Monsoon showers lure migratory birds to wetlands in search of food and breeding grounds

11th June, 2018

THANE: In addition to bringing citizens a much needed respite from the sweltering heat and toxic air, monsoon showers in and around the lake city for the last few days seem to have attracted flocks of winged monsoon beauties to the green pockets here.

Be it the creek fronts and the mangrove stretches along the coastline here or the evergreen and deciduous green spaces like Sanjay Gandhi National Park, environmentalists, bird watchers and avifauna experts have begun seeing an inflow of a variety of migratory monsoon bird species in various parts of the region.

Because of the tropical climate here during the monsoon season, the western regions, including Thane, see a lot of migratory birds visiting these areas for breeding season. The environmentalists here point out that the very sight of these birds is a sign of the actual onset of the rainy season.

"Over the past few days, there have been sightings of various monsoon migratory birds in and around the lake-city. In the 16th bird count organised by NGOs Paryavaran Dakshata Mandal and HOPE on Sunday, we came across a number of these monsoon beauties including the sighting of a Spotted Common Hawk Cuckoo in the Kolshet Creek area and Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher at Mumbra," said Avinash Bhagat, city-based avid bird watcher and avifauna expert associated with green NGO Paryavaran Dakshata Manch.

"During this season, the forest areas are abundant with insects, which are the primary diet for birds. They come here to breed as they have plenty of food available for themselves as well as their fledglings. The sighting of the Hawk Cuckoo is one the indicators of the arrival of the monsoon," said Raju Kasambe, a birding expert and member of environmental NGO Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

The sighting of the birds, including Pied Crested Cuckoo, Common Hawk Cuckoo, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher and the Indian Pithas are common in the Parsik hills, the Yeoor and Nagla range forests as well as the Thane creek area during this rainy season are common."While the population of these birds here is not as high as last year, it should pick up once the monsoon comes in full swing," Bhagat added.

 

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com