NEW DELHI: Owing to a prolonged lockdown period, cleaner environment and favourable climatic conditions, the stay of winter migratory birds at Najafgarh lake was longer this year as compared to previous four years, according to Asian Waterbird Census.
According to TK Roy, ecologist and state coordinator for the AWC, the Najafgarh lake in Gurgaon and partly in southwest Delhi there has been good presence of birds who are found undisturbed, having free movement and sighting from much closer than earlier.
As per AWC, this year there has been 54 species with a population of above 9000 that were spotted during the time much higher than previous year where there were only 31 species and a count of only 1679 population.
“The water quality of the lake also looked much better even after pouring of the Gurugram origin sewage drainage water in the wetland due to closure of the manufacturing factories release effluents,” said Roy. Roy added that due to sudden rise in temperature the water of the lake drying and shrinking and certain portions being chocked by water hyacinth some species and birds left after mid-May.
“Still recorded large number of Greater Flamingoes been recorded who has now become resident species since past several years. Other species such as Comb Ducks, Indian Spot-billed Ducks, Common Moorhen, Purple Swamphen, Black-winged Stilts on the wetland and flocks of Indian Cormorant, Black-headed Ibis, Cattle Egret, Little Egret nesting on the heronries of adjacent trees been spotted,” he added.