6 floating islands for migratory birds at Sukhna Lake

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 20

With an aim to attract more migratory birds, the UT Department of Forests and Wildlife has created six floating islands in Sukhna Lake.

As the birds prefer shallow water for feeding and the water level of the lake is quite high this year, it becomes difficult for the birds to feed as they have to dive deep into the water for food. The department has made these six floating islands out of bamboo to provide a place to the birds to easily find food and perch on in the middle of the waterbody. Debendra Dalai, Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, UT, said six floating islands had been set up for the winged guests to bask, rest and sleep during their winter journey in the lake.

On an experimental basis, a bamboo raft was pushed into the lake in 2019, he said, adding that as a large number of birds used that raft, they had increased the number of such rafts to five last year. Due to the depth of water, birds need mudflats for resting and in the absence of such facility, they had decided to create artificial islands for the birds in the lake, he said. With the onset of the winter season, migratory birds have started arriving at Sukhna Lake.

Dalai said common pochard, common coot, mallard and pintail duck, all common species, had already arrived at the lake for their winter sojourn. However, during the annual census conducted on November 14 by the Chandigarh Bird Club to mark the birth anniversary of ornithologist Dr Salim Ali, 73 species of waterfowl and other birds were spotted at Sukhna Lake and the adjoining areas. The most common species that arrive at the lake are ruddy shelduck, black-winged stilt, Eurasian coot, great cormorant, Indian spot-billed duck, northern pintail, white-breasted waterhen, white-browed wagtail, pied kingfisher, citrine wagtail and common kingfisher.

How these will help

As the birds prefer shallow water for feeding and the water level of the lake is quite high this year, it becomes difficult for the birds to feed as they have to dive deep into the water for food. The department has made these six floating islands out of bamboo to provide a place to the birds to easily find food and perch on in the middle of the waterbody.