Migratory birds start arriving

Birds that migrate from Siberia to Pakistan and India during September to November have started arriving here. Birds have started arriving in Pakistan as the winter season started in Siberia (Russia) and this activity will gain momentum if rains are received here, informed Chief Conservator NWFP Wildlife Department, Saeeduz Zaman. Saeeduz Zaman said the migration journey starts from Siberia to Pakistan and ends in India at Bahartpure.
This route is known in the international migration routes as 'Indus Fly-way No 4' or 'Green Route', he added. The distance covered by birds during migration is around 4500 kilometres. The migratory bird fly from Siberia to Afghanistan, Karakorum range, across river Indus in Pakistan and finally towards India.
During their journey, the birds make stopovers at lakes and water basins at Nowshera, Tanda Dam in Kohat, Swat, Chitral, Punjab and at Haleji, Keenjaar and Lungsee lakes in Sindh. These birds mainly consist of water fowl, hobara bustard, cranes, teals, pintail, mallard, geeze, spoon bills, waders, palicons and gadwall.
The Wildlife Department, he said, has taken a number of measures to contain hunting of migratory birds and in this regards work was done on organising communities along rivers Kabul and Indus. Earlier, before 1970 there was no rule for protection of migratory birds. However, after Ramsar convention in Iran and Bonn Convention in Germany laws to protect migratory birds were enacted.
The Department, he said, developed wetlands where strict laws were implemented for regulating hunting. He said the wildlife department has also decided to reduce he 'Bag limit' of hunters from 20 birds to 10 birds. "We are also considering to restrict hunting on selected days like weekly holidays".
In response to a question about reduction in number of migratory birds, Saeeduz Zaman said those birds have reduced whose reproduction is slow. Whereas, birds whose reproduction is fast like ducks and water fowls are coming in the same number, he added. Sometimes, he said, due to change is weather and especially due to drought the birds change their route.