With winters setting in, winged creatures of the world are headed southwards. So get packing to sight some of the world’s most exquisite species fluttering their feathers in the wetlands of India.
Flamingos
Though found in different parts of the world including Africa and America, it is the Siberian flamingos that flock India as the chill sets in. Making the Rann of Kutch their first stop, they move further south to the wetlands of Ahmedabad and Mumbai to escape the harsh cold.
They can be sighted at: (Sewri – Mumbai; Nalsarovar – Ahmedabad; Sultanpur – Gurgaon)
Pintail
A strongly migratory duck, it breeds in Northern Europe, Asia and North America. Post it’s mating season that ends in June, it flies south, closer to countries near the equator, including India.
They can be sighted at: (Salim Ali Lake – Aurangabad; Pong Dam – Himachal Pradesh; Sunderbans – West Bengal)
Siberian Crane
No points for guessing where this one comes from. Again a long distance migratory bird that breeds in winters, eastern ones travel to China, central ones to India and western ones go all the way to Iran.
They can be sighted at: (Bharatpur, Rajasthan; Kumarakom – Kerala; Sultanpur – Gurgaon)
Common Pochard
Unlike their southern counterparts in Europe and Central Asia, the northern population travels large distances. While the males begin their north-bound journey at the start of autumn, females migrate to southern destinations a little later, towards mid October.
They can be sighted at: (Salim Ali Lake – Aurangabad; Hokersar – Jammu; Pond Dam – Himachal)
Brahminy Duck
Globally known as Ruddy Shelduck, their main breeding grounds are South East Europe, Central Asia and even South East China. Though they generally stay in crevices away from water, they are present in large gatherings in swamps, mud beds and lake regions while in the migration mode.
They can be sighted at: (Bidar – Karnataka; Nalsarovar – Ahmedabad; Bharatpur – Rajasthan)
Common Teal
The only surviving species of the Teal family, the Common Teal is the smallest dabbling duck alive. A rather strong bird for its small size, the maximum recorded life span of this Eurasian bird has been 27 years!
They can be sighted at: (Vedathangal – Tamil Nadu; Kolleru – Andhra Pradesh; Hokarsar – Jammu)
Sandpipers
Birds of temperate and subtropical Europe and Asia, these restless eaters migrate in groups of smaller sizes (approx.200). But that doesn’t stop them from flying as far as Africa, Australia and the southern-most parts of India.
They can be sighted at (Sunderbans – West Bengal; Vedranyam – Tamil Nadu; Sultanpur – Gurgaon)
Whimbrels
Stopping short at nothing but globe-trotting, whimbrels breed in sub-artic regions like Iceland and Scandinavia. As autumn catches on, they travel all the way to South Asia via UK to settle down in coastal regions in India and around.
They can be sighted at: (Sunderbans – West Bengal; Vedranyam – Tamil Nadu; Carambolim Lake – Goa)
Northern Shovelers
Known for its distinct long beak, Northern Shovelers breed in North America and northern Europe and Asia. While they prefer open, shallow wetlands covered with grass during the summer, in winters they are flexible to accommodate saltwater marshes, stagnant and even polluted waters to avoid other ducks.
They can be sighted at: (Hokarsar – Jammu; Vedthangal – Tamil Nadu; Kolleru – Andhra Pradesh)
Coots
Not the strongest of fliers, Eurasian as well as American coots cover large distances by flying through nights. As they fly south in winters, many of them build nests of reeds and grass around marshy edges to lay eggs.
They can be sigthed at: (Pong Dam – Himachal Pradesh; Bharatpur – Rajasthan; Chilika, Orissa)
With so much ground to cover, it’s recommended that you plan your trip right away. After all, remember, these are only winter visitors.Here’s a list of travel agents in your city: Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Tags: bird watching tours, winter travel
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