Receding water levels in lakes turn good breeding grounds for birds

Nagpur: The receding water levels in lakes is definitely bad news for farmers dependent on them for irrigation and other purposes, but the positive flip side is that the dry spaces of the water bodies have become a good breeding ground for resident and migratory birds like the Black-winged Stilt, the River Tern, the Little Tern, the Small Pratincole and the Plovers, who come visting in summer.
“During my regular visits to the water bodies surrounding the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Pandharkawda, especially the Saikheda lake, I have noticed an increase in the number of nests compared to the last few years,” says Ramzan Virani, honorary wildlife warden of Yavatmal.

Virani has demanded maintaining of the ecological balance of the Saikheda lake, which is also known for flamingos. The breeding population of these bird species faces threat as the spaces are equally used by farmers for cattle grazing, agriculture and fishing.

Pandharkawda deputy conservator of forests (DyCF) KM Abharna says, “We plan to do a drone surveillance of the area. We have also alerted farmers to be careful while entering these breeding grounds.”

Bird expert and Central India Bird Academy (CIBA) founder Dr Anil Pimplapure said, “Though it is the breeding season for water birds, there are reports from bird watchers about early breeding of these bird species.”

“Out of the cluster of dry lake spaces, these birds choose undisturbed areas for nesting. Scanty rains last year led to early drying of water bodies which worked to their advantage. The recent spell of rains has provided them with good food,” says Dr Pimplapure.

According to bird expert Nitin Marathe, breeding of these water birds happens in the month of May but in Pench, chicks of Little Tern and Brood of River Lapwing have been recorded in April, which has been observed after several years.

“The change in weather induces breeding in birds. This behaviour of birds can also be a prediction of early rains this year,” says Marathe.

ENDS