Bar-headed geese give Gadag a miss during winter migration this year

Bar- headed geese migrate from Himalayan region and arrive in Indian subcontinent to escape extreme winter conditions back home.
Bar-headed geese
Bar-headed geese

HUBBALLI: Ankasamudra lake in Ballari, which was recently declared as ‘conservation reserve’, has now become a rallying point for bar-headed goose flocks that arrived here to spend winter migration period. Bar- headed geese migrate from Himalayan region and arrive in Indian subcontinent to escape extreme winter conditions back home.
Nearly 6,000 bar-headed geese are seen in and around Ankasamudra lake and ornithologists believe that the flocks which annually arrive at Magadi lake in Gadag district have taken a detour and landed in Ankasamudra. Close to 5,000 geese arrive in Magadi tank of Gadag annually, but this year due to poor rainfall there is no water in the lake.

Bird experts were eagerly waiting for the geese arrival and were anxious about what would such a large flock of migratory birds do when the lake which they came every year to, has gone dry.
Forest officials in Gadag noted that about 2,000 bar-headed geese have taken shelter in Shettyhalli lake which is close by Shirahatti town. The geese numbers in this lake have increased due to dry Magadi tank.
“We believe that the geese which annually arrived at Magadi have landed in Ankasamudra in Ballari. The bar-headed geese are found in many lakes across Karnataka, but a large flocks are found only in northern parts of the state. So far Magadi tank in Gadag was the only lake where close to 5,000 birds were recorded annually. This is the first time that Ankasamudra lake has witnessed such a large flocks of geese,” said a forest official.

A conservationist from Ballari Vijay Ittigi who fought for ‘conservation’ status for Ankasamudra lake, said nature lovers from Ballari are excited with the news of geese arrival.
“The birds have arrived in the last four days and can be found in agriculture fields and in Ankasamudra lake. The lake is spread over 244 hectares of wetland and has enough water for geese to survive this winter,” he said.
The local birders at Ankasamudra have also recorded other migratory birds at Ankasamudra this season. A small flock of flamingos has arrived at the lake in Tungabhadra backwaters located close to Ankasamudra lake.

“During prolonged droughts, the migratory birds choose water bodies which are around their regular wetlands. Once the lakes regain waters, the birds make a comeback during the next migratory season. The Forest Department must ensure the catchment area of wetlands are free from encroachments and destruction. Planting large trees around lakes could help maintain the water table,” said Harish R Bhat, a biodiversity expert.

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