Lord Shiva's messenger Nilkanth may disappear on Vijayadashami in coming decades

ASANSOL. Seeing the Nilkanth bird on Vijayadashami is considered auspicious. In the Puranas, it is called the messenger of Lord Shiva. It is believed that this bird delivers the message of Goddess Durga's departure to Lord Shiva. According to another belief, Lord Shiva took the form of the Nilkanth bird and blessed Lord Rama with victory. Seeing Nilkanth is considered extremely auspicious and propitious. Lord Shiva's blessings always remain upon the person. This bird is called the Indian Roller in English. Its scientific name is Coracias benghalensis, Sanskrit name Neelkanth, and in Telugu, it is called Pala-pitta. It is the state bird of Odisha, Telangana, and Karnataka. Its numbers have declined sharply in recent years. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has moved it from the 'Least Concern' category to the 'Near Threatened' category. Over the past 12 years, its population has decreased by 30 percent to 41.5 percent. The main reasons for its decline are rapid urbanization, deforestation, and the reduction of grasslands. It lays eggs in the hollow trunks of old and tall trees. The number of such trees is continuously decreasing. The use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in fields is destroying its food source—insects, grasshoppers, and beetles. Eating contaminated insects adversely affects their reproductive capacity. Electromagnetic radiation emitted from mobile phone towers is also affecting their reproductive capacity. Until 2012-13, Nilkanth was frequently seen in the western districts, but it has been declining since then.