Migratory birds from Europe, Central Asia start arriving in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Migratory birds from Europe, Central Asian states have started arriving in Pakistan through Indus Flyway covering a migration distance around 4500 kilometers.

Talking to APP, a Zoological Sciences Division, Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) said that migratory birds 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, he said.

"These birds mainly consist of water fowl, hobara bustard, cranes, teals, pintail, mallard, geeze, spoon bills, waders, palicons and gadwall" he added. 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 organizing communities along river Kabul and Indus.

Earlier, before 1970 there was no rule for protection of migratory birds, he informed. He further said that there are a total of 7 identified flyways in the world which include from Northern Europe to
Scandinavian countries, Central Europe to Mediterranean Sea, Western Siberia to Red Sea, Green Route from Siberia to Pakistan, Ganga Flyway from Eastern Siberia to India, Manchuria to Korea and Chakotaka to California.

The famous route from Siberia to various destinations in Pakistan over Karakorum, Hindu Kush, and Suleiman Ranges along the Indus River down to the delta is known as International Migratory Bird Route Number 4, he remarked.

The official said that route towards Pakistan is also called as the Green Route or more commonly Indus Flyway adding the birds start on this route in November and February is the peak time and by March they start flying back home. Meanwhile some Bird and environmental experts have already concluded that the migratory birds have ecological benefits as they prey on insects and weeds thus contributing towards the betterment of agriculture.

Similarly, the faecal material of the birds consists of organic matter that contributes towards the soil fertility, he further added.