Birds this season prefer safety over water availability

The display of intelligence by migratory birds this season has delighted foresters and bird watchers this season and they say the water birds have seemed to have chosen safety as their first preference over water availability.

Though large-sized lakes and massive reservoirs are brimming with water overtaking storage levels at bird sanctuaries, the majority of migratory birds have congregated more at protected bird sanctuaries ignoring the other water catchment areas. 

Thanks to the good rains, the birds have ditched their temporary spots this year preferring to stay at less congested and undisturbed areas, TN foresters said amid gearing up for the annual synchronised bird census scheduled next month.

“When there is sporadic rain across the State, bird migration is decentralised or scattered. This year, several water bodies are full with abundant fish, but the birds have ascended more in protected sites,” said KVRK Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust. 

The general perception among bird watchers is that more water means more arrival of birds, but this calculation often goes wrong. Though lakes and reservoirs are brimming this season, birds have mostly chosen undisturbed safe habitats protected as bird sanctuaries. 

For example, birds like the Pelican regularly visit Maruvathur and Maduranthagam tanks when Vedanthangal is scanty, but now all the tanks have abundant water and most of the birds have chosen Vedanthangal hinting that the sanctuary is their first choice.

Though bird sanctuaries have less water when compared to lakes and reservoirs located inside cities and rural areas, birds continue to choose their safety first avoiding water bodies sandwiched inside concrete jungles,” explained Thirunaranan.

“Migratory birds do practice adaptations and sighting them in lakes and reservoirs outside protected forests is something common but their general preference will be a natural eco spot. Only when the bird sanctuaries are dry do the birds explore man-made reservoirs and lower stream lakes,” anti-poaching watcher and bird tracker Raghavan of Udayamarthandapuram bird sanctuary said.