
Spanish sparrow spotted at Ponnani
The Hindu
Experts say it was sighted for the first time in South India
Spanish sparrow, a passerine bird found in the Mediterranean region, was spotted at Ponnani the other day. It was the first sighting of the exotic bird in South India.
A migrant bird, the Spanish sparrow used to be seen in the northern parts of India during winter. “But it was the first time that we could spot the bird in Kerala,” said Jayan Thomas, an ophthalmologist from Kannur whose love of bird-watching brought him to Ponnani the other day.

Under the NBS, newborns are screened for communication disorders before they are discharged from the hospital. For this, AIISH has collaborated with several hospitals to conduct screening which is performed to detect hearing impairment and other developmental disabilities that can affect speech and language development. The screening has been helping in early intervention for those identified with the disorders, as any delay in the identification poses risk and affects successful management of children with hearing loss, according to AIISH.