World Migratory Bird Day: Spot these summer beauties

Bird watchers, city photographers share insights about feathered friends that can be seen visiting the NCR.

Avian migration in India is usually assumed to be a winter phenomenon associated mainly with water birds making transcontinental journeys to arrive at our shores. However, there’s a special set of birds which migrate to old forests of Delhi and the surrounding areas in the summer. On World Migratory Bird Day today, we ask bird watchers and city photographers for their insights on migratory birds which can still be spotted in Delhi-NCR.

Ibis, Red-headed bunting and Cinnamon bittern are among the birds that can be spotted in summer. Dense patches of native vegetation play an important role in the breeding ecology of summer migratory birds, says bird watchers. (Photo: Amal KS/HT)

“Blue-tailed and Blue-cheeked bee-eaters kick off the summer migration of birds that come to the region to breed. One can see these at Gurugram’s Aravalli Biodiversity Park, Mangar Bani and Aravalli Biodiversity Park in Vasant Kunj,” shares Anita Mani, a birder from Delhi.

“Dense patches of native vegetation play an important role in the breeding ecology of these migratory birds. Some of these birds are endemic and can only be found in our country, and it is a delight to see them return year after year to almost the same wooded areas. These birds are looking for abundance of insects and nesting habitats to raise their chicks safely. We should protect the forests for a holistic approach towards bird conservation,” says Sohail Madan, assistant director, Bombay Natural History Society. To birding enthusiasts, he advises, “If a chick is found outside the nest, in distress, provide water for drinking. It’s best not to remove it, and wait for the parent bird.”

Red-headed bunting usually migrates to Delhi-NCR in rabi crop season. (Photo: Ramveer)

Another avian beauty is the Indian paradise flycatcher. “It spends winter in Sri Lanka and south India. And before monsoon, it migrates to central India and the Himalayan foothills for breeding,” shares Major General Arvind Yadav, an avid birdwatcher.

Ibis, a summer migrant makes for a beautiful sight. (Photo: Syed Mohammad Qasim)

“Most of the migratory birds start leaving as the mercury rises, but some stay longer and some stray ones, perhaps, stay back,” shares Syed Mohammad Qasim, a city-based photographer, adding: “I saw a Crested serpent eagle and Rosy starlings recently in Sunder Nursery. In summers, Indian pitta is seen in Mangar Bani. Oriental magpie robin, Crested bunting and Blue-tailed bee-eater are also being seen around the NCR.”

Indian Pitta, also known as Navrang, comes to nest in the Delhi-NCR region. (Photo: Ramveer)

“The beautiful Indian Pitta is a summer migrant, that comes to nest in the Delhi-NCR region. This gorgeous bird has nice colours and known as the Navrang in Hindi.The Indian Pitta likes forests with a lot of leaf litter, and to save this bird we must save old growth, complex forests.The heatwave is very tough for birds. Please leave clean water for birds to drink from and create green shade patches in your garden. If you find a bird in shock, contact animal rescue NGOs. Many birds get revived after drinking water,” adds Neha Sinha, conservation biologist and author.

Key places to spot migratory birds: Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Yamuna Ghat, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Mangar Bani Sacred Forest, Bhondsi Najafgarh Drain.

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