Migratory Birds & Wildlife
Forest & Wildlife · प्रवासी पक्षी और वन्यजीव
📋Quick Overview
India hosts 500+ migratory bird species, accounting for about 29% of its 1300+ total bird species. Migratory birds travel along defined routes called flyways — India falls under the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), one of nine global flyways. Key migratory sites include Keoladeo (Bharatpur), Chilika Lake, Point Calimere, Harike Wetland, and Nal Sarovar. The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS/Bonn Convention 1979) governs international protection; India ratified it in 1983.
Amur Falcon: World's longest-distance migrating raptor. Breeds in Siberia/China → winters in southern Africa. Stops at Doyang Lake, Nagaland (India) every October–November. Once hunted in thousands, now protected by local Naga communities. Named Nagaland's state bird symbol.
📖Key Migratory Bird Sites in India
| Site | State | Key Migratory Birds | Special Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keoladeo Ghana NP (Bharatpur) | Rajasthan | Siberian cranes (rare now), painted storks, ducks, geese | UNESCO World Heritage; once prime Siberian crane site; Ramsar site |
| Chilika Lake | Odisha | Flamingos, bar-headed geese, shovelers, gadwalls, pintails | Asia's largest brackish lagoon; 1 million+ birds each winter; Irrawaddy dolphins |
| Point Calimere WLS | Tamil Nadu | Lesser flamingos, waders, sandpipers, terns | Coastal wetland; internationally important shorebird site |
| Harike Wetland | Punjab | Waterfowl — ducks, geese, grebe, pelicans | Ramsar site; confluence of Beas and Sutlej rivers; largest wetland in north India |
| Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary | Gujarat | Flamingos, pelicans, cranes, ducks, spoonbills | Ramsar site; 250+ species; important for Central Asian Flyway birds |
| Sultanpur NP | Haryana | Siberian cranes (rare), storks, ducks, waders | Near Delhi; important wintering site for migratory birds from Central Asia |
📖Flyways & International Conventions
- •Central Asian Flyway (CAF): One of 9 global flyways; covers 30 countries from Arctic/sub-Arctic to South/Southeast Asia; India is key stopover nation; 182 bird species use CAF
- •CMS (Bonn Convention): Convention on Migratory Species; signed Bonn, Germany 1979; entered force 1983; India party since 1983; secretariat Bonn; covers land, aquatic, and avian migratory species
- •CMS Appendices: Appendix I = endangered migratory species (strict protection); Appendix II = non-endangered but need international cooperation; both binding on member states
- •Great Indian Bustard (GIB): Critically Endangered; captive breeding program at SAC Jaisalmer (Species Recovery Centre); major threat = overhead power lines and wind farms in Rajasthan/Gujarat
- •Bar-headed Goose: World's highest-flying migratory bird; crosses Himalayas at 7000+ meters; winters in India (Chilika, Brahmaputra plains); breeds in Central Asian lakes (Mongolia, Tibet)
- •Siberian Crane (Siberian White Crane): Critically Endangered (CR); once winter visitor to Keoladeo in large numbers; last confirmed sighting 2002; breeds Siberia; extreme habitat loss en route
📖Notable Migratory & Resident Species
| Species | IUCN Status | Origin/Route | Key India Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amur Falcon | Least Concern | Siberia/China → South Africa via India | Doyang Lake, Nagaland |
| Bar-headed Goose | Least Concern | Tibet/Mongolia → Indian subcontinent | Chilika Lake, Brahmaputra |
| Siberian Crane | Critically Endangered | Siberia → historically Bharatpur | Keoladeo (last seen 2002) |
| Flamingos (Lesser) | Least Concern | Africa/Rann of Kutch → coastal India | Chilika, Point Calimere, Nal Sarovar |
| Demoiselle Crane (Kurja) | Least Concern | Central Asia → Rajasthan/Gujarat | Khichan village, Rajasthan |
| Painted Stork | Near Threatened | Resident + local migrant | Keoladeo, Vedanthangal TN |