BHUBANESWAR: An Asian Dowitcher which visited Chilika two years ago has been found in Thailand, bringing cheer to the ornithologists and conservationists.Earlier this month, the bird was sighted at Samut Sakhon in Thailand. It was ringed in March 2016 in Nalabana Bird Sanctuary.The Asian Dowitcher, which belongs to the Scolopcidae family, is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, it is a native of Central Asia. It breeds in the coastal waters and is widespread but its population is declining.
Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority (CDA) Susanta Nanda said, the bird had the white coloured ring which is assigned to the Asian Flyway. It was reported by a local agency.Such recording of ringed birds provides information about the routes they take, the ecology of habitats and breeding.
Nanda said, the ringing of birds and their tracking is going to be a regular affair once the regional centre of Bombay Natural History Society comes up in first week of September.
The regional centre, a joint exercise by BNHS and CDA, will operate rom Wetland Research and Training Centre campus at Barkul.“Mostly, migratory species which are classified as threatened by IUCN, are ringed so that details of their flyways, habitat status, breeding and population trends can be generated and understood,” Nanda said.
Once the regional centre of BNHS gets operational, it will help track the annual winged guests in a systematic manner.Records generated over years can build a database on the birds and their flyways apart from habitats and support drawing up of conservation and awareness strategies.