Migratory Birds & Wildlife — Set 2

Correct Answer: B. Painted Stork and Migratory Waders

Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is famous for hosting large flocks of painted storks and thousands of migratory waders, ducks, flamingos, and shorebirds during winter. Located at the southeastern tip of India at the Palk Strait, it is an important staging and wintering area. Over 250 bird species have been recorded. The sanctuary's shallow wetlands and mudflats attract birds from Siberia, Central Asia, and the Himalayan region during the northeast monsoon winter.

Correct Answer: B. Khichan, Rajasthan

The Demoiselle Crane (Kurjan in Rajasthan) winters at Khichan village in Rajasthan's Phalodi district where local villagers feed them daily, creating a remarkable human-bird relationship. Thousands of Demoiselle Cranes visit Khichan each winter after crossing the Himalayas from their Central Asian breeding grounds. This village community has protected these cranes for decades without government support. The Khichan crane feeding site is now a popular ecotourism destination.

Correct Answer: B. About 1300

India is home to approximately 1,300 bird species, making it one of the world's most important bird countries. This represents about 13% of the world's total bird species. Of these, around 450 are migratory, spending part of the year in India. The Indian subcontinent's diverse habitats — from Himalayan peaks to coastal wetlands and tropical rainforests — support this exceptional bird diversity. The Western Ghats, Northeast India, and Himalayan foothills are particularly bird-rich regions.

Correct Answer: B. Keoladeo Ghana National Park (also called Bharatpur)

Siberian Cranes historically migrated to Keoladeo Ghana National Park (popularly called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) in Rajasthan. The sanctuary was their primary wintering site in India. Unfortunately, Siberian Cranes from the Central Asian population are now functionally extinct with sightings at Bharatpur extremely rare (possibly only a few individuals remain in the wild). Their decline is attributed to hunting along migration routes and habitat loss in breeding and wintering areas.

Correct Answer: B. A wetland of international importance for waterbirds under the Ramsar Convention

Ramsar Site designation means a wetland of international importance for waterbirds and other biodiversity, recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands signed in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. Ramsar sites receive special conservation attention and protection from harmful land use changes. India has over 75 Ramsar Sites including Chilika Lake, Keoladeo National Park, Loktak Lake, and Wular Lake. These wetlands support millions of migratory birds and provide ecosystem services to millions of people.

Correct Answer: B. Aquatic plants, seeds, small fish, and invertebrates

Migratory ducks feeding in Indian wetlands consume primarily aquatic plants (like hydrilla and potamogeton), seeds, small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates. Different duck species have different feeding strategies: diving ducks like tufted ducks dive for aquatic plants and fish, while dabbling ducks like Spot-billed ducks tip-up to feed on aquatic vegetation in shallow water. The diversity of food sources in Indian wetlands makes them ideal wintering grounds for many duck species.

Correct Answer: B. Longest annual migration of any animal — from Arctic to Antarctic and back

Arctic Tern performs the longest annual migration of any animal on Earth, flying from its Arctic breeding grounds to the Antarctic and back each year — a journey of approximately 70,000-90,000 km annually. It experiences more daylight than any other creature as it follows summer from one pole to the other. While Arctic Terns don't regularly visit India, understanding their migration is important for global bird migration science. Ringing studies have confirmed their extraordinary migratory feats.

Correct Answer: B. Migratory waterfowl especially Bar-headed Geese, ducks and waders

Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh is one of India's most important wetlands for migratory waterfowl, especially Bar-headed Geese, various duck species, and waders that winter there in large numbers. The reservoir created by Maharana Pratap Sagar Dam on the Beas river provides extensive shallow habitat for waterbirds. Over 220 species of birds have been recorded, and the sanctuary is a Ramsar Wetland Site. It is also called Maharana Pratap Sagar.

Correct Answer: B. Changing day length (photoperiod), temperature changes, and availability of food

Bird Migration is primarily triggered by changing day length (photoperiod) which signals seasonal changes to birds through hormonal mechanisms. As days shorten in autumn, birds in breeding grounds are triggered to migrate south. Temperature changes and declining food availability reinforce this signal. Birds navigate using the sun's position, star patterns, Earth's magnetic field, and landscape features. Each species has genetically programmed migration routes, destinations, and timing refined over thousands of years of evolution.

Correct Answer: B. Flamingoes and migratory waterbirds

Pulicat Lake, on the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu border, is India's second largest brackish water lagoon and is famous for flamingoes, painted storks, pelicans, and thousands of migratory waterbirds that visit during winter. The lake is also an important habitat for the mugger crocodile and sea turtles. It is a Ramsar site and includes the Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary. The shallow lake and surrounding mudflats provide ideal feeding grounds for wading birds migrating from Central Asia.