New shallow water body in Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary records arrival of 32 species of migratory birds

CHANDIGARH: Since the World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is celebrated to raise awareness to conserve migratory birds and their habitat, Chandigarh wildlife life wing has done exactly that this year by creating new shallow water body in Sukhna Wild life Sanctuary, which as per the latest record issued by the department has registered birds of some 32 species of migratory birds this year. These species include Common Pochard, Rudy Shelduck, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Spot Billed Duck, Cormorants, Pied Kingfisher, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Black winged stilts, Red-napped Ibis, Common Moorhen, Large Egret, Intermediate Egret, Pond Heron, Cattle Egret, White-throated Kingfisher, Red wattled Lapwing, Comb Duck, White breasted Water Hen, Wagtails, Lesser Whistling Duck, Common Teal, Bar-headed Geese, Wire tailed Swallow, Streak-throated Swallow, Streaked weaver, Green shank, Common snipe, Common Redshank, Temminck’s stint and Little stint.
The migratory birds descend Chandigarh every year from Siberia, Central Asia, China, Afghanistan and the upper Himalayas. Their stay lasts from mid November till March or April end.
According to officials, main reason cited behind creating this lake was to provide a stable and disturbance free habitat to these winged guests. The issue of variations in water level in the Sukhna Lake which has been mainstay for the species in the city beautiful for decades together has made the conservationists apprehensive that the birds may bypass the site due to such fluctuation. Migratory birds prefer shallow water to feed.
“Variations in rainfall pattern, 1110 mm last year than 1050 mm in 2017 and 650 mm in 2016 caused concern about it badly affecting the migratory birds. Lake also get deeper with frequent dredging for desilting which also disturb their habitat. This is the reason, the wildlife department has created shallow artificial water body in the middle of the forest which creates an ideal intrusion free natural forest ambience for them,” Debendra Dalai , chief conservator of forest said.
Abdul Qayum, deputy conservator of forests further added that such intervention of shallow water body has proved great in conservation of birds especially migratory birds in the city. He said that ever since it has been created, a spectacular rise in their arrival to the site has been registered.
The water is being replenished into the lake , which was earlier a natural depression in the ground, by pumping water into it through bore well. The department is ensuring that the water flow and level is maintained , for which rain harvesting system has also been developed , with arrangements to drain out excess water time to time to keep it shallow.
This three acre water body is ust 200 meter away from the Sukhna lake so the migratory birds which had been coming to the lake would easily spot this alternate destination , on finding any unsuitability in the lake water.