Haryana’s two wetlands — Sultanpur National Park in Gurugram district and Bhindawas wildlife sanctuary in Jhajjar district — have been recognized as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Both of these wetlands provide an ideal winter home for a number of migratory birds as they contain sufficient food in the form of fish, molluscs, gastropods, arthropods, hydrophytes besides being ideal resting and roosting places for avifauna.
An official spokesperson said that every year nearly 50,000 migratory birds belonging to over 100 species arrive at Sultanpur from various parts of the world mainly Eurasia in search of feeding grounds and to pass the winter. In winter, the Sultanpur provides a picturesque panorama of migratory birds such as Sarus cranes, Demoiselle crane, northern pintail, northern shoveller, red-crested pochard, waders, gray lag goose, gadwall, Eurasian wigeon, black-tailed godwit etc, he added.
The spokesperson said that Sultanpur is also home to a number of rare and endangered species of resident birds including the common hoopoe, paddy-field pipit, purple sunbird, little cormorant, Indian cormorant, common spoonbill, grey francolin, black francolin, Indian roller, white-throated kingfisher, Indian spot-billed duck, painted stork, black-necked stork, white ibis, black-headed ibis, little egret, great egret, cattle egret, crested lark, red-vented bulbul, rose-ringed parakeet, red-wattled lapwing, shikra, Eurasian collared dove, red collared dove, laughing dove, spotted owlet, rock pigeon, magpie robin, greater coucal, weaver bird, bank mynah, common mynah and Asian green bee-eater. Red-naped, glossy and black ibis also add to the beauty of Sultanpur.
He informed that Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary is a freshwater wetland, also the largest in Haryana. More than 80 species of migratory and more than a hundred resident species have been recorded here. More than 40,000 migratory birds visit Bhindawas during winter. Bar Headed Goose flocks here in large numbers. Other winter visitors include Gray Lag goose, Northern pintail, Eurasian teals, Northern shovellers, Red Crested Pochards, white-tailed eagle (very rare), snew, warblers, Lesser and greater white-fronted goose, Greater white pelicans etc, he added.
The spokesperson further said that Bhindawas has tall trees of Eucalyptus and Babul which provide very good habitat for raptors including Oriental Honey-buzzard, crested serpentine eagle, Indian spotted eagle, Greater spotted eagle, common kingfisher, pied kingfisher and white-breasted kingfisher, night czar, dusky Eagle owl, pheasant tailed jacana, yellow legged button quails and francolins.
The State Government has carried out several development works at Sultanpur and Bhindawas wetlands like the construction of mounds, and the creation of small islands, he added. The spokesperson said that efforts are being made to improve vegetation in the area by planting more trees, which are popular with the birds like Ficus and kikar. There is no dearth of food in these wetlands and many resident birds have started breeding here. While Sarus crane has started breeding in Sultanpur; others like dusky eagle owl, herons and egrets love to nest and breed in Bhindawas.
He informed that both Sultanpur and Bhindawas form an important part of the ecological corridor and form the flyways for a number of migratory winter feathered guests. All migratory birds visiting India from various parts of the world, mainly Eurasia, rest here before moving to other places.