Birdwatchers in Delhi-NCR were in for a treat on December 15 when several rare vagrant bird species were spotted at Sultanpur National Park in Haryana. Among the rarest visitors spotted were the Baikal teal (Sibirionetta formosa) and the falcated duck (Mareca falcata).
The Baikal teal has been sighted after more than a decade in the region—the last sighting came in 2013 at Sultanpur. Meanwhile, the falcated duck was sighted last year in Surajpur, Chhattisgarh, but birders say there have only been a handful of sightings over the past decade. Other rare sightings, made multiple times this week, including on Sunday, were the common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) and the little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus), which were both spotted at Chandu Budhera village.
Ashray Kamath, a 19-year-old birdwatcher, first spotted the Baikal teal at around 1:30PM, while the falcated duck was noticed by another young birder, Spandan Yadav, around 2:30PM. These birds breed in Mongolia, China, Japan and South Korea and head to eastern India during the winter season. Thus, venturing to northwest India, particularly Delhi-NCR, is fairly rare.
The Baikal teal stands out due to its green nape and yellow and black auricular regions, neck and throat. It has a dark crown, and its breast is light brown with dark spots. The falcated duck is distinguished by a white throat, a dark green collar and a bronzed crown.
The little gull has been sighted multiple times since being sighted on December 6 at Chandu Budhera. Before this year, it was previously spotted at the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in 2014 and in 1992. It is a shorebird that tends to migrate along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Caspian Sea, making its foray into the national capital region rare.
The sightings add to the growing trend of rare migratory birds visiting the Sultanpur region, making it a must-visit location for birdwatching enthusiasts. The 1.42 square kilometre haven for birdwatchers, nature lovers and wildlife photographers provides a critical sanctuary for a wide variety of species, especially during the winter, making it one of the most important birding destinations in northern India.
(With inputs from multiple news reports)
