A young Dusky Crag Martin in Karjat died after getting entangled in stray human hair used in its nest. Experts warn that human waste like hair and synthetic fibres poses a deadly threat to birds as habitat loss pushes them closer to human spaces
Dusky Crag Martin around nest. Pic/Mahesh Yadav
A freak accident caused by strands of stray hair tangled in nesting material led to the heartbreaking sight of a young Dusky Crag Martin in Karjat. The unfortunate incident depicts a stark reminder of how even small traces of human waste can have devastating consequences for wildlife.
Naturalist and wildlife photographer Mahesh Yadav, while briefing about the bird, emphasised, "This sooty brown-coloured bird is a common resident bird throughout India. It is known for its rapid, erratic flight and feeds mainly on insects caught in flight. It meticulously builds its shallow cup-shaped nest using hundreds of mud pellets lined with soft materials. Both parent birds take turns incubating the two to four eggs."
Traditionally, these birds thrive on cliffs and rocky terrains. However, habitat destruction has pushed them closer to human settlements, where they now build nests on buildings, bridges and other manmade structures.
This shift has created a new danger: the use of human-generated waste like hair, synthetic fibres and threads in nest-building. Such materials, while harmless to people, can easily entangle and kill young birds.
Yadav, while talking to Mid-Day, further said that harmless hair for humans can possibly be a deadly entanglement for a young bird that could hamper their life quite significantly.
"Small steps we can take to avoid such tragedy: cut up threads and strings into small pieces before disposing and be mindful of your waste, especially synthetic fibres," Yadav added.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
