Nandkumar M. Kamat
There are three months to go before southwest monsoon showers hit Goa, but there are already signs of an unprecedented heat wave. The capital city of Panaji has recorded some of the highest temperatures in the past few weeks. The searing summer sun has laid siege upon Goa’s lush landscape, turning once vibrant fields and wetlands into brittle, cracked earth. The streams that once gurgled through the countryside have slowed to a trickle or disappeared entirely, and the freshwater ponds where birds once found respite are vanishing under the merciless heat.
The gravity of this crisis is not just an abstract statistic—it is a matter of survival for over 450 bird species that call Goa home, many of which are already struggling due to habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
Birds, much like humans, cannot survive without water. As temperatures soar beyond their historical norms and heat waves grip the state with unprecedented intensity, water sources that sustain bird populations in forests, wetlands, villages, and cities are drying up. Without immediate intervention, the consequences will be devastating.
Dr. Salim Ali, India’s legendary ornithologist, once remarked, “The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans.” That quality of life is intrinsically tied to the birds that share our spaces, pollinate plants, control insect populations, and fill our mornings with their songs. Their disappearance is not just an ecological tragedy but a warning sign of a larger collapse of the natural order.
As the summer crisis deepens, a simple yet transformative act can offer salvation: providing fresh water for birds through the widespread installation of bird baths across Goa’s urban and rural landscapes. A small, well-placed dish of clean water can mean the difference between life and death for birds struggling to find hydration. This is not an ornamental luxury—it is an urgent necessity. The Bandora Biodiversity Management Committee led this initiative on February 1 by launching a bird bath movement in Bandoda village. The other 204 biodiversity management committees need to follow their example.
Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall has said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” At this moment, the difference that needs to be made is clear. Goa needs a Bird Bath Movement—a community-driven initiative where every citizen, school, temple, mosque, church, hotel, and government office places and maintains bird baths to offer relief to our avian cohabitants.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of heat waves, and birds are among the first casualties. Dr. George Schaller, a pioneering field biologist, observed, “Conservation is not about nature. It is about people. If people don’t take responsibility, nothing will change.” In Goa, the responsibility now falls upon the people who enjoy watching the Indian paradise flycatcher dance through the trees or the white-bellied sea eagle scanning the coast for fish. It is time to move beyond admiration and take meaningful action.
Wildlife biologist and author Carl Safina, in his book ‘Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel’, reminds us that animals are not merely biological entities—they have emotions, fears, and sufferings just as we do. “They have joys. They have miseries. And they need us to care.” A bird in distress due to dehydration does not call out in words but in weakened wings, slowed reflexes, and desperate, fruitless searches for water. To ignore this suffering when the solution is so simple, is a failure of empathy and responsibility.
A Bird Bath Movement is an initiative that can be implemented at every level of society. The citizens of Goa—birdwatchers, students, shopkeepers, farmers, teachers, and families—can place small water bowls in shaded locations, ensuring they are cleaned and refilled daily. Goa’s temples, churches, mosques, and community halls can integrate this practice as part of their social and environmental responsibilities, much as they already provide water for thirsty travellers. Schools can make this an environmental awareness project, engaging students in citizen science by monitoring bird visits and recording data on species sightings. Resorts and restaurants, which attract both domestic and international tourists, can place bird baths in their gardens, aligning with eco-tourism principles that enhance Goa’s reputation as a haven for nature lovers.
Dr. David Attenborough, the legendary natural historian, has long emphasised the role of individual action in conservation. “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” The beauty of a bird bath initiative is that it brings people closer to nature, fostering a sense of connection and responsibility. Imagine children waking up to see a pair of tailorbirds dipping their beaks into a water dish, or elderly residents in Mapusa watching the return of the koel, refreshed and revitalised, its call ringing through the
mango trees.
Moreover, the spiritual significance of offering water to birds transcends religious and cultural boundaries. In Hinduism, the act of ‘Jala Daan’ (offering water) is considered among the highest forms of charity. Prophet Muhammad spoke of a man who earned divine mercy for quenching the thirst of a dog, teaching that kindness to all living beings is sacred. In Christianity, the Gospel of Matthew declares, “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will not lose their reward.” The Sikh Guru Granth Sahib exalts water as a divine gift, urging humanity to preserve and respect it. In Buddhism, compassion towards all beings, including birds and animals, is a core teaching, and ensuring their well-being is an act of spiritual merit.
Ecologists studying urban wildlife have found that access to artificial water sources during heat waves can significantly reduce mortality among birds and small mammals. A study in Arizona’s desert region demonstrated that strategically placed bird baths increased bird survival rates by 60% during extreme temperatures. If a similar approach is adopted in Goa, the results could be lifesaving. This is not just about preventing suffering today but about securing the future of Goa’s birdlife for generations to come. Birds play crucial ecological roles: sunbirds and mynas pollinate flowers, owls and kites keep rodent populations in check, and kingfishers and herons maintain the balance of wetland ecosystems. Their survival ensures our own environmental stability.
Renowned Indian ornithologist and former director of the Bombay Natural History Society Dr. Asad Rahmani once said, “A bird-friendly environment is a human-friendly environment. If birds are in trouble, humans are next.” The warning signs are already here—disappearing water sources, vanishing greenery, rising temperatures. The fate of birds today could foreshadow the struggles of human communities tomorrow.
The first rains of the monsoon will eventually drench the thirsty earth, rivers will swell, and trees will bloom again. But between now and then, what we choose to do will define our legacy. Will we allow the birds to suffer silently, or will we become their guardians, providers, and protectors? The choice is ours. The time is now. Let Goa rise with the call of the birds, and let the Bird Bath Movement flow like the first welcome drops of rain in a parched summer sky.
