Dasara bird poaching in Telangana is putting Indian Pittas and White-throated Kingfishers at risk, with wildlife activists urging the Forest Department to track social-media posts showing captive birds and act against those responsible.
The concern has emerged alongside efforts to prevent the capture of Indian Rollers, the state bird of Telangana, Karnataka and Odisha. The belief that sighting an Indian Roller brings good luck during Dasara has contributed to the capture and display of the species, according to the report by Telangana Today.
The Indian Roller’s population has continued to decline, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the bird in the “Near Threatened” category in 2025, moving it from “Least Concern”. The Forest Department and wildlife conservation organisations in Telangana had focused on preventing Indian Roller poaching ahead of the festival.
During that work, conservationists also found reports of people capturing White-throated Kingfishers and Indian Pittas, which migrate to southern India around October. Several social-media posts reportedly showed Indian Pittas, colourful passerine birds that breed in the Himalayan foothills and parts of Pakistan and Nepal, being kept in captivity.
Santoshi Pradeep, a wildlife activist and founding member of the Animal Warriors Conservation Society, said the birds became exhausted after flying for hours from northern India to Telangana. She said some Indian Pittas had crashed into high-rise building balconies after hitting glass facades, while others were being kept in captivity for display during Dasara.
Several people reportedly made reels featuring Indian Pittas during the festival and posted them online. Pradeep called on the Forest Department to track the posts and initiate action against those responsible. The reported incidents also show how urban structures and online visibility are becoming part of the risks faced by migratory birds during seasonal movement.
The confusion extends beyond the Indian Pitta and White-throated Kingfisher. One person who captured a blue-tailed bee-eater reportedly posted its image on social media while claiming that it was an Indian Roller. The Forest Department’s response to the social-media posts and the reported bird captures will determine the next steps in the matter.
