Seminar on Availibility of former state bird of Punjab Hudhud and Extinction of current state bird of Punjab Baaz held
Author(s): City Air NewsProf Sandeep Chahal delivering seminar on Stae birds Hudhud and Baaz. photo: city air news September 23, 2016: The NSS Department of Doaba College Jalandhar organized a seminar entitled Availibility of former state...
September 23, 2016: The NSS Department of Doaba College Jalandhar organized a seminar entitled Availibility of former state bird of Punjab Hoopoe alias Hudhud and Extinction of current state bird of Punjab Baaz in which Prof Sandeep Chahal- President NGO Dastak Welfare Council – Pioneer in Conservation of Birds Programme was the key speaker .He was accorded a ahearty welcome by Principal Dr Naresh Kumar Dhiman , Prof Kanwaljeet Singh Coordinator NSS , Prof Daljit Singh and 70 NSS Volunteers.Prof Sandeep Chahal said that the former state bird of Punjab Hudhud alais hoopoe -Upupa epops-is a colourful bird still found in abundance in all the districts of Punjab .He Said that before 1988 Hudhud alais hoopoe was state bird of Punjab as it was very benefitial to all the farmers and their crops as it was a strong natural pest eater.Hoopoe fed on Insect larvae, pupae , mole crickets ,crickets, locusts, beetles, earwigs, cicadas, ant lions, bugs and ants and thereby eliminated all the pests leading to bumper crop.He said that in 1989 during the president’s rule in Punjab Baaz ie Northern Goashawk was selected as State bird of Punjab inspite of the fact that it is found at cooler regions of mountains of 7000 feet height and such altitude places are not found in Punjab, so Baaz which in urdu means a female bird is virtually on the verge of extinction in Punjab . Prof Chahal said in 2001state government has bought a pair of Baaz (female bird) and Zurra ( male bird) for Rs 2.50lakh from arab country and had tried to breed the species in chatbir zoo’s aircondioned breeding room but due to hot and humid climate of Punjab the experiment failed .Prof Chahal emphasized that state bird of should be selected on the norms of its availability, benefit to human community especially farmers rather than on other grounds.