About 37,000 migratory birds of 75 species have been spotted and they 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 Rajesh Chahal.
“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 bird counting, the northern lapwing was spotted for the first time in Sultanpur national park,” he added.
Talking to ‘The Pioneer’ over the phone, Chahal said that the migratory bird species that were sighted in the park this year include 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 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. Following the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and bird flu, the department of forest (wildlife) has not yet decided to open up the bird sanctuary for visitors.
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.
Chahal further said that as many as 75 species of birds were seen during the week-long second round of bird watching trip held recently. This year, 37,000 migratory birds of 75 against 80 species visited the park during the same period last year. About 45,000 migratory birds were spotted in Sultanpur National Park (Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary), Najafgarh drain and jheel (lakes).
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. We have been spotting many rare birds due to less pollution this year, 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 reptile 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 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.
When contacted the 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 season, the temperatures in Haryana make it a suitable landscape for migratory birds coming from harsh climates of Siberia and other parts of the world, he said, adding that many species like Siberian Cranes, Greater Flamingo, Ruff, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Red-breasted Flycatcher prefer India during winters.