent of deformities in birds.
![An albino house crow seen in Kirtipur, Nepal. Photo: Aditya Pal](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2024/01/05/311ba8fb-116b-45c1-ab70-175f1ee93e3d_4c0589f6.jpg)
Human activities pose one of the biggest dangers to birds, but they are not fully aware of their actions and their consequences, he said. He added that Nepal should prioritize the conservation of birds, just as it prioritizes the conservation of macrovertebrates such as tigers and rhinos.
“Birds are also part of the environment and have ecological importance,” he said.
“People think of birds as just nuisances that eat crops, but they don’t understand that birds help with pollination and also play a role in pest control. The more we educate people, the more birds we can save.”