As the occasional spells of rain are delaying the onset of summer this year, the migratory birds from trans-Siberian zones are extending their Terai sojourn. Had things become hot as usually happens this time round, these migratory birds would have already left the Himalayan State’s Terai pockets and returned to their natural habitats. Ideally, they arrive here in the plains from the subzero trans-Himalayan zones in October/November.
Subsequently, as the temperature rises up from mid-February onwards, they start leaving the warmer wetlands of Uttarakhand’s Terai belt. Among a variety of migratory birds which mostly visit here are Rudy Shell Duck, Common Pochard, Malard, Bar Headed Goose, Tufted Duck and Green Sand Piper, to name a few, as the forest officials concerned informed. Some of the areas of the Terai belt of Uttarakhand where the migratory birds can still be seen include Haripura jalasay, Nanakmatta dam, Sharda barrage and different parts of Ramgangar, around local rivers like Koshi, Begul and Boar, Tumria dam and several other artificial water bodies.
The migratory birds are being still seen in different parts of the Terai region this year, said NC Pant, SDO, the Terai-East forest division. The moderate temparature brought about by occasional rainspells is the cause why they are still staying put, he added. Such visits by the avian guests from far-off Siberia and the upper Himalayan region to the Terai landscape of Uttarakhand is a annual routine activity. However, what is interesting is that even the increasing human interference into wildlife has not deterred them from visiting this region of Uttarakhand.
These guests’ attraction to this region can be attributed to the Himalayan State’s rich natural resources, flora and fauna and abundant wetlands. These water bodies not just provide them with drinking water sources but necessary foods, the avian experts here maintain.