About 50,000 migratory birds of 82 species chose to nest at the Sultanpur National Park (Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary), located at Sultanpur village on Gurugram-Jhajjar highway, Gurugram, this winter season, said Sultanpur National park (Wildlife) Inspector Jyoti Kumar.

Talking to ‘The Pioneer’ over the Phone, Kumar said that like always, this winter too, thousands of species of rare birds that fly in from higher altitudes in search of food and shelter have made Haryana one of its favourite destinations. The State has a plethora of water bodies where these birds can easily be spotted. “Waterlogged fields get more birds than any bird sanctuary in Haryana. It is because these birds can easily search for food in shallow waters,” he added.

Kumar further said, “Every year, we conduct bird counting in the park to note the number of birds and the species that visit the area. This exercise helps us understand the pattern of migration and the ecology of the park.  The migratory bird species that were sighted in the park this year include northern Lapwing, Pelican, common coot bird, bar headed geese, greylag goose, pintail, northern shower, common pochard, painted stork, spoon bills, open bill stork, Ibis, common teal among many other species.  

The wildlife officer further said that the birds arrive during the winter migration season from about 29 countries between September and October and make a return journey by March.  The migratory birds had started arriving in the National park much before the onset of winter this year. As the park has an ideal habitat for birds, every year a large number of birds fly millions of miles to these wetlands for resting and feeding.

Kumar further said that as many as 82 species of birds were seen during the week-long second round of bird watching trip held recently. “This year, about 50, 000 migratory birds of 82 species visited the park. Some of the resident birds that were sighted on the bird counting day were white-throated kingfisher, red munia and black-winged stilt, among others. About 65,000 migratory birds arrived in 2022 while 60,000 in 2023,” he added.

The wildlife officer said, “There are over 600 species of fauna, including birds, amphibians and butterflies at the Sultanpur National Park. There are over 417 species of birds that have been reported from the park. Additionally, there are 16 mammal species, 40 species of butterflies, 16 reptiles and five amphibian species. Birds travel around this time of the year and return to the same wetland, if it suits them once. He further said that the migratory birds that usually fly into the park can be classified into three categories: waders (water dependent birds), ducks (require slightly deeper water) and warblers (prefer reeds).

According to State of India’s birds 2020, out of the 1,220 species of birds found in India, 280 of them are long-distance migrants, while 116 are the subcontinent migrants and the remaining species usually stay within the country borders, he added.

Asia Bird Census 2025 begins at Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary

Kumar further said that to monitor and preserve the region's wetland ecosystems and their avian inhabitants, the Haryana State Biodiversity Board, in a collaborative effort with global not-for-profit Wetlands International had launched the Asia Bird Census 2025 at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary on January 4. The Asian Waterbird Census is part of an international initiative to monitor waterbird populations and the health of wetlands across Asia. A team from Wetlands International South Asia (WISA) is coordinating the census. The census employed the visual encounter survey methodology. The bird experts, student volunteers, members of NGOs and officials of Forest and Wildlife Departments are participating in this census. The final reports on arrival of migratory birds will be released after January 19, he added.