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For someone who is not a keen birder, it would be a bit difficult to imagine a metropolis like Delhi as a birding hotspot. The city is covered in concrete and the air has that eternal stillness – smog. But despite all this, the city and its surrounding areas cling to nature. The relationship between Delhi and nature hangs by a thread, and it’s a thin one indeed.
Also read: Understanding nature-based tourism and how to be an eco-tourist?
In a city of over 18 million, finding a decent open space with greenery is nothing short of a wonder. And trust me, when you find a place like this, you’ll want to hold on to it as long as possible. This is exactly what bird enthusiasts feel about Delhi.
Delhi is far from mountains or beaches, it is a land-locked place, and the weather is the best. Other places have tigers and other exciting wildlife; Delhi has at best an occasional leopard that has lost its way or a nilgai that has wandered out of the forest and is now in some gated area. While the city has no shortage of large animals, it also boasts a remarkable bird life. And this is because Delhi and NCR fall directly on the migratory path of birds that are in search of warm wintering grounds.
During winter (late October), hundreds of thousands of birds start flying from the Northern Hemisphere to the Indian subcontinent. As winter conditions begin to get harsher in the north, birds move to a warmer habitat to find food sources and to breed and raise their young. And lo and behold, Delhi found itself in the middle of it all. Call it their internal biological clock or simply as creatures of habit, birds follow the same path every year.
This winter, look around carefully. If you are surrounded by bodies of water such as lakes, large ponds, drains and river outlets, look a little closer than usual. You will see that the birds are pigeons and not crows. Many of them are water birds, both large and small. From the remote regions of Siberia to the highlands of Tibet, these birds fly great distances. Natural water bodies in and around Delhi are great places to watch these water birds.
Feathered friends and where to find them
They are undoubtedly water birds of winter migration in Delhi and NCR region. Shorebirds come all the way from places like Siberia and Russia. They are waders, ducks, geese and more. Every year like clockwork, they make the city and surrounding water bodies their habitat for the winter. Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Asola Bhatti, Surajpur (Noida), Sultanpur (Gurugram), Najafgarh, Chandu Budhera, Jhanjrola Khera, Mangar, and Arabli Biodiversity Park.
Delhi and NCR have very few pockets of agricultural land and interspersed with them you will find pockets of forests. These woodlands and agricultural areas are some of the best places to see another type of winter migrant – woodland birds. These small and brightly colored forest birds are some of the strongest flying birds. The bluethroat, a migrant from the Palearctic region, is a good example of a strong flyer.
People and their birds
“For anyone whose work frequently visits the Delhi-NCR region, an opportunity to squeeze in a detour or two is always around the corner. From parks and nurseries in Delhi to wetlands around NCR, there is never a dull moment for birds here. Statistically speaking I have recorded the number of bird sightings in the Delhi-NCR region second only to my own state. Lying on the migratory route of birds traveling south from the hills, Delhi offers rare bird sightings that pass through the city at certain times of the year. Sometimes I try to align my work trips with these scenes, which makes me wonder who exactly are immigrants to this city”, says Pune-based public policy professional Ranjit Rane.
A birder from Gurgaon, Arun Kamath says, “Apart from hotspots, there are many unexplored places in NCR where many rarities can be seen. Exploring them with friends is always a challenge and excitement, and when a great rare visitor is spotted, it is worth all the hard work. .” On weekdays, Arun works with a top logistics MNC in Gurgaon and on weekends, he leaves his home by 5:30 am to places like Bhondsi, Mangar and Chandu. One such trip gave him a rare winter visitor, the Pacific Golden Plover. Passion!
To accommodate interested birders from across the country, a group of like-minded birders, in 2020, created a platform on Twitter – Indiaves. Since its inception, IndiAves has managed to create a platform for healthy discussions about not just birds, but other flora and fauna and most importantly, the environment or what’s left of it. “IndiAves came into being with the objective of providing a platform for avid birders, bird and nature photographers and beginners to share their photos, stories and nature observations. It originated during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has helped connect many bird lovers across the country and beyond. In fact, the latest event is IndiAvesWeek dedicated to India’s birdman Dr. Salim Ali, where IndiAvers are encouraged to form teams and go out into the field to bird-watch, observe, count and report on the IndiAves platform on Twitter”, said Rakesh Dareshwar, one of IndiAves. Founding member.
In the past, IndiAves has run similar themes swamp, Plastic is poison, Birds with food, to name a few. These themes allow people to submit their observations about birds, their food sources, how plastic pollution is affecting them, and most importantly, their habitat. With this little information, a common man can know about habitat and importance of nature conservation. These winged-visitors deserve a home, don’t they?
When we talk about habitats, the most important bird habitat in Delhi and NCR is Yamuna Khaddar. And we have all heard the story of the good old Yamuna River. “Save Yamuna Bachao Braj Bachao” comes to mind. Sunil Kumar, one of Delhi’s top birders, is a Jamuna Khada expert on birds. From adding most of the bird sightings from Yamuna Khadar to the international platform eBird, to making headlines for the first time in Delhi a few years ago to spot the stolikzkar bushchat, an ultra-rare desert bird, Sunil Kumar has done it all. When asked about his views on bird breeding in the Yamuna Khadar region, he shared, “It’s not just about the birds, Delhi’s well-being depends on how we treat the Yamuna river. River Yamuna and its floodplains are Delhi’s only hope or lifeline.” Points to ponder.
I have birded with Sunil Kumar in the past. From cold winter mornings to hot summer sunshine with drizzle, only to find a rare visitor or two. On our birding trip, we saw illegal sand mining in the garbage hills of the city.
Just like us, there are many birders who are willing to travel far and wide, from wading through knee-deep drains to walking soundlessly through woodlands to try (and fail) just to find a rarity. Even if it’s just a glimpse. How lucky are we to have Delhi and NCR by our side?
- Is Delhi a good place for wintering birds?
Yes, since Delhi falls directly on the migration route, many winter visitors come here. - When does winter bird migration start in Delhi – NCR?
Since October. Birds stay in Delhi till early summer. - What are the best birding hotspots in Delhi-NCR?
Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Asola Bhatti, Surajpur (Noida), Sultanpur (Gurugram), Najafgarh, Chandu Budhera, Jhanjrola Khera, Mangar and Arabli Biodiversity Parks
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