Mercury dips, migratory birds flock to Jharkhand waterbodies

Around 25,000 to 30,000 migratory birds visit the water bodies of the state every year.

As the temperature is going down in Jharkhand, chirping of migratory birds has started filling the atmosphere in and around two dozen odd waterbodies of the state, that host the winged guests from countries with colder climates.

Bird watchers are now flocking dams and lakes where species such as red-headed pochard, tufted duck and white-browed bulbul have reached.

“They come to places like Jharkhand in search of food and to protect themselves from extreme cold in Central Asia, Himalayan Region, Mongolia and Tibetan plateau,” Satya Prakash, Jharkhand coordinator of Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), told PTI.

Migratory birds make Topchanchi Lake, Tilliya and Maithan Dams (all in Dhanbad), Kanke and Rukka Dams (Ranchi), Dimna Lake (Jamshedpur), Baska Dam (Chatra) Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary (Sahibganj) and other waterbodies of the state their temporary home during the winter.

Prakash, who is also the state coordinator of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), said, “The birds find the weather condition suitable for their survival in Jharkhand, as the temperature is conducive for them,” he said.

Presently, Jharkhand’s minimum temperature is hovering between 10 degrees Celsius and 13 degrees C, while the maximum is between 26 degrees C and 29 degrees C, according to Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

Founder of Birdsbuddy, a group of bird lovers, Shiv Shankar Goswami, said that they have found common pochard, red-headed pochard, tufted duck, bar-headed goose, greylag goose, great crested grebe, white-fronted goose, redstart, Himalayan Griffon in Hazaribag's Chadwa dam and Ranchi's Dhurwa dam.