Migratory birds tagged in Manipur reach China

IMPHAL: Two out of three Ruddy Shellducks that were fitted with radio transmitters at Tangkeng pat, a wetland in Thoubal district, in December last year to track their migratory routes and breeding grounds have now landed in China. The successful tracking of routes of these birds locally known as Nganu Thangong has put Manipur on the map of the global bird flight network.

Over fifty species of migratory birds, including Ruddy Shellducks, visit various wetlands including Loktak, the biggest fresh water lake in the northeast, every winter.

The wildlife wing of Manipur forest department and scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society had on December 11 fitted radio tags on three Ruddy Shellducks (one female and two males) at Tangjeng pat, a wetland which has been declared a biodiversity reserve by the State Biodiversity Board.

Noted ornithologist Khangembam Shamungou, who is associated with several bird survey programmes of the forest department, said the transmitter fitted birds left Tangjeng on February 27. After spending sometime in Assam, a flock of the same species, including two of the three fitted with transmitters, landed in China on March 13. He added that the scientists are monitoring further movements of these birds via satellite to ascertain their breeding ground.

Location of the third bird could not be confirmed yet, he said, adding that many ornithologists are speculating Mongolia and its neighboring countries to be their breeding ground. A retired zoology lecturer of a government college, Shamungou, said that some migratory bird species that visit Loktak lake were also fitted with rings by experts of the society.

On the recent survey conducted to figure out the exact number of migratory water foul species found at Loktak lake by experts from forest department, ornithologists and trained village volunteers, Shamungou said its report would be published very soon.

During the survey conducted on February 11 at 31 different spots in the around the 286 square km lake flanked by Bishnupur, Thoubal and Imphal West districts, some water fowl species like Glossy Ibis, Sea Gull and Bar Headed Geese were sighted after a gap of many years. While the Bar Headed Geese visited Loktak after five years, Glossy Ibis landed there after about 50 years said Shamugou, who did his Phd in 'Birds' fauna in Manipur'.