2026-10-03

As part of the ongoing environmental educational initiative "Wings of Awareness"—a joint conservation drive led by the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences (TIES) and Buimerc India Foundation—students from St. Joseph’s HS Mattakkara participated in an engaging outdoor birdwatching and ecological field session.

A total of 46 students gathered in the lush surrounding landscapes of Mattakkara and Akalakunnam for an active biodiversity exploration. Expert Ornithologist Sarath Babu led the field session, providing detailed instructions on core bird identification techniques, structural features, and recognizing avian calls in their native habitat.

To complement the outdoor observations with modern data tools, TIES Communication Officer Nissa Mariam conducted a practical demonstration on using the CROW App. Students were guided through the digital platform to log species sightings in real time, enabling them to actively submit field data as citizen scientists toward regional biodiversity mapping efforts.

Exploring the diverse habitats around Mattakkara and Akalakunnam, the team successfully recorded 25 distinct bird species, featuring key sightings such as: Plum-headed Parakeet, Black-hooded Oriole, Baya Weaver, White-rumped Munia, Purple Heron.

The field program was conducted with the full support and leadership of the school administration and faculty. Headmistress Sr. Rinta Sebastian, alongside teachers Reny, Joice, Anoop, and Sr. Annie Therese, accompanied the students and managed logistics throughout the exercise. By transforming the local neighborhood into an interactive living classroom, the workshop successfully fostered a deep appreciation for wildlife documentation and local ecological stewardship among the young participants.