“Queen of Himalayan wetlands” Home to thousands of migratory birds

Flocks of migratory birds from many European and other western countries have arrived in the wetlands of Kashmir ,Though arrival of such birds in winter is a centuries-old tradition, if the message carried in the cackle and flutter of these migratory birds goes unnoticed, Kashmir may turn a deaf ear to its own legacy of peace and harmony.
Every year with the onset of winter, the wetlands of Kashmir valley hosts lacs of migratory birds as they start arriving in Kashmir valley from October and stays till March; and all this time these birds are seen dancing over the wetlands of the Kashmir valley.
The migratory birds keeping their centuries-old relationship with Kashmir visits wetlands of the valley every year and enjoy the temperate climate.
From the month of October, these birds migrate from Siberia, China, Philippines, Eastern Europe and Japan to the valley and stay here for about five months as the Valley presents them a comparatively hospitable alternate habitat compared to the extreme freezing conditions in their natural habitats in the northern hemisphere.
Some of the bird species that visit are found in Kashmir are Monal, Jungle Bush Quail, Shikra, Himalayan Bulbul, Tragapon, common Kingfisher, Blue Whistling Thrush, Common Moorhen, Koklass Pheasant, Little Grebe, Himalayan Woodpecker, Tundra Swan Great Tit, Black Kite, Mallards, Greylag Geese, Pochard, Shovelers, Pintails and Gharwals.
As per official records, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have over 500 species of birds, including 32 endangered ones, and the opening of new sites will be an added attraction for tourists and bird watchers.
Kashmir is full of different species of birds which can be found in forests, hillocks, parks, meadows, wetlands and lakes. The opening of places for bird watching is a unique idea and these tourist spots have different species of birds, and bird watchers, tourists from across the country, could spend hours listening to the chirping and songs of different species of birds.
According to reports, these birds use a natural skill called ‘aviation’ in modern aviation to make long journeys comfortable. This skill is a type of their sixth sense in which birds have been found to be more intelligent and intelligent than humans.With the arrival of these birds, wildlife enthusiasts traditionally visit the famous wetlands of Kashmir including Hokarsar, Wolar Lake, Hegam, Shala Bug and other water bodies to witness them.
The growing trend of illegal hunting of these migratory birds has been a cause of concern for the concerned department for the past years, but according to the authorities, it has been controlled to a greater extent.
In order to provide a peaceful environment to these visitors, the department has taken several steps to maintain the proper water levels in all wetlands of Kashmir valley and in order to provide a feasible ambience to these visiting avian guests,
Besides Hokersar, the migratory birds flock to the Wullar lake and other wetlands like Hygam, Shallabugh, Pampore, Dal Lake and Mirgund in surrounding areas,
The Kashmir valley has some 400 water bodies, out of which the officials and avian watchers observe birds in some 25 big and notified water bodies. Presently, the valley has nine wetlands out of the total 13 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Shalbough, located in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, is the biggest wetland spread over 16 sq km while Hokersar on the city outskirts is around 13.5 km, Hygam wetland in north Kashmir is spread across 9 km and Chatlam wetland is in south Kashmir’s Pampore. The birds have a habit of arriving late at Shalbough, mostly by January end and February.
The Hokersar wetland - which some call the “queen of Himalayan wetlands” is in west of Srinagar and is surrounded by several villages. It is a refuge for waterfowl and wading birds that arrive every winter from Siberia, China, Central Asia and Northern Europe. It is also home to many species of fish.
Hokersar is one of four Himalayan wetlands that are Ramsar sites, recognised under an international convention of the same name as wetlands of “international importance”. The other three are the Wular, the Tso Moriri and the Surinsar-Mansar Lakes.
But over the years, human activities, including hunting, encroachment and pollution, have changed the character of these sites in drastic ways. Today, migratory birds have a tough time finding suitable habitats in this Himalayan region.
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