Weather change effecting arrival of migratory birds

Weather change effecting arrival of migratory birds

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, Jan 13

With increase in global warming and decrease in winter months, the arrival of migratory birds from across the Himalayas to water bodies of Pithoragarh district particularly, the Rameswar region, confluence of  Saryu and Ramganga rivers  has been affected as less number of  flocks of migratory birds are being witnessed.

“The flocks of Siberian birds which used to visit Rameswar valley in winter months and used to stay here for three months, but this year the number of birds has decreased from last decade,” said Dinesh Joshi, a forest division officer in Pithoragarh.

“We have seen flocks of Siberian cranes and Stonechat in Rameswar valley for years. But due to increased mining activities and interference in their winter habitats by men in Rameswar valley region, the number of birds flocks are least visible now,” said Rajendra Bhatt, a social activist in Rameswar region.

According to climate watchers in Himalayan region, the real reason behind decrease in birds flicks in water bodies of the district is less snow and warmer weather. “Earlier, the winter used to dawn in Himalayan region from mid October and used to remain till March next year, but now the winter has been reduced to only two months of December and January. The snowfall in lower valleys as well as in the higher region has lessened resulting into less number of migratory birds arriving in water bodies of the district,” said Dr Dhirendra Joshi, an environmentalist activist, working in livelihood projects in rural areas of Pithoragarh.

In high Himalayan region of Munsiyari and Dharchula, the migratory birds used to arrive in three categories. Some birds flocks used to arrive in March to breed in safe places of Munsiyari region, while Siberian birds started to arrive from the months of September and some local high altitude birds like snow cock and snow Patridge  used to arrive  down at 3000 meters from their high altitude habitation to combat the winter chill. ” The arrival of all the three categories of birds have lessened as weather change in high Himalayan region has made snowfall uncertain and unexpected, “said Surendra Panwar, an adventure tourism facility owner in Munsiyari and keen watcher of Himalayan birds.