World Migratory Bird Day 2022: Experts share unique facts and birds you need to look out for in Mumbai

Something in the waterTuhina Katti a scientist at Bombay Natural History Society BNHS is an expert on bird migration studies and is currently monitoring key sites visited by migratory birds Katti shares that October is a great month to spot migratory birds in India Along with wintering birds we see a lot of passage migrant species that do not spend the season here but only stop over to refuel before continuing down south or crossing the ocean to AfricaBlacktailed godwitShe notes that wetlands and beaches will give you a good view of migratory water birds and shore birds like flamingos pied avocet godwits curlews ducks like northern shoveler and northern pintail and plovers that are very active and fun to watch and small stints mdash in the 1520 gm line of birds that can cover 800010000 km during one way of their migration mdash theyrsquore small birds with a lot of energy as Katti describes themTuhina KattiSpeaking about the water birds Katti shares ldquoHead out to the wetlands especially to Thane Creek for the safari operated by the Forest Department from Airoli Itrsquos a musttry because it offers a great view of flamingos that arrive in thousandsrdquo The wetlands in different parts of the city welcome migratory water birds Head to Navi Mumbai during high tide for a better view of the birds and to the beach for migratory shorebirds from Siberia and Arctic that feed along the shorersquos mudflatsGreater flamingo Pics CourtesyBNHS Wetlands ProgramKatti highlights satellite tracking studies at BNHS in which a blacktailed godwit was caught at Bhandup Pumping Station and fitted with a tracking device last year She notes ldquoIt was tracked travelling from its breeding grounds to Mumbai covering thousands of kilometres in just five daysrdquo she addsThe World Migratory Bird Day theme this year revolves around dimming the lights Katti informs ldquoEvery year migratory birds cross distances at night But light pollution can cause distractions and potentially change their routes Itrsquos important to create awareness about switching off or dimming unnecesssary lighting systemsrdquoAn avian visitors everywhereAdesh Shivkar naturalist and director of Nature India Tours shares that the Mumbai Metropolitan Region has recorded 462 species of birds of which 130 to 140 species are generally migratory birds He shares ldquoMumbairsquos location makes it not just a passage for migratory birds moving south but also a wintering ground for several species considering our huge coastline and a network of creeksrdquo He adds that shorebirds comprise the maximum number of migratory species and of the longdistance migratory birds from Siberia Central Asia and Europe that come to India many can be found in MumbaiRosy starling Pic CourtesyAdesh ShivkarShivkar points out three categories of migratory birds in the city mdash those that come to the forests the grasslands scrublands and the wetlands Birds to look out for in the forests of Mumbai include the greenish warbler and brownbreasted flycatcher from the Himalayas Taiga flycatcher from central Asian scrublands tree pipit rosy starling and yellow wagtails Birds of prey commonly seen in marshes and grasslands include marsh harrier pallid harrier and osprey greater spotted eagle from central Asia and Russia Yoursquoll also spot the Northern shoveler duck and gadwall in the wetlandsAdesh ShivkarGet birdingKattirsquos resource listgtgt Merlin Bird ID appgtgt Ebird appgtgt Birds of the Indian SubcontinentShivkarrsquos resource listgtgt Vasai Birds appgtgt Birds of Mumbai by Sunjoy Mongagtgt 100 Common Birds of India by Dr Raju Kasambegtgt earlybirdingtgt Mumbai Birdwatcherrsquos Club on FacebookSpot migratory birds In and Around Mumbaigtgt Kharghar marshesgtgt Lokhandwala marshesgtgt Maharashtra Nature Park Mahimgtgt Sector 10 Vashi Navi Mumbaigtgt Thane Kolshet Creekgtgt Beaches like Bhuigaon beach or Alibaug beachgtgt Karnala Bird Sanctuarygtgt Aarey Colony