Express News Service
DEHRADUN: The first batch of about 50 members of the Ruddy Shelduk, popularly known as ‘Surkhab’ birds, arrived on Friday for a six month winter stay. As part of the tradition, the Chakrata forest department has beefed up the security around Asan Barrage.
Forest department sources said, “Since 2015, a total of 47,463 migratory foreign birds have enjoyed hospitality in Uttarakhand, courtesy of the forest department.” “During winters, 70 to 80 species of birds migrate from the high Himalayan region and cold regions of Europe to the Asan Barrage wetlands for a six-month stay,” Pradeep Saxena, a forester and bird expert of Chakrata forest division said. Of these, a group of 50 birds from Rudy Shelduk (Surkhab) have arrived on Friday.
“Out of these 80 species of birds, the bar-headed goose is the only rare quality bird that has mastered flying at altitudes of 5,000-6,000 metres above sea level and even up to 7,290 metres,” said Saxena. He further added, “Upon returning from a six-month stay, these birds have the quality of transmitting the message through a wonderful God-given sound, so that they gather their group and fly everyone together. If any bird in their group is missed, they cancel their flight that day”.
Saxena, who has been studying the behaviour of birds for the past 19 years, believes that nature has given these birds a unique ability. “Without any GPS or map, the birds reach the place in two months, covering a distance of more than 5,000 kilometres. Their conservation should be our top priority,” he said.
Asan wetland in Garhwal region, Bhimgoda Barrage in Haridwar, and Veerbhadra Barrage in Rishikesh are frequented by foreign birds. Surkhab is the first guest of Uttarakhand. It attracts tourists the most due to its golden feathers.
Grassy shrubs, Yamuna, lush green hilly areas around and mud islands create a favourable environment for birds. Purple swamphens, white-bellied herons, median egrets, yellow bitterns, black bitterns, painted storks, Asian Openbills, black storks, mallards, northern pintails, spot-billed ducks, tufted pochards, Eurasian wigeons, common moorhens, coots and black-winged kingfishers are the major species of birds that migrate regularly.
Seasonal visitorsAsan wetland in Garhwal region, Bhimgoda Barrage in Haridwar, and Veerbhadra Barrage in Rishikesh are frequented by foreign birds. Grassy shrubs, Yamuna, lush green hilly areas and mud islands create a favourable environment for birds. Purple swamphens, white-bellied herons, median egrets, yellow bitterns, black bitterns, painted storks, Asian openbills, black storks, mallards, northern pintails, spot-billed ducks, tufted pochards, Eurasian wigeons, common moorhens, coots, black-winged kingfishers are the major species of birds that migrate regularly.
DEHRADUN: The first batch of about 50 members of the Ruddy Shelduk, popularly known as ‘Surkhab’ birds, arrived on Friday for a six month winter stay. As part of the tradition, the Chakrata forest department has beefed up the security around Asan Barrage.
Forest department sources said, “Since 2015, a total of 47,463 migratory foreign birds have enjoyed hospitality in Uttarakhand, courtesy of the forest department.” “During winters, 70 to 80 species of birds migrate from the high Himalayan region and cold regions of Europe to the Asan Barrage wetlands for a six-month stay,” Pradeep Saxena, a forester and bird expert of Chakrata forest division said. Of these, a group of 50 birds from Rudy Shelduk (Surkhab) have arrived on Friday.
“Out of these 80 species of birds, the bar-headed goose is the only rare quality bird that has mastered flying at altitudes of 5,000-6,000 metres above sea level and even up to 7,290 metres,” said Saxena. He further added, “Upon returning from a six-month stay, these birds have the quality of transmitting the message through a wonderful God-given sound, so that they gather their group and fly everyone together. If any bird in their group is missed, they cancel their flight that day”.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Saxena, who has been studying the behaviour of birds for the past 19 years, believes that nature has given these birds a unique ability. “Without any GPS or map, the birds reach the place in two months, covering a distance of more than 5,000 kilometres. Their conservation should be our top priority,” he said.
Asan wetland in Garhwal region, Bhimgoda Barrage in Haridwar, and Veerbhadra Barrage in Rishikesh are frequented by foreign birds. Surkhab is the first guest of Uttarakhand. It attracts tourists the most due to its golden feathers.
Grassy shrubs, Yamuna, lush green hilly areas around and mud islands create a favourable environment for birds. Purple swamphens, white-bellied herons, median egrets, yellow bitterns, black bitterns, painted storks, Asian Openbills, black storks, mallards, northern pintails, spot-billed ducks, tufted pochards, Eurasian wigeons, common moorhens, coots and black-winged kingfishers are the major species of birds that migrate regularly.
Seasonal visitors
Asan wetland in Garhwal region, Bhimgoda Barrage in Haridwar, and Veerbhadra Barrage in Rishikesh are frequented by foreign birds. Grassy shrubs, Yamuna, lush green hilly areas and mud islands create a favourable environment for birds. Purple swamphens, white-bellied herons, median egrets, yellow bitterns, black bitterns, painted storks, Asian openbills, black storks, mallards, northern pintails, spot-billed ducks, tufted pochards, Eurasian wigeons, common moorhens, coots, black-winged kingfishers are the major species of birds that migrate regularly.
