Some of the migratory birds flocking our country in winter season are Siberian Cranes, Northern Pintail, Yellow and White Wagtail, Flamingo, Black winged Stilt, Common Teal, Common Greenshank, Rosy Pelican, Bluethroat, Gadwall, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Black tailed Godwit and Starling. Very recently, various closed canopy birds such as Thrushes have also been spotted in and around Delhi.
Temporary Habitats
The birds are generally attracted to pollution-free atmosphere of green forests and grassy swamps. So the bird sanctuaries in India act as their temporary locale. Tourists across the country throng these parks to drown in the beauty of the rare species of birds. The birds start migrating after putting on enough fat to sustain throughout the journey and when they feel the tailwind is favourable. Only severe weather conditions can halt their journey once they have set out.
The wildlife sanctuaries in India witness a surge in the avifaunal species with the arrival of the winter season. However, a number of factors have led to a gradual decline of these winged guests in almost all bird sanctuaries. The number of species of migratory birds at the Okhla Bird Sanctuary decreased from 38 last January to 22 this year. Fluctuations in the water-level here could be one of the reasons for this decrease.
The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary in Gurgaon and the Aravalli Biodiversity Park in Vasant Vihar also received only few species of the migratory birds this month. The scenario is a bit better at the Yamuna Biodiversity Park where around 4,000 birds have arrived.
The Chilika Lake of Odisha is also witnessing a dwindling trend in the number of these winged guests. Climatic changes contribute to the migration of birds and the effect of cyclone Phailin could be a major factor for this decline in Odisha. According to a divisional forest officer of Chilika Wildlife Division, the annual bird count conducted recently recorded around 7.19 lakh birds belonging to 58 species against 8.77 lakh birds of 180 species in 2013. Moreover, no new species of birds were noticed in the lake this year.
Despite a ban on the poaching and netting of migratory birds, villagers in several parts of the country continue to kill bird for food and money. Bar-Headed Geese is an example of a rare species due to rampant poaching. Policies on wetlands across the country also call for strict monitoring.
picture courtesy- newsonair & wikipedia