By Dr Vijaya Bharat
May 11 is World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated on two days, 11th May and 12th October in alignment with the cyclic nature of bird migration. Long distance migration of birds from the cold arctic region to the warm tropical parts of the earth have always fascinated but remains a mystery. Birds from the North travel to India along the Central Asian Flyway, akin to the highways for motor vehicles. The Central Asian Highway encompasses the Arctic, Siberia, Russia, Central Asia and Northern Europe to all the way down to India and South East Asia. The trigger for migration is the onset of severe cold weather with scant food supply. Birds are inherently wired to leave for favourable places with good weather and plenty of food. While driving to unfamiliar destinations, we, the humans are guided by GPS (Global Positioning System). Birds find their path by aligning special crystalloid pigments at the base of their bills with the Earth’s magnetic field. Even young birds migrating for the first time use their ‘internal GPS’ and do not get lost. Migration is also aided by sun, moon, stars and the length of the day.
One-third of the 200 species of birds spotted in and around Jamshedpur are migratory while the rest are resident. The common Asian Koel that brighten the summer mornings with their ‘kooo – kooo – koooo’ calls migrate from Singapore to India! Though mentioned in poetry and literature, Koel is not native to India. Two beautiful birds that migrate from the Western Ghats in South India, to Central and North India, including our Dalma hills are the colourful Indian Pitta and the mesmerising long-tailed Indian Paradise Flycatcher. It is amazing how these attractive small birds migrate across India to specifically the same areas for breeding at the onset of summer and return before the monsoon sets in.
Other small birds that migrate during winter from the high altitudes in the Himalayas and the North East to Dalma, at a height of 950 m from sea level, include the turquoise blue Verditer Flycatcher and the Himalayan Bluetail, a small sooty bird with a bright blue tail. Siberian Rubythroat and Taiga Flycatcher descend from the Taiga forests to the grasslands of Dobo, Chotabanki and Hurlung. These little birds prefer the mild winter in Jamshedpur and forage on insects. While climate change upsets their schedule plastic and litter on the grounds, sound pollution from high decibel music in the picnic areas and a diminishing population of insects due to pesticides, herbicides and rampant habitat loss to cultivation and construction may make Jamshedpur an unlikely winter destination in future. Such negative impacts on biodiversity happen in most parts of the world. Therefore the campaign for World Migratory Bird Day 2024 focusses on the importance for migratory birds and highlight concerns related to decreasing populations of insects.
Kharkai and Subernarekha rivers that surround the Steel city and the various lakes and dams in Dimna, Sitarampur and Chandil host ducks and water birds that visit from the cold subarctic regions and Northern Europe. Some of the long distance winter migrants are the orange-brown Ruddy Shelducks, the Gadwalls with fine lacy markings, Red crested Pochards, the yellow-eyed, jet black Tufted Ducks and the elegant long – necked Great Crested Grebe. Over the last five years, the size of the flocks is steadily decreasing. Moreover many of these birds are poached and attacked by feral dogs.
World Migratory Bird Day is an occasion to check if we truly adhere to ‘Adithi Devo Bhava’ and make it safe for the winged guests to Jamshedpur.
(The views expressed are personal.)