As many as 28,026 migratory birds have chosen 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 Rajesh Chahal. As many as 124 bird species have already arrived here, while some like Greater spotted eagle, Red headed falcon, Imperial eagle, Common kestrel, white tailed lapwing, Black tailed godwit have been spotted here after several years, he added.
Haryana Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF), Wildlife, ML Rajvanshi said that India is one of the most favourable landscapes for varied bird species to breed and nurture in particular seasons. During this winter season, the year began with January recording the highest number of cold wave days and breaking the record of many years for the highest rainfall witnessed that month. The temperatures in Haryana makes it a suitable landscape for migratory birds coming from harsh climates of Siberia and other parts of the world, he added.
Chahal 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 department of forest (wildlife) has opened the bird sanctuary for visitors since November 1. “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. During week long bird counting which concluded recently on January 30, migratory birds like Greater spotted eagle, Red headed falcon, Imperial eagle, Common kestrel, white tailed lapwing, Black tailed godwit were spotted for the first time in Sultanpur national park,” he added.
The wildlife officer said that 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 thousands of miles to these wetlands for resting and feeding.
He further 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. The ‘Duck Point’ is the most attractive spot in the park. Other wetlands in the region are also developing to attract more birds.”
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.
Another wildlife officer said that like always, this winter too, hundreds 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’s because these birds can easily search for food in shallow waters,” he added.