Okhla bird sanctuary on river Yamuna this year has not arrived any winter migratory water bird species till this October due to its degradation over the years.
Making this assertion, ecologist, ornithologist and conservationist T K Roy said four square kilometer areas sanctuary contains 70% wetland and 30% terrestrial habitat. It falls under Central Asian Flyway for long distant winter migratory water birds as well Indian resident water bird species diversity in large number and some Indian migratory.
Okhla dam being good wetland habitat for Indian resident & migratory water bird species diversity was notified under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as Okhla Bird Sanctuary by Uttar Pradesh Government in the year 1990 has now turned into most degraded bird sanctuary in NCR of Delhi during last few years, he said.
Due to continuous degrading wildlife habitat by mismanagement and made several concretize structures on the habitat but no development of wildlife habitat, the sanctuary turned into most disturbed Entertainment Park, Roy said.
Often dries up wetland and declining forest patch besides climate change impact animal dive, he said adding bird species diversity declined to smaller with least population.
As per present status of the sanctuary, it recorded almost dried wetland habitat and only following few resident water bird species in small number as well terrestrial resident bird species in few number of the species, Roy said.
Resident water birds include Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Purple Swamphen, Common Moorhen, Cattle Egret, Intermediate Egret, Indian Pond Heron, Red-wattled Lapwing, Grey Heron, White-brested Waterhen and Black-winged Stilt.
Resident most common terrestrial birds include smaller or few in number Rose-ring Parakeet, Indian Peafowl, Grey Francolin, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Black Drongo, Black Kite, Coppersmith Barbet, Jungle Babbler, Ashy Prinia, Red-vented Bulbul, Common Myna, Asian Pied Starling, Pied Bushchat, Purple Sunbird and Greater Coucal.
