Pong Dam Lake buzzing with migratory birds

Dinesh Kanwar

Over one lakh migratory birds from across the Himalayas have arrived at the Pong Dam Lake, an international Ramsar wetland. The artificial lake had come up following the construction of the dam on the Beas river near Talwara (Punjab) in 1975. The highest earth-filled dam in India on the Beas is located in the wetland zone in the foothills of Dhauladars in Kangra district. The lake is a wildlife sanctuary and one of the 25 international wetland sites in India declared by the Ramsar Convention. The dam area is spread over 24,529 hectares (60,610 acres) and the wetland part is 15,662 hectares (38,700 acres).

During the winter, the lake becomes a birdwatcher’s delight as over 68 species of migratory birds flock to the site every year. This year, Forest Department officials have sighted Bar-headed geese, which were tagged in 2007 and 2011. This not only surprised wildlife officials but also bird lovers. With the arrival of these winged guests, poachers also become active in the area.

Migratory birds from Siberia and Central Asian countries have descended on the Pong Dam. The Forest Department has constituted over 32 village forest surveillance committees to keep an eye on the activities of poachers.

Following a rise in the number of foreign guests, the department has established the first tagging centre of northern India near the lake. Around 50,000 migratory birds had arrived at the dam reservoir by December end last year. A census of birds is done every year in the last week of January and this year it will be done on January 31. The highest number of migratory birds is expected at the lake this time.

Notably, 115,229 birds of 103 different species were recorded at the lake in 2019. The birds included 104,230 migratory water fowls of 58 species, 10,231 resident water birds of 29 species and 768 birds of 16 local species. The major species spotted were Bar-headed geese (29,443), Northern pintails (17,934), Common pochards (17,742), Eurasian coots (16,313), Common teals (7,918), Great cormorants (5,600), Eurasian wigeons (1,481), Gadwals (1,408), Greylag geese (1,249) and Ruddy shelducks (1,164).

Other bird species recorded in the lake were Common shelducks (52), Northern lapwings (39), Common mergansers (31), Greater white-fronted geese (24), Water pipits (22), Pied avocets (6), Ospreys (5), Black-bellied terns (2), Sarus cranes (4), Eurasian curlews (2) and a white-tailed lapwing.

Most of the migratory birds arrive from their breeding places in trans-Himalayan areas in Tibet, Central Asia, Russia and Siberia.

Rahul Rahane, District Forest Officer (Wildlife), says that over the last few years, the Pong Dam Lake, an international Ramsar site, has become an ideal destination for winter sojourn for many species of migratory birds. He adds that a protected and safe environment at the dam site is the reason for the increase in the number of migratory birds. The census of birds will be done on January 31 and a two-day bird festival on February 2 and 3 will also be the main attraction for birdwatchers.