Migratory birds at Pong wildlife sanctuary ringed

Rajiv Mahajan

NURPUR, DECEMBER 3

Staff of the Hamirpur Wildlife division conducted a five-day bird ringing exercise in the Pong Wildlife Sanctuary to study the migratory birds.

During the exercise, which concluded on Thursday evening, 19 mist nests were used to catch the winged visitors surrounding the lake and 140 birds of 29 species were tagged. The data being prepared would assist the Wildlife Department in better stay management and conservation of the migratory birds.

In-depth study

Experts prepared the data by recording the age, sex, moulting pattern, wing length, weight, body fat and muscle score, tarsus and head length of the birds. This data will be used to study the birds’ count and the richness of their species. Rahul Rohane, divisional forest officer

Rahul Rohane, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Hamirpur, who supervised the exercise, said experts prepared the data by recording the age, sex, moulting pattern, wing length, weight, body fat and muscle score, tarsus and head length of the ringed birds. “This data will be used to study the migratory route of the birds and close inspection will help in the identification of birds and their native places. It will also help in the study of the birds’ count and the richness of their species,” he said.

The winged visitors, coming from Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet, China, Pakistan and Iraq, throng the wetland with the onset of winters every year, making the man-made water body eco-friendly. They return to their native countries in March, at the onset of spring season. The wildlife authorities undertake an estimation count of the birds fortnightly.

Sprawling over an area of 24,000 hectares across Jawali, Dehra and Fatehpur subdivisions in lower Kangra district, the Pong Lake (wetland) has become a major attraction for tourists and these winged visitors are the star attraction for them. The lake was created in 1975 by building the Pong Dam on the Beas river in the wetland zone of the Shivalik Hill in Kangra district.