North, Delta region record dip in migratory birds

While pockets of northern and delta regions recorded a marginal dip in the number of migratory birds, the winged visitors flocked the water bodies in southern and western Tamil Nadu. Koonthankulam bird sanctuary in Tirunelveli recorded migration to its peak. More than 4,000 painted storks have nested, and 2,100 pelicans have nestedthis season.

“As usual, the bar-headed goose, comb duck, wigeon, shovellers, pintail, common teal and shanks have arrived in large numbers,” said Bal Pandi a seasoned bird watcher in Tirunelveli district. This year the season is encouraging, and even on Friday new flocks of painted storks have arrived in Koonthankulam, Bal Pandi added.

“The department has been recording the bird movement for the past few years and the data taken before and after the cyclone Gaja is crucial to study the ecological damage caused by the cyclone in the delta region. Based on the previous year data related to birds and the loss of greenery the forest department has already taken up several restoration works including the Padukai teak plantation along Cauvery river bank. Again, this year Census data is crucial for the department to scale up the restoration works in cyclone-hit sanctuaries coming under forest department”, said conservator of forest, S Ramasubramanian, Thanjavur circle.

Foresters also documented birds in Vaduvur and Uthayamarthadapuram bird sanctuaries and Muthupet Lagoon, coming under Thanjavur and Tiruvarur forest divisions. “Thiruvarur foresters have engaged wildlife enthusiasts, bird watchers, college students and members from Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Trichy for the census. The event was inaugurated by District Forest officer K Arivoli. An interaction on bird watching and water hole census for the migratory birds was conducted ahead of the census program,” said a forest department official.

“Post Gaja there is a clear change in migration pattern and the impact on birdlife needs further studies. The enumerated number of migratory species have been identified and the same will be handed over to forest department for documentation”, said A Kumaraguru, conservation scientist, Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Trichy.