India seems to be emerging as a more significant destination for migratory birds the world over. International experts tracking the pattern of global migratory birds have reason to believe that some birds might be using India to reach southern Africa or Australia.
This is a significant development, as till now it was only known that migratory birds coming to India stayed here for the winter and did not travel further. This new set of information adds a new dimension to the understanding of the movements of migratory birds and India’s role in it.
Till now, it is known that India is a part of what is known as the Central Asian Flyway - that spans across Siberia through Afghanistan-Pakistan and finally India. This route is used by thousands of migratory birds.
“But there is now evidence that some birds might move through India on their way to southern Africa or Australia,” said Philip Straw, vice chairman Australasian Wader Studies Group.
Straw is among the participants at a high-profile three-day Global Bird Watchers’ Conference (GBWC) that began in Jamnagar on Thursday. The conference, organised by FICCI and TCGL, is a first of its kind gathering where international scientists, ornithologists and researchers of repute have come together to discuss birding in India with a focus on Gujarat.
During his presentation on Thursday, Straw stressed the need for greater coordination among different countries for more effective conservation.
“National bird marking schemes are now becoming part of global co-ordinating partnerships. India needs to be a major partner in this process,” he said. To further his initial findings about the changing pattern of migratory birds’ routes involving India, he said:
“It is important that India is represented as a partner of the East-Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership. Perhaps Gujarat could take the lead in this initiative.”“The loss in one link in the migration route of a species will lead to extinction,” he added.
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