Saving Finn’s Weaver: Anchoring student-led conservation for species at risk

How many of us know of the birds in our backyard? This includes birds that may be highly endangered and are hiding in plain sight.

At Nature Science Initiative (NSI), we have tried to address both these problems. We aim to encourage students to observe the birds in their surroundings and to raise awareness about bird species that are in critical need of conservation.

Finns Weaver at Gularbhoj (PC : Anirban Datta Gupta)

The Finn's Weaver lies among the four species of weaver birds found in our state of Uttarakhand, located in the unique wetlands of its Terai region. Only about 1000 of its individuals remain worldwide, and very little is known about its ecology and requirements. In Uttarakhand less than 50 pairs remain, where previously it was found abundantly across the Terai belts of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal and Assam.

The Finn's has a unique relationship with the Terai wetlands, where the Sarkhada grass found along these wetlands meets the Finn's specific nesting needs. Unlike its more famous cousin, the baya weaver, known for its polished nests, the Finn's tends to make more crude, open & exposed nests hanging at the top of the Sarkhada grass reed, making it more vulnerable to predation by other birds, such as crows and crow pheasants.

In fact, for over a decade in Uttarakhand, there are no successful breeding records of Finn's weaver. Adding to the complexity is that the reasons driving this bird's extinction are still relatively unknown, whether it's wetland encroachment by agriculture and industry, water pollution from sewage, plastics, and pesticides, or increased predation by crows.

NPS students birding with the NSI team at Gularbhoj (PC : Mukesh Kandpal)

NSI has been working with schools in the region for the past 2 years on the Wipro Earthian programme, and last year marked the very first time school students were taken to see the elusive Finns. We took Nanakmatta Public School (NPS) students to see the bird at Haripura Dam in Gularbhoj – a wetland located just 60 kms from their school. Our visit started a series of conversations led by school students on how to conserve endangered species such as Finn's weaver and also the super service-provider wetlands of the Terai region.

With this year marking another significant milestone, where, along with NPS, other local schools participating in the Earthian programme – including Little Scholars, Shining Star & GK Convent – also joined in to conserve the Finn's. All these schools are in the habitat of the Finn's weaver's range distribution. GK Convent is located a few metres away from the last known breeding site of Finn's Weaver at Haripura Reservoir. In another series of firsts, the schools participated in a joint-level meeting with the Forest, Irrigation & Revenue departments organised by NSI to draw up a plan of action for Finn's conservation, with these students leading the way. Little Scholars presented their findings on groundwater depletion, causes of wetland degradation and their restoration requirements. Similarly, NPS students pressed on the need for engaging local communities surrounding the bird for its conservation.

Students presenting at the joint meeting with Forest, Irrigation and Revenue Departments (PC : Mukesh Kandpal)

It's also no coincidence both these schools did extremely well in the Earthian 2023 edition, where NPS was selected in the Top 20 and Little Scholars in the Top 40 at the national level.

But more than the competition, it's the sense of stewardship and responsibility the students feel towards conservation and the scientific temperament they are building which is heartening to see.

In fact, this July too, NSI, along with the abovementioned schools, went to see the Finns at Gularbhoj, where, instead of experts at NSI showing students the birds, the students showed each other – collaboration in action and practice.

Students observing the Finns Weaver (PC : Harshdeep Singh)

Yet, there are many challenges when it comes to the Finns. Like this year too, we only saw the new nests made by the Finns, but no eggs or chicks could be seen. Similarly, surveying birds is a challenge, as they can only be easily identified in its bright yellow breeding plumage during the monsoon, while the rest of the year, it passes off as an inconspicuous-looking sparrow. Even where it is found remains a question, as, in spite of the wetlands dwindling in numbers, quite a few wetlands remain unsurveyed for Finn's weaver. The bird's shy nature makes it even harder to locate. Our local school partners for Earthian are now on the lookout for Finn's sightings at different wetland habitats.

However, we cannot say with certainty whether we will be able to save the Finn's weaver and to what extent. But what is surely certain is that when children from local communities are exposed to their natural surroundings and with the right mentoring, they can bring about change on the ground. They possess the capacity to take the lead and persuasively advocate for conservation, a feat that few adults can achieve.