Sangareddy: The sighting of Greater Flamingos at Mahabubsagar, a minor irrigation Kakatiya-era tank, on the outskirts of Sangareddy on Saturday, heralded the arrival of the first batch of winter migratory birds at Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary.
The tank is located 2 km away from river Manjira. According to a study by researchers of Osmania University on Avifaunal Diversity of Manjira Sanctuary, the Greater Flamingos are regular visitors to Manjira located northeast of Hyderabad. A flock of the winter migratory birds were sighted for the first time during the season in the middle of Mahabubsagar on Saturday afternoon and also on Sunday morning.
First winter sighting
A fisherman, K.Pitchaiah, who regularly ventures into Mahabubsagar for fishing, said they were seeing the birds the first time during this year winter, though they had seen regularly seeing them during winter every year. The Greater Flamingos, which normally had breeding places in the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, other coastal areas of India and Pakistan, migrate to the Southern parts of India to avoid extreme cold temperatures and also in search of prey.
Speaking to Telangana Today, wildlife biologist Bubesh Gupta has said that the migration of these birds peaks in January and February every year. The major destinations of these migratory birds are Pulicat lake in Andhra Pradesh, Chilika Lake in Odisha and Point Calimere in Tamil Nadu.
Rich Avifaunal diversity
Research scholars from Osmania University KanteKrishnaprasad, Bagari Ramakrishna, ChelamalaSrinivasulu and BharagviSrinivasulu carried out a study on the Wild Avifaunal Diversity of Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary in 2014. During their observation, they had sighted the Greater Flamingos along the 36 km river course of the Manjira from Singuru multi-purpose project to Manjira reservoir, which the government declared as a wildlife sanctuary. “Manjira Sanctuary, which is known for its rich Avifaunal diversity, attracts about 55 bird species during the winter from across the globe”, the survey found.
The presence of Greater Flamingos has added colour to Mahabubsagar tank, which attracts dozens of visitors during evening and morning hours. Bubesh Gupta said that the migratory birds would surely attract ornithologists and wildlife photographs to Manjira Sanctuary during the coming days.
