Artificial T- Perches As Attractant For Insectivorous Birds Against Helicoverpa armigera (hubner)

Supplementing the foraging efficacy of insectivorous birds by installing artificial ‘T- perches’ can be used in controlling the cotton boll worm Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) in berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum L) fodder crop. The present study explored this using T-perches placed at two heights (120 and 240 cm). A total of 22 bird species were observed, of which 15 species used 120 cm high perches while nine perched on 240 cm high one. Common myna was the most abundant with seasonal abundance of 31.75 and 35.96% on 120 and 240 cm perches, respectively. In all 12 species were observed in control field, out of which nine were found to be insectivorous. More diversity was observed in the fields installed with T- perches as compared to control field. Comparison of bird species in fields installed with 120 and 240 cm T-perches revealed more preference for 120 cm high one, may be because of low height of the berseem crop. These T-perches also proved effective in reducing the cotton boll worm H. armigera incidence- 3.50 larvae/m₂ in fields installed with 120 cm perches; and 4.70 larvae/m₂ in fields installed with 240 cm perches as against 6.85 larvae/m₂ in control field). These results suggest that the perches are acting as attractants for birds and play an effective role in controlling H. armigera.