Economic importance of birds

THIS PRESENTATION IS USEFUL FOR DESCRIBE THAT WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD IN OUR LIFE OR HOW BIRDS AFFECT HUMAN LIFE

1. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF BIRDS manish jindal M.Sc Zoology (Entomology)

2. The useful aspects FOR FOOD IN AGRICULTURE COMMUNICATION FOR HUNTING COMPETITION GAMES FOR COMPANY BEAUTY OR ATTRACTION IMPORTANCE OF BIRDS IN NATURE

3. For Food Birds are the prime source of food for humans. They produce eggs and also meat. There are many types of birds used for meat purposes like turkey, hen, ducks, geese, quails, etc. The meat of birds is consumed as a daily food in many countries, depending on the type of bird available. Their meat is called white meat and unlike red meat (beef or mutton). It is said to be healthier for the heart as it has a less fat content. Even those with the risk of obesity and cardiac problems can also eat it. Further, the eggs are part of daily meals, cakes, ice creams even among vegetarian countries. Unlike vegetarians, some eggetarians refrain from eating meat but eat eggs. Eggs are rich in protein and hence advised for consumption by patients suffering from debilitating diseases.

4. Birds are grown to make monetary gains through business. They are raised for their meat and eggs. They are economically very viable for poultry farmers. As they contribute to food, the poultry business seems to be evergreen without losses unless affected by diseases. ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION

5. IN AGRICULTURE Birds are not directly employed by a man in agriculture. But they naturally serve some benefits like a)  Pollination : Birds help in cross-pollination. They carry male gametes of one plant and drop them on to female gametes of another  plant . Thus they help in sexual reproduction plants. Besides birds, even the insects and wind serve the purpose. But birds play a prominent role. Cross-pollination helps in the formation of healthy seeds. b)  Fertility : Birds excreta is rich in uric acid. This can readily convert to ammonia and acts as fertile manure to plants. The birds around the farm may contribute less to the manure. But the waste from poultry, if added to the soil, dramatically enhances fertility. c)  Pest control : Birds rely on insects and their larva to feed themselves and their babies. So during crop season, there is extensive growth of insect population due to favorable conditions. Birds keep the growth under control and help the crop from pest attack. d)   Rodent control :  Unlike insects,  rodents  are a big problem for plants. Rodents eat away the yield of the crop. Birds like eagles keep an eye on these rodents and carry away for consumption. Thus they keep the rodent growth under control, which in turn helps the farmers.

6. COMMUNICATION When the man did not have a phone or automobiles for his transport, birds were widely used for communication. Pet birds like pigeons, parrots were used to communicate with distant people. They were used to deliver small letters tied around their neck to nearby villages and towns. This mode of communication was a swift, reliable, and inexpensive method. Since the family had some birds, they could communicate with their relatives by using them.

7. FOR HUNTING Birds like eagles are used for hunting wild animals like foxes, rabbits, etc. The owner of the bird releases it to catch a running animal. The birds swiftly fly in the air and attack the animal and arrests it so as its owner takes the prey.

8. COMPETITION GAMES These are banned in most parts of the world. Here hens, especially males, are allowed to fight for fun and gambling. This is a cause of violence for the birds. So many governments banned bird fights.

9. FOR COMPANY Birds are grown as pets by many. They help one avoid loneliness and provide a company. Even we come across many stories where the birds help in tracking the culprits of mischief, and some birds also speak, etc.

10. Beauty or attraction Birds are also kept for increasing the appeal of premises. In places like hotels, exhibitions, recreation centers, etc. They are easy to maintain, as they require less food and water.

11. Importance of birds in Nature Birds are part of Nature. They contribute to the ecosystem and environment. They help follow ways to Nature. 1. Food chain Birds are part of the food chain. They are carnivores here. They keep a check on the  overpopulation  of rodents, insects and even snakes. Small birds, in general, eat up insects and their larva. While large ones like eagles hunt and kill rodents and snakes ( reptiles ) for food. 2. Scavengers We might have come across birds circled a corpse of animals. Even in a  forest , once an animal is left out by lions and tigers, the rest is consumed by birds. Birds are natural scavengers. They help keep the Nature clean of dead and decay matter. Even they do not leave out grains or  fruits  which are thrown out into open places. 3. Seed propagation Birds are the key to seed propagation. Hence we see plants growing spontaneously at different locations on the  soil . The birds eat the fruit or seeds of the plants. Some of them remain undigested and get excreted as such. When these seeds reach the ground, they can  germinate  in favorable conditions. Thus birds help in natural seed dispersal and plant propagation. 4. Beauty to Nature:  Birds are some of the creatures which add charm to the  environment . Hence we see much painting with birds and even photographs of birds to reflect beauty.

12. T he H A R M F U L aspects AS DISSEMINATORS OF DISEASES AS THREAT OF AIRCRAFT BIRDS AS A PEST

13. AS DISSEMINATORS OF DISEASES Birds are suspected to disseminate viruses of certain diseases like the Kyasamer Forest Disease (K.F.D.) of Mysore, work on which is going on at the Virus Research Centre, Poona in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society. HISTOPLASMOSIS disease is generally found to develop around old chicken houses. Its pathogen Histoplasma capsulatium prefers undistributed litter in and around old chicken houses or in undistributed droppings under Birds-roosts. The spore of the causative organism lodge in the lungs/liver/splee n of Man/Dog/Horse etc.

14. AS THREAT OF AIRCRAFT Different species of birds are great menace to the Aeroplanes. They are responsible for several collisions and air crashes of Civil and Military Air crafts. Vulture and kites cause damage by directly striking against the air craft while the small ones do so by getting sucked into air intake of the Jet Engine.

15. BIRDS AS A PEST Birds are the pest of Many Crops. For example : Parrots eat and cut the Ripe and Semi-ripe fruits and thus cause heavy damage to various Horticulture and Agriculture crops. e.g., Maize, Juar, Wheat, Guava, Mango and Cashew fruits also. Parrots have a habit of flying in flocks and alighting on crops in flocks.