Migratory birds start arriving in Kashmir

Hundreds of birds from Siberia, China, Philippines, Eastern Europe and Japan have started arriving in the valley to escape the harsh winter months of other countries for Kashmir's relatively mild winter.

Srinagar(J&K): Keeping age-old association with Kashmir in winters alive, hundreds of migratory birds have flocked to the valley from distant regions in an attempt to escape the harsh winter months of other countries for Kashmir's relatively mild winter. Hundreds of feathered guests from European and Western countries have started arriving in this part of the world much to the delight of bird lovers.

According to officials, these birds arrive in Kashmir from Siberia, China, the Philippines, Eastern Europe, and Japan. The feathered visitors usually start arriving in Kashmir in mid-October. Birds like Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Brahminy Duck, Garganey, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Common Merganser, Northern Pintail, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Pochard, Red-Crested Pochard, Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Common Teal, and Eurasian Wigeon have been sighted in the water bodies of Kashmir.

These birds have started making famous wetlands of Kashmir including Hokarsar, Wular Lake, Haigam, Shalbugh, and other water bodies their winter home. These birds stay in the water bodies of Kashmir for five months before leaving for their respective territories in March. However, over the years, the threat of poaching of these birds has been a major concern for the Wildlife department in Kashmir, which has been curbed to a large extent according to the authorities concerned.

"Like every year, the migratory birds have started arriving in Kashmir and hundreds of them have reached the wetlands of Kashmir. It's just the beginning. The number will gradually increase. We hope that new guests will also come," Wildlife Warden (Wetlands) Afshan Dewan told ETV Bharat on phone. She said that in order to provide a viable environment to these visitors, the Wildlife Department has taken several measures to maintain adequate water levels in all water bodies of Kashmir.

"Poaching was one of the reasons that caused some concern during the last few years. But after the arrival of these birds in the last few years, the department's field staff has increased vigilance thereby reducing the risk of poaching," Dewan said.