Introduction:
In most agricultural systems Biological pest control research has
traditionally overlooked the Role and importance of vertebrate
predators. a high diversity of species can be supported by A landscape
matrix composed of semi-natural habitats and agriculture (Altieri,
1999), however, environmental degradation and agricultural increase pose
a major threat to the composition of functional guilds (Altieri, 1999),
and ecosystem services, especially biological pest control (Wilby and
Thomas, 2002), This is predominantly apparent in industry-oriented
plantation crop monocultures where chemical pesticides are the primary
means of pest control (Sinu, 2011). Recently, because the general public
negatively perceives the widespread application of pesticides, interest
in biological pest control has grown rapidly coupled with governmental
bans on several conventional pesticides (Meissle et al. , 2010).
Too many pesticides in addition, pests continually evolve resistance. in
experimental, natural, and managed habitats Birds are important
predators of insect pests (Bretherton and Battisti, 2000), Yet, the
practical value of as biocontrol agents of birds in agricultural systems
is poorly understood and remains undervalued because it has been
presumed that birds do not respond to insect pests in a density
dependent manner and will not have a measurable impact on pest control
(Mols and Visser, 2002). The higher the arthropod removal is expected to
be strong (Johnson et al. , 2010). In agroecosystems natural
vegetation is uncommon, the majority of birds depend cultivated areas
such as plantations and paddy fields for survival. In agricultural belts
Birds are generally small groups of opportunists which are able to
exploit the changing environment caused by agricultural practice and are
human commensals (McKay et al. , 1980). Dendrocitta vagabunda
parvula (Passeriformes: Corvidae), Indian Treepie, is a wide spread
arboreal noisy bird seen in coconut and areca palm plantation belts in
south India. On successive visits suggests that most birds were
defending territories, the fairly even dispersion of nests and the fact
that non-breeders were usually found in similar places but presumably
these were not of a very unbending nature. The subspecies P. b. burnesii
(Blyth) occurs along the River Indus and its tributaries in Pakistan
(Roberts, 1991). and adjacent north-west India (Muhammad et al. ,
2010). Jerdon’s Babbler in Pakistan it is known from a considerably
wider area, spanning much of Punjab along the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab,
Ravi and Sutlej rivers, and extending down the Indus into southern Sind.
In the region People treat Indian Treepie as a bad sign and drive away,
kill and destroy the nest and nestlings (Aarif et al. , 2011). As
a pest of crops and predator on domestic animals there is no record
about it Other than the brief notes on its feeding preference on flowers
of red silk cotton (Bombax ceiba), Indian coral tree (Erythrina indica)
and fruits of jackal jujube (Zacharias and Gaston, 1983), and cashew
apple (Thirumurthy and Balashanmugam, 1987), predation of red palm
weevil Rhychophorus ferrugineus (Krishnakumar and Sudha, 2002),
cannibalism (Chhangani and Mohnot, 2004), and role in pollinating Bombax
(Chhangani and Mohnot, 2004), about its feeding habit nothing is known.
In the present effort, fed by the Indian Treepie information about the
pest items, is still not documented it is ignored in many terms In
Pakistan no documentation is seemed beside its distribution in different
regions. So aim of present study is to find out the foraging behaviour
of this common Treepie and role as enemy of pest of crops and fruites in
district Haripur.