How to Choose the Best Binoculars For Birding By Bruce Victor

Birding as an activity is very satisfying as it gives you a great way to enjoy the best of the nature. Those small birds perched on the branch of a tree are what we all dream to see and enjoy in all its glory. The main challenge lies in getting to see the bird from close quarters. To overcome that challenge there have been various options that have been invented by the scientists over the last few decades.

On such major invention has been the magnifying glass which in turn has been used successfully to make the binoculars. As far as binoculars are concerned there have been a thousand varieties of binoculars with each having a different specification.

If you are in the market for the birding binoculars then you should know what kind of specifications you are looking for. In fact you should know what specification stands for. There are a few that I would say are more important as far as birding needs are concerned. This is the opposite of a few specifications that you need to look for if you are in the market for the hunting binoculars.

Birding binoculars need one single most quality which is very important and that is the field of view or which is referred to as FOV. This FOV is the span of area that you can see from one end to the other from a distance of 1000 yards.

In a typical birding scenario you would be required to observe the entire area where the birds will fly in and rest. Most of the bird sanctuaries or even their natural habitats are marshy land or dense forests that you just cannot venture into those.

The best way you to then observe them is to use the binoculars with a good field of view from a far distance. The bigger FOV will give you that ability to view the entire area and the gradually focus on a few birds.

Magnification as well as the objective lens is also very important but those for hunting or birding can be either of the 8x42 or 10x42 range.

You will want light binoculars for birding and that will happen if you have an optimum size of the lens. The greater the objective lens means better viewability but heavier binoculars. And if you are selecting the binoculars while you walk into a bird sanctuary then select some light weight binoculars. If you are planning on using a tripod then you can easily go for the heavier binoculars.

The writer is keen hunting person and has advice on hunting binoculars specifications

Endangered Mammals of India By Jolly Mazumdar

India is endowed by some of nature's best gifts. It is a land of rich biodiversity which is unmatched to other regions of world. It is blessed with a tropical rain forest to dry deciduous forests and snowy Himalayas which are embellished with rare wildlife species of world. India has a wide range of mammal species, amphibians, reptiles and birds.

These natural treasures of our country are gradually declining in population. They are at an immediate risk of extinction due to deforestation, urbanization, habitat destruction, paucity of prey, poaching and changing environmental scenario. In the year 2004, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has classified the wildlife species of India under four main categories such as the Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU) and Threatened.

Endangered species can be defined as those which are less in number and are on the verge of extinction. Such species need special protection for their survival.

Some of the endangered species of India are as follows:

Asiatic Lion:

Asiatic lions are famously called as the "Lord of Beasts". Asiatic lion(Panthera leo persica) is one of the seven sub- species of Lion. Their sole habitat in India is the Gir national park of Gujrat. They are slightly smaller in size from their African cousin. Their population has drastically reduced mainly due to excessive hunting, scarcity of prey, pollution of water at their natural habitat.

Royal Bengal Tiger:

The Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris ) is the second largest sub-species of Tiger. It is the national animal of India. According to the Government of India's National Tiger Conservation Authority, India has a population of 1,411 Royal tigers. Their main habitat are grasslands, subtropical and tropical rain forests, scrub forests, wet and dry deciduous forests,and mangrove forest. They are mostly found in the Sunderban national park of West Bengal. They are under the constant threat of extinction due to reduction of natural habitat, paucity of prey and poaching for their beautiful skin.

Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros:

The tall grasslands and forests in the foothills of the Himalayas are the main abode of the Indian One-horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) . They are mostly found in the Kaziranga, having a population not more than 1200 , Manas and Orang national park of Assam. Even in two reserve forests of Assam such as Pobitora reserve forest (having the highest Indian rhino density in the world) and Laokhowa reserve forest. The One horned rhinoceros are hunted mostly for their horn.

Indian Elephant:

The Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) are one of the subspecies of the Asiatic elephant. Indian Elephants looks like the African elephants but have short tusk and ears. They are considered as an endangered species and their total strength in India ranges from 20,000 to 25, 000. They live in or near scrub-forested areas in the terai region of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Kerala and Karnataka. Although they have a tendency to change their habitat because they are nomadic in nature. They are in danger due to excessive poaching for the ivory of their tusks, loss of habitat and loss of genetic diversity.

Snow Leopard:

The snow leopards (Uncea uncea) are found in areas with an altitude of above 3200 m (10,500 feet) in the Himalayan regions of North India such as Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and the North Eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. These animals are hunted for their beautiful fur and its bones are used in oriental medicines. They are also killed as they are considered as the predators of the live stocks.

Wild Water Buffalo:

The wild water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is a bovine animal. These are one of the endangered species of India and their total strength is assumed to be only 4000. They are mainly found in Assam's Kaziranga national park and Chattisgarh. At time, you could also locate them at some of the sites of Meghalaya and Maharashtra. They are in danger due to cross breeding with the domestic buffaloes and the destruction of their natural habitat.

Hoolock Gibbon:

Hoolock gibbon ( Bunopithecus hoolock) are the only ape found in India. They are also called as the White Browed Gibbon because of their white brows. Their main habitats includes tropical evergreen forest, semi and sub tropical forests and mountain forests. They are mostly found in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam and Manas wildlife sanctuaries and the Borajan reserve forest and in the Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland. They are under threat due to hunting for their flesh, jhum ( shifting and burning) cultivation, and timber cutting.

Ganges River Dolphin:

In India, the river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) are found in the rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. It is an aquatic mammal. In Ganges region they are commonly known as "Susu" whereas in Brahmaputra region they are called as "Hihu". These are also an endangered species with only 2000 river dolphins estimated in India. The major reasons behind their decrease in population are fishing (gillnetting), poaching, damming (Farakka barrage) in Ganges and other dams, sand mining (in Kulsi river of Assam) deforestation and oil extraction. ( Their oil are used as medicine for rheumatism and for the preparation of bait for the catfishes, Clupisoma garua.)

For more information on endangered species of India, log into
http://www.ecoindia.com

Doves and Pigeons - Problems at Bird Feeders By Thomas Hays

We are often asked by our customers what can be done about the large flocks of pigeons or doves which come in and wipe out the seed at their bird feeding stations. These birds are much larger in size than most feeder birds and they tend to travel to feeding stations in large numbers. We often have flocks of up to 80 Mourning Doves at our own station during the winter. These birds do not crack or hull their seeds like most other birds. They eat them whole and can eat large amounts in a very short time. Their size, coupled with their feeding habits can certainly make pigeons and doves a big problem at bird feeders.

As large a problem as they are, there are ways to avoid feeding large flocks of pigeons and doves. These birds tend to like certain seeds including white proso millet, milo, oats and cracked corn. By using seed mixes with smaller amounts or none of these seeds you will be helping to discourage them. Pigeons and doves like to feed on the ground or on platform or flat bird feeders. Placing your seed mixture in a tube type bird feeder with short (under 2 inch) perches will deter large numbers of these birds from eating all of your food. Depending on which species of birds you do wish to attract to your feeding station, feeding specialty foods in specialty feeders will also help. Many of the finches (Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Redpolls, House Finches, Purple Finches etc.) are attracted to thistle or Nyjer seed bird feeders. Most often, these feeders do not have perches and the smaller birds simply cling to the sides of the feeder to eat. The feet of doves and pigeons are not made for this type of perching and most will have trouble holding on long enough to feed. There are also specialty feeders for sunflower seed and peanuts available. These also cater to the clinging birds instead of pigeons and doves. We also provide peanut butter, grape jelly and fruit for over 40 species of birds in a recycled oriole feeder and have never observed a pigeon or dove at it. If you suspend your suet bird feeders from a wire or branch and use a tail prop type suet feeder, you will also deter these birds as they have trouble getting a foothold on the feeder. Each of these foods draws its own group of more desirable backyard birds and each limits the availability of food for the large flocks of pigeons and doves.

At our feeding station we love our quail. Unfortunately, the quail have the same feeding habits as the the doves so we end up feeding both. The doves just seem to be a necessary evil with us. If you do not wish to feed large flocks of pigeons and doves you can use the above ideas to enhance your backyard bird feeding experience.

After 35 years as a professional ornithologist and bird bander Thomas Hays now assists others in developing bird and wildlife friendly habitats in their own back yards. Visit me at http://tomsbirdfeeders.com/ to see how I can help you formulate a backyard habitat for the birds in your area. Visit our website for more helpful hints on attracting birds and wildlife to your property.