Itanagar: Seven new species of migratory birds were recently sighted in Arunachal Pradesh’s Ziro Valley during the ‘Ziro Bird Walk’.
A team of local bird enthusiasts in the Lower Subansiri district organized the ‘Ziro Bird Walk’ and spotted the birds in the traditional wet farmlands.
The bird species were not previously recorded in the bird checklist for the area.
On receiving information about the sightings, principal chief conservator of forests N Tam, Kamle district medical officer Tage Kanno, and several nature lovers undertook a three-hour-long bird walk to verify the presence of these rare visitors.
During the walk, the team sighted a greater white-fronted goose and a black-winged stilt, which had not been previously sighted by the team. Additionally, a new unreported species, the little stint, was also sighted, bringing the total number of newly reported migratory bird species to seven in the past week.
A total of 21 bird species were documented during the walk.
Koj Mama, a renowned conservationist and Arunachal Pradesh Birding Club president, said the discovery of species such as the pied avocet and greater white-fronted goose, typically found in the eastern Himalayan belt, underscores the ecological importance of the Ziro valley.
Mama said that the newly reported species included the Chinese pond hero, Eurasian curlew, pied avocet, black-winged stilt, greater painted snipe, greater white-fronted goose, and little stint.
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“These sightings signify the crucial role of Ziro’s traditional farmlands as a habitat for migratory birds. It reinforces the need for sustained conservation efforts in the region,” he added.
