IMPHAL, JULY 19: As in 2014 census, Lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica) popularly known as Tingi in local tongue outnumbered all other birds sighted during a recent water birds census conducted across the Loktak lake, the largest fresh water body in the North East.
This brown and long necked duck which has broad wings that are visible in flight and produces a loud two note wheezy call, is followed by Common Coot (Fulica atra atra), Gadwall (Anas strepera) and Common Moorhen (Gallinala chloropus), according to a report on waterbird census 2016 of the state forest department. In 2014 census Lesser whistling duck is followed by Cattle egret, Gadwall, Common Moorhen and Common Teal.
About 18,612 Lesser whistling ducks which breeds in India and south asia visits Manipur in groups during the cold season when their habitat becomes frozen. This came to light when a group of more than 100 individuals standing across 50 observatory centres in and around Loktak Lake conducted waterbird census for few days under the aegis of State Forest department, local NGOs and wildlife activists recently.
Lesser whistling ducks is followed by 14,545 Common Coot or ‘Porom’ which breeds in Europe, Australia besides Africa became the second largest migratory waterbirds in Manipur.
Around 6065 Gadwall or ‘Thoidingnum’ which breeds in northern Europe and Asia besides North America visits Manipur in groups during the cold season when their habitat becomes frozen, which once became the single largest species visiting Manipur wetlands, now become the third largest migratory waterbirds and it was followed by 1378 Common Moorhen or ‘uren’.
In one of the census, 6,144 Gadwalls, which were listed as the least concerned waterbird by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), become the largest group visiting Loktak against 208 in 2011. This time a total of 40,600 waterbirds comprising Lesser whistling duck, Common Coot, Gadwall and Common Moorhen visits Loktak, as per the report.
Interestingly only one Falcated duck(Anas falcata) or ‘Thoidingnum manbi’ besides just 180 Ferrigunous Pochard (Aytha Nyroca) or ‘Nganu Mitngoubi’,a near threatened species as per IUCN status visited the wetlands against 220 in 2012 and just 89 in 2011.
At least Sighting of a minimum of around 20,000 or more water birds in a year also supports the status of a Ramsar site, according to waterbird activists. But in the case of Loktak Lake, a Ramsar site, as many as 46,857 water birds belonging to 68 different species have been recorded during the recent census.
