Migratory birds start flocking to Kashmir wetlands

Srinagar, Nov 3: As winter has set in Kashmir, migratory birds from various European and Western countries have started arriving in this part of the world.

With this, a riot of colours and cackle will return to the wetland reserves of Jammu and Kashmir with the first arrivals of hundreds of migratory birds from far-off lands this year.

Maintaining a centuries-old tryst with Kashmir, the winged guests have started to arrive here from far-off lands in an attempt to escape the harsh winter months of other countries for the relatively less harsh cold of Kashmir.

Twelve lakh migratory birds from Eastern Europe and Central Asia visited Kashmir’s wetlands the previous year, as per the Wildlife Department Kashmir’s annual census.

Every year, the Wildlife Department Kashmir, in collaboration with several other agencies and stakeholders, conduct a census to determine the number of migratory birds that visit Kashmir during the winter.

“These hardy souls fly in from Siberia and China, as also the Philippines, Eastern Europe, and Japan,” officials of the Wildlife Wetlands Department said. “The winged visitors start arriving in the Valley towards the middle of October as Kashmir presents them a comparatively hospitable alternate habitat compared to the extreme freezing conditions in their natural habitats in the northern hemisphere.”

Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Brahminy Duck, Garganey, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Red-Crested Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, and Eurasian Wigeon are some of the most sighted birds in the wetlands of Kashmir.

As per officials, hundreds of migratory birds started arriving in Kashmir where they are staying in different wetlands.

These migratory birds are landing in the famous wetlands of Kashmir including Hokersar, Wular Lake, Haigam, Shalbugh, and other water bodies.

The visiting bird species stay in the wetlands of snow-bound Kashmir for five months during winter up to March before leaving for their respective regions.

During this period the wetlands reflect a crowded look, with hoots of different visiting species.

However, the threat of poaching to these birds over the years is a major concern for these migratory birds as well as the department, which according to the concerned officials has been stopped to a large extent.

“The migratory birds like every year started arriving in Kashmir and hundreds of these have reached wetlands of the Valley,” Wildlife Warden Wetlands Altaf Ahmad told Greater Kashmir.

He said that to provide a feasible ambience to these visiting avian guests, the Wildlife Department has taken several measures to maintain sufficient water levels in all the wetlands of the Valley.

“Poaching was one of the reasons that had caused some worry during the past few years. But during the past some time since the arrival of these migratory birds, the field staff of the department has increased their vigil reducing the poaching threat,” Ahmad said. “We increased our vigil, and are conducting regular checks around these wetlands to check the illegal hunting of these birds.”

He said that the department had formed squads to stop this illegal practice of killing migratory birds.

Besides Hokersar, the migratory birds flock the Wullar Lake and other wetlands like Hygam, Shallabugh, Pampore, Dal Lake, and Mirgund in surrounding areas, bringing cheer to bird watchers of the Valley.