DISCUSSION
Most agricultural and natural landscapes have several pest species that
rapidly increase in population size and by causing significant
ecological and economic damage. Since natural vegetation is uncommon in
agroecosystems, the majority of birds depend cultivated areas such as
plantation and paddy fields for survival. Birds in agricultural belts
are generally small groups of opportunists which are able to exploit the
changing environment caused by agricultural practice and are human
commensals. Farmers drive away roosting birds from plantations by using
fireworks due to the damage caused by communally roosting birds to the
coconut flowers and fronds. Harvesters destroy the nest and nestlings of
the breeding birds found in the tree during fruites collection. Usually
very less amount of pesticide is using tree pests and also for different
crops so it is an ecofriendly system which indirectly conserve a habitat
of resident bird fauna. In villages awareness about the role of this
Treepie in agriculture to farmers and villagers will helps to conserve
these associated birds. To be potential biocontrol agents of
agricultural pests, birds need to have a density dependent response to
pest outbreaks. A numerical response can be achieved either by higher
species richness of insectivorous birds or density of an important
insectivorous species. Nevertheless, birds generally contribute to
maintain low abundance levels of insect pests and have no impact left
during out breaking conditions. Insects, in order to avoid predators,
use certain simple an On the beneficial role of tree pie from district
Haripur will be helpful for further studies as a natural predator of
numerous major pests of the trees and cultivated crops that remained
unnoticed. Its ability to reach up to the bottom side of front trees
which is not foraged by any other bird elevates its position as a
special niche predator in trees. In addition to the hang feeding, shake
and wait catch method of food capturing (Basheer et al. , 2010) is
in agreement with the present finding. For all these reasons, biological
control is preferable wherever possible. However, biological control is
a complex matter and the controlling agent cannot always be found
locally (Buchholz, 1999). Capacity of Treepie to feed upon adult and
larvae of many insect pests on the lower surface of the leaflets
indicates its utility as a natural predator and biological control
agent. Among the insect pests consumed(Sadakathulla, 1991). The
leaf-eating caterpillar, Opisina arenosella Walker is the most important
lepidopteran pest of coconut palm in South Asia (Sadakathulla,
1991).While foraging, Indian Treepie tears open the silken webs on the
leaflets and consume the caterpillars hiding beneath. Phytophagous
chrysomelidae includes many established and potential agricultural pests
and studies on host plants and ecology of Indian chrysomelids are highly
inadequate (Kalaichelvan et al. , 2005). Chrysomelid beetles found
on the tender leaflets of coconut and areca palm fronds and fed by
Indian Treepi. Cultivation suffer severe damage mainly by rats (Rattus
sp.) (Parshad, 1999a). Consumption of nestlings of pests like house rat
and squirrel damaging (Parshad, 1999b), by Indian Treepie appears to be
primarily due to their nesting site on the trees also reported in
present study that the tree pie was found to be predator on the nestling
of these species. Earwigs (Forficulidae) threaten the insect pollinators
attempting to visit the female flowers (Geiser et al. , 2000),
hence their predation by Indian Treepie enhances the pollination of the
trees. It is essential that farmers should be made aware of the
beneficial role of these birds as a natural predator of the several
major pests of the trees crops and that the Indian Treepie is not a pest
of any major food items or crops in the region. To the disappearance of
this beneficial bird from the agricultural fields and it requires
spreading awareness about its status as a beneficial bird among the
farming community.