Nature enthusiasts, researchers, bird watchers and wildlife photographers from Coimbatore, the Nilgiris and other parts of the region are enjoying the best time of the year with the annual migration of winter birds from Himalayan region to Western Ghats reaching its peak.
Birds such as Blue-capped rock thrush, Blue-throated blue flycatcher, Kashmiri flycatcher, Greenish warbler, Indian blue robin, and Common rose finch are spotted in forests of Coimbatore and The Nilgiris coming under the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. With January being the peak of their migration, these winged visitors were also counted when bird race was conducted.
According to Raja Jayapal, principal scientist and head of Ornithology division at Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the migration takes place soon after their breeding in Himalayan region.
“Migration of birds from Himalayan region starts with the onset of winter. Lack of food such as insects, flies and tiny seeds due to winter triggers their migration to south, especially to Western Ghats. They fly back to their native habitat in March and April which is called Spring Migration,” said Mr. Jayapal.
Prabakar V., a nature enthusiast attached to environmental NGO Osai, said he could photograph four species of winter birds including Blue capped rock thrush and Blue throated blue flycatcher from Anaikatti this season. He said that the birds were spotted at elevated and deep areas of the forest.
“This is the period of the year when we can spot migratory birds and native birds together in forests of Western Ghats. With snowfall reducing their feed in Himalayan forests, the birds depend on forests in the Western Ghats for survival this time of the year. While Kashmiri flycatcher and Common rose finch are spotted in flocks, shy birds like Indian blue robin are spotted single,” said Mr. Prabakar.
After spending its period of migration in Western Ghats, Kashmiri flycatcher flies to Sri Lanka, later returns to Western Ghats and return to their native habitat.
Mr. Jayapal said that birds such as Blue-capped rock thrush and Blue-throated blue flycatcher have ‘stopover points’ during their flight to Western Ghats while others take non-stop flight.
According to him, wetland birds from Himalayan region such as Lesser sand plover, Brahmani duck and Bar-headed goose also fly to wetlands in the south this time.
Bird watchers and photographers are also flowing in large numbers to Malampuzha dam region in Palakkad district of Kerala where Amur falcon that is native to south-eastern Siberia and Northern China can be spotted. Malampuzha dam region is a favourite stopover point for Amur falcons before crossing Arabian Sea to Southern Africa. Abdul Hakkeem, a nature photographer from Mettupalayam, said that he could click male and female Amur falcons from Malampuzha in December 2016.
