Frugivorous birds and mammalian pests of cultivated fig, Ficus carica L. in Punjab, India

Abstract

The present paper discusses the frugivorous bird and mammalian pest species on cultivated fig. Ficus carica L. in Punjab, India. This study was conducted for 10 years from 2014 to 2024. A total of 11 frugivorous pests including 9 bird species namely; Indian Grey Hornbill Ocyceros birostris (Scopoli), Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopacea (Linnaeus), House Crow Corvus splendens (Vieillot), Jungle Babbler Turdoides striata (Dumont), Red-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus), Common Myna Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus), Brown-headed Barbet Megalaima zeylanica (Gmelin), Coppersmith Barbet Megalaima haemacephalus (Statius Muller), Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri (Scopoli) falling under 5 orders and 8 families and two mammals (Indian flying fox. Pteropus giganteus (Brunnich) and Northern palm squirrel. Funambulus pennantii (Wroughton) were recorded to act as pests of fruits of F. carica at the three locations of the Punjab state, India. Passeriformes was found to be the dominating amongst all with birds of four families damaging the fruits. Amongst all, Rose-ringed parakeet and Northern palm squirrel were observed causing significant damage to the fruits throughout the fruiting season. Rose-ringed parakeet was observed causing damage at all the three locations surveyed. All the recorded species are of least concern status as per IUCN. These pests caused 18.3-29.4 per cent damage on fig fruits at different locations in Punjab.