Numerous worldwide migratory birds greylag geese have been sighted wintering within the Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, alongside the border of Jamnagar metropolis, this season. As per the officers of the Gujarat Forest Department and birdwatchers, the birds of the species haven’t been seen in such massive numbers within the wetland previously.
The Forest Department within the state carried out the biennial hen depend at Khijadia Sanctuary over the weekend and noticed large flocks of greylag geese. It has been designated as a wetland of worldwide significance by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. “As per primary information, birdwatchers observed a very large number of greylag geese during the bird census over the weekend. We are collating data generated by the count and are yet to ascertain the exact number of greylag geese. But prima facie, their numbers this winter are unprecedented,” Rathika Parsarna, Deputy Conservator of Marine National Park (MNP), Jamnagar, advised The Indian Express. Khijadia Bird Sanctuary is a part of the Marine National Park.
Birdwatchers who participated within the hen census estimated the greylag geese numbers to be between 4,000 to five,000. “Their numbers are easily around 4,000 to 5,000, a figure not heard of in Jamnagar ever,” Jagat Raval, a birdwatcher and wildlife photographer of Jamnagar who has been birdwatching in Khijadia for greater than 20 years, stated.
Vishwas Thakkar, one other birdwatcher, additionally agreed with Raval. “We have never seen greylag geese in such huge numbers in Khijadia ever. Something seems to have happened which drew these birds to Jamnagar,” stated Thakkar, including, “Even some bar-headed geese have been spotted in the Kalavad area of Jamnagar.” Greylag geese breed in Europe and central Asia and Asian populations winter in India, Pakistan, Iran, and Bangladesh amongst different nations. “In Gujarat, the greylag geese’s range and number of winter birds seems to have increased over the past two decades. Till around two decades ago, they were more common in wetlands of the north Gujarat region during winters. But now, they have become a fairly common sight in wetlands like Nal Sarovar, Thol, and Wadhwana in central Gujarat and many parts of Saurashtra region,” Uday Vora, a retired Indian Forest Service officer and a distinguished birdwatcher of Gujarat, stated.
Shatrushalyasinh Jadeja, the patriarch of the royal household of the erstwhile princely state of Nawanagar (Jamnagar), recommended that this phenomenon needs to be studied. “Greylag geese are not known to migrate to Jamnagar district. Only very rarely have four or five been sighted in our area. However, we are now witnessing several thousand greylag geese wintering at Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary. What is this sudden unprecedented appearance of such a large number? Is it due to some artificial interference or disturbance in their normal wintering grounds or are they deprived of their main food in their wintering grounds or is it due to climate change? Somebody should do scientific research to determine this astonishing event,” Jadeja stated in a launch.
Daxa Vaghasiya, vary forest officer (RFO) of Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, stated that greylag geese began visiting Khijadia repeatedly from 2016-17 onwards. “We saw around 500 greylag geese in 2016-17 and their numbers kept on increasing every year. However, the highest ever before this winter was 500. This year, their numbers have risen dramatically,” she stated, including, “Maybe, the conditions in Khijadia are ideal for these birds to winter here this year.”
The RFO stated that due to a great monsoon, there’s sufficient water within the freshwater a part of the sanctuary offering geese meals and house for roosting.
Incidentally, Khijadia was designated as a Ramsar website in 2022.
Gujarat has three different designated wetlands of worldwide significance—Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary Thol Wildlife Sanctuary within the Ahmedabad district and Wadhwana Wetland within the Vadodara district. “It is a matter of pride for us that Khijadia has been attracting international migratory birds in such big numbers,” DCF Parsana stated.
