Loktak lake sees fewer migratory waterbirds this year

Imphal: Unlike the previous years, the number of migratory waterbirds that arrived in Loktak has decreased by almost half this time, ornithologists who recently conducted a headcount of the birds said on Thursday.The Loktak in Bishnupur district is the biggest freshwater lake in South Asia. The 250sq km lake also adjoins Keibul Lamjao National Park, the largest floating park in the world and home to the rare and endangered brow antlered deer, locally known as Sangai.“We carried out the migratory and resident waterbird census at 50 spots across Loktak and Keibul Lamjao last Saturday. Each spot was manned by four birders equipped with telephoto cameras and binoculars,” RK Birjit Singh, state coordinator of Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), who took the key role in the exercise, said.“It is so disheartening to see fewer migratory waterbirds and fowls in Loktak as well as Keibul this time compared to the past years. Earlier, we would usually sight more than 20,000 birds of over 20 species. We even saw over 30,000 birds during some years,” Birjit said.“Though we are yet to compile the reports of all 50 census units, we assume the total number of birds would be less than 12,000 and the number of species also drastically dropped by 10,” he added.Birjit, however, said they sighted all the resident waterfowl species like coot, lesser whistling ducks, pheasant tail jacana, etc.Among the migratory birds spotted there are ferruginous pochard, gadwall, certain species of coot etc., he added. Though the Baer’s Pochards coming from Mongolia were seen at Keibul Lamjao in the last few years, they have not come this time, Birjit said.