Karnataka - Mysore   

Winged beauties flock to Mysore

R. Krishna Kumar

Nearly 120 species identified in mid-winter water fowl census

SAFE HAVEN: Nearly 120 species of birds were identified in a mid-winter water fowl census conducted this year in Mysore district.

MYSORE: Soaring over Tibet across the snow-capped Himalayas making a `V' formation or skimming low over water to cross the Arabian Sea from North Africa, they have flown in here from different parts of the world. Nearly 120 bird species were identified in this year's mid-winter water fowl census conducted in Mysore district.

Over 1,27,546 of the winged beauties were counted in this year's bird census, which is higher than last year's 87,500. The latest figure is a cause for concern as nearly 2.5 lakh birds of 74 species were counted from 126 sites during the 1992 census.

The census was conducted by Mysore Amateur Naturalists (MAN).

The relative improvement in bird figures has been attributed to good monsoon during the past two years. A significant element of this year's census was the sighting of a greylag goose for the first time in ten years. As many as 1,890 bar-headed goose that fly across China and Tibet, and who normally restrict themselves to habitats in North India, were sighted in seven lakes.

Three avocets were identified in Lingabudhi Lake. Lesser flamingoes that fly in from North Africa and head straight to Orissa were also counted in the region, apart from resident birds.

Manu, winner of Sanctuary-ABN Amro Wildlife Award, told The Hindu that 156 lakes were covered across Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagar in January.

Spot-billed ducks were aplenty and the census team sighted them in great numbers, — between 50 to 500 in eight lakes,an indicator of healthy breeding.

Over 500 dab chicks were sighted and spot-billed pelicans were sighted in 76 lakes this year.

(To be concluded)

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