Winter sojourn: Migratory birds from Europe reach Telangana

Sangareddy: A flock of Greylag Geese, a winter migrant bird species, have migrated from Europe to Telangana. Wildlife photographers have sighted the Greylag Geese at Rudrur tank in Nizamabad district on January 18.

Seasoned birders Sriram Reddy, Gopalakrishna R along with their team went for a birding trip to Rudrur lake last Tuesday. Speaking to Telangana Today, Gopalakrishna said that they were indeed very lucky to see so many Greylag geese at one place. Though the bird was sighted earlier in various parts of South India, the Wildlife Photographer said that these birds were never sighted in such large numbers. Normally, he said that a few birds used to travel along with Barheaded geese, another migrant bird species from Europe. Sriram Reddy said that the record of over 50 Greylag geese is indeed a good record for the entire South India since they were normally sighted in north India.

Saying that a good number of birds sets on winter migration from Europe and other parts of the world, when the temperatures go down below zero, Reddy said that they will nest and raise their chicks before flying back to their native places by March. He said that they will travel thousands of kilometers literally to reach India.

Since all the water bodies were brimming with the water in and around Hyderabad, not many winter migrants were seen in Hyderabad and surrounding areas this season. As the birds prefer shallow waters to search for food, they have made Rudrur lake, which was having relatively less water, their home for this season. The seasoned birders, who would love to capture the winter migrants, were searching for the winter migrants travelling across the State.

Out of 126 bird species sighted at Rudrur tank, 31 were migrants, which had migrated from various parts of the globe. Adnan, a local photographer, has sighted these Greylag gooses at Rudrur initially.