70% drop in migratory birds frequenting city

 

 

 

“The number of migratory birds that once frequented the city’s lakes is fast reducing due to habitat loss and change inthe ecosystem. In the past 10 years, the city has lost nearly 70% such birds,” a study jointly conducted by Maharashtra State Biodiversity Board (MSBB), Nagpur Forest Division, and ‘Birds of Vidarbha’ has claimed. In the recently held water bird census conducted by the MSBB, a large number of city birders enthusiastically participated. For this study, 63 birders, divided in 19 teams. The study covered 30 lakes in Nagpur district for the purpose of the census. The exercise covered 4,279 birds and 75 species of birds were counted this year. “There is 60% to 70% decline in the number of birds this year as compared to the first census held in 2014-15,” Avinash Londhe, Honorary Wildlife Warden and Founder Administrator of ‘Birds of Vidarbha’ told The Hitavada. The first Water Bird Census was held in December 2014 and January 2015 in two phases, which covered 13,746 birds and 86 species of birds counted in first phase and 11,062 with 77 species in second phase.

 

“Excess of fishing, illegal mining near lakes, poaching of birds, tree felling on shore of lakes, illegal farming on dry bed of lakes are the major threat to the habitat loss of wetland and breeding of shore birds,” Londhe added. City witnesses more than 1,200 Bar Headed Geese on Paradgaon lake in 2012 and more than 6,000 birds on a single Wena lake. Before Covid-19 pandemic we saw 600 to 800 Bar Headed Geese throughout the season which is a huge decline, said the bird expert. “Loss of habitat of migrated birds in Nagpur district were noticed at Saiki, Dahegaon, Paradgaon, Khapri, Chargaon, Wena, Satnaori, Katlabodi and Surabuldi lakes which were the key lakes for breeding of these birds,” said Londhe. The Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC), which was constituted to maintain and develop wetlands of the city, has not yet conducted its meeting for the last six months.

 

Lack of co-ordination between all stakeholders is the biggest reason behind decrease in number of migrated birds in the district, said the Honorary Wildlife Warden. It is the high time to think about conservation of our wetlands in the district or we will loss many lakes in coming decade. Migrated birds use the wetlands for breeding and we are loosing these wetlands due to poor management, he added. In the census some noteworthy sightings were also recorded. The team of birders comprising of Avinash Londhe, Venktesh Mudliyar and Parag Pawar saw a Greater Fish Eagle and Dusky Eagle Owl on a lake near Nagpur. Both birds are very less in numbers and its sighting is also rare. A flock of 173 Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) was also sighted on Saiki lake and a flock of 230 Red Crested Pochard on Koradi Lake by the participants. A flock of 10-12 numbers of Black Stork at Paradgaon lake is encouraging to the birders of the city.