The lush green landscape in the inter-state capital region of Chandigarh has become a favored abode for an impressive variety of bird species. The area is home to 397 species of resident and migratory bird species, including a number of threatened species.
The inter-State capital region of Chandigarh includes areas of the city and 40 km radius around it covering parts of neighboring States of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
According to the inter-State capital region Chandigarh bird list as on May 2013, 397 varied bird species have been spotted so far. The city-based Avian Habitat and Wetland Society (AHWS) and avian experts from Himachal Pradesh have updated the bird list of the region increasing the count to 397 from previous 314, recorded in the year 2009.
The bird list includes a variety of Grebes Cormorants & Darters, Egrets Herons Bitterns Storks and Ibis, Geese & Ducks, Kites, Eagles, Hawks, Buzzards, Falcons, Harriers & Vultures, Galliformes, Waders, Rails, Crakes, Gallinules, Gulls, Terns, Sandgrouse and Pigeons, Parakeets, Cuckoos and Malkohas and Koel, Nightjars and Owls, Hornbills, Woodpeckers, Piculet, Wryneck, Bee-eaters and Barbets, Rollers and Kingfishers, Mynas, Babblers, Flycatchers, leaf Warblers, Pipits, Sparrows and Weavers, Wagtails, White- Eyes and Sunbirds, Buntings among others.
According to the survey conducted by the AWHS and other avian experts from the region, near-threatened species and threatened species falling in the category of critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable bird species are also found in the region. These include Redheaded Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, laggar Falcon, Black-headed Ibis, Black-necked Stork, Egyptian Vulture, Cinereous Vulture, Black-tailed Godwit among others.
The survey has also listed 29 species of migratory birds which are a common sight in winter in the region. These include Common Pochard, Black-Winged Stilt, Common Moorhen, Rudy Shelduck, Spot-Billed Duck, Common Teal, Nortern Shoveller, little Cormorant, Common Coot, Barheaded Geese, Gadwall, Northern Pintail, Greater Cormorant and Others.
Of the total 397 bird species found in the region, about 200 bird species have been spotted in city's Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary that spreads over an area of around 26 sq km.
While talking to The Pioneer, Narbir Singh, an environment enthusiastic and vice-president of Avian Habitat and Wetland Society (AHWS) said, "The inter-state capital region Chandigarh bird list updated as on May 2013 has found an impressive count of 397 avian species in the region."
He said, "Earlier, nearly three years back, the official count was 314 bird species in 2009 which has now increased to 397 bird species that are found in the region."
Narbir added, "The number is further likely to go up as the AHWS is conducting a year long study to compile data of resident and bird species in the forest area of Chandigarh."
As per the previous survey conducted by AHWS in 2009, 314 birds species were found and the new bird species identified included "fire-breasted flower pecker, speckeled piculet, pale-billed flower pecker, white-capped redstart, golden spectacled warbler, fire-fronted serin, black-throated accentor, lemon-rumped warbler, rufous-chinned laughing thrush, Asian brown flycatcher, northern house martin, rock bunting, whiskered yuhina and the blue-fronted redstart.
The survey by AHWS had also came up with the conclusions that important birding areas here needs protection, the advance of the lantana weed needs to be stopped and that carcass dumps like the one at Panchkula needs to be safeguarded from urbanisation.