New Bird Species Grace Kashmir’s Wetlands Each Year
Srinagar: In a heartening trend for Kashmir's biodiversity, the avian diversity of the region has been on a remarkable upswing in recent years.
The wetlands of Kashmir become a bustling hub as hundreds of thousands of migratory birds flock to the region every year. In the midst of this natural spectacle, a community of bird photographers document not only the usual feathered guests but also the exciting new species that make these revitalized wetlands their seasonal abode.
This winter, Reyan Sofi, an avid bird photographer, spotted a Black-necked Grebe for the first time among the migratory flocks at Hokersar wetland. The discovery has been successfully added to eBird - an online database of bird observations that provides real-time data about bird distribution and abundance.
The Black-necked Grebe, a small and sociable species with a broad global distribution, typically winters in the south-western Palearctic, east Asia, and east Africa. Although it generally avoids flight, the black-necked grebe travels as far as 6,000 kilometers during migration. In addition, it becomes flightless for two months after completing a migration to reach an area where it can safely moult. While it has been identified breeding in various locations worldwide, its recent sighting in Jammu and Kashmir marks an expansion of its known range.
"Our observation is believed to be the initial verified record from Kashmir. The bird was in basic plumage and identified based on a bright red iris, black top of the head and mantle, neck black on the back and grey on the front, white breast, rump, and belly,” Sofi said.