Migratory Birds & Wildlife — Set 11

Correct Answer: B. Bar-tailed Godwit — documented non-stop flights of 11,000+ km from Alaska to New Zealand

The Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest documented non-stop flight, flying over 11,000 km from Alaska to New Zealand without stopping, over 7-9 days. This remarkable bird stores 55% of its body weight as fat, burns its digestive organs to reduce weight, and has a specially adapted physiology for ultra-marathon endurance flight. While Bar-tailed Godwits don't regularly visit India, some are recorded on Indian coasts during migration. The discovery of this feat through satellite tracking revolutionised understanding of bird migration capabilities.

Correct Answer: B. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and Wetlands International

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) in India is coordinated by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in partnership with Wetlands International. The AWC is an annual January count of waterbirds across Asia providing data on waterbird population trends, wetland health, and migratory species status. Volunteer birdwatchers count birds simultaneously across hundreds of Indian wetlands in January each year. The AWC data is used for conservation planning for waterbirds and wetlands across the Asian flyways.

Correct Answer: B. Avian influenza outbreaks at congregation sites, habitat loss in breeding and wintering areas, and collision with power lines

The Bar-headed Goose population migrating to India faces threats from Avian Influenza H5N1 outbreaks at congregation sites like wetlands where thousands gather (mass die-offs occurred in China in 2005), loss of wetland habitat in both Tibetan breeding grounds and Indian wintering areas, and collisions with power lines. Power line collisions are a significant mortality cause for large migratory birds in India. Hunting along migration routes and in some wintering areas is also a concern.

Correct Answer: B. Flamingos feed on blue-green algae controlling harmful algal blooms, nutrient cycling, and their presence indicates healthy wetlands

Flamingos feeding on blue-green algae in Indian wetlands (like Thane Creek) help control harmful algal blooms that can deplete oxygen and harm other wetland biodiversity. Their filter-feeding on algae and small crustaceans plays a role in nutrient cycling. Flamingo presence is also an indicator of wetland health — their large numbers reflect abundant food resources and good water quality. Their distinctive pink colour acts as a visual signal of a productive, healthy wetland ecosystem for conservation planners.

Correct Answer: B. Data from recaptured or dead ringed birds revealing migration routes, longevity, survival rates, and population connectivity

Ringing Recovery data from recaptured or dead ringed birds provides vital information on individual bird migration routes (from ringing location to recovery location), longevity (lifespan from ringing date to death), survival rates, and connectivity between populations at different seasonal locations. India's BNHS ringing data has revealed migration connections between Indian wintering birds and their Siberian or Central Asian breeding populations. Long-term ringing datasets spanning decades provide evidence of changes in migration timing linked to climate change.

Correct Answer: B. Conservation outside the natural habitat — in zoos, bird parks, captive breeding centres — as a safety net for critically endangered species

Ex situ conservation refers to conservation of species outside their natural habitats, in zoos, bird parks, captive breeding programmes, and other facilities. For critically endangered bird species like the Great Indian Bustard and Siberian Crane, captive breeding ex situ is being undertaken as an emergency measure to prevent extinction. Captive-bred individuals may eventually be released back into the wild (reintroduction). Ex situ conservation is a last resort backup strategy complementing in situ (in-the-wild) habitat protection.

Correct Answer: B. Various migratory ducks, geese, and waders on the Brahmaputra river floodplains within the park

Kaziranga National Park, primarily famous for the Indian One-horned Rhinoceros, also hosts important migratory birds in its Brahmaputra river floodplains and wetlands. Various ducks (Spot-billed Duck, Gadwall), Bar-headed Geese, migratory waders, and raptors visit during winter. The park's diverse grassland-wetland-forest mosaic supports over 450 bird species including both resident and migratory. Kaziranga's annual flooding creates rich aquatic habitats that attract waterbirds from the Central Asian Flyway.

Correct Answer: B. Bright, vivid breeding plumage (nuptial plumage) developed before returning to breeding grounds from Indian wintering areas

Many migratory birds visiting India in winter are in dull non-breeding plumage (eclipse plumage) and develop bright, vivid breeding plumage (nuptial plumage) before departing from Indian wintering areas in spring. This colour change is triggered by increasing day length and is driven by hormonal changes. For example, the Common Sandpiper develops spotted breast patterns, and ruffs develop elaborate neck ruffs. Birdwatchers in India can observe individual birds changing from winter to breeding plumage from February onwards.

Correct Answer: B. The tendency of migratory birds to return to the same wintering or breeding sites year after year

Site Fidelity in migratory birds is the strong tendency to return to the same wintering or breeding sites year after year. Migratory birds show strong fidelity to both breeding territories and wintering sites, returning to the same wetland, and often the same metre-scale patch, each season. This behaviour evolved because familiar sites provide known food resources and reduce the risks of exploring new areas. Site fidelity means loss of any individual wetland can be devastating for the specific birds that depend on that site year after year.

Correct Answer: B. Mangroves provide roosting, feeding, and sheltering sites for coastal migratory birds — especially waders, herons, and kingfishers

Mangroves provide critical roosting, feeding, and sheltering sites for coastal migratory birds including waders (sandpipers, plovers), herons, egrets, kingfishers, and raptors during their migrations along India's coasts. The complex mangrove root systems trap nutrients and support rich invertebrate communities that feed migratory waders. Mangrove-fringed estuaries are key stopover sites on India's west and east coasts. Loss of mangroves directly reduces the capacity of Indian coasts to support migratory waterbird populations.