The Haiderpur wetland is home to more than 300 bird species, 90 plus of them being migratory birds that visit in winters. This wetland is also a stopover site for migratory birds in Central Asian Flyway. It is fed by the Ganga river and a smaller stream Saloni river (it originates near Shukrataal, about 23 kms to the north-northeast of the barrage) and is part of the Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary. The wetland stretches across 3,000 acres — with a core area of 1,200 acres — from both Muzaffarnagar and Bijnor districts.According to ebird.org, a crowd-sourced database of birds, Chinese Rubythroat (Calliope tschebaiewi) male is gray above with a bright red throat, black chest, and white belly. It has white eyebrows and moustache stripe, as well as white panels and edges on a black tail. Female is duller, cold gray-brown above with a white belly and throat.”Breeds in alpine and subalpine open areas with scattered scrub and boulders; preferred habitat averages higher and more open than Himalayan. Winters in lowland scrub. Song is a series of loud rich warbles, which average shorter and less varied than those of Himalayan Rubythroat,” it said.Haiderpur wetland is a designated Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), and the Uttar Pradesh government has already submitted its proposal to get a Ramsar Site tag for the same.
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