Migratory birds get free lunch in Kashmir
The water surface in this wetland reserve in Jammu and Kashmir has frozen, but thousands of migratory birds flocking it will not find themselves short of food. The wildlife authorities have arranged free lunches for them.
Situated 14 km from city centre Lal Chowk on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road, Hokarsar wetland reserve is the valley’s major bird sanctuary where thousands of graylag geese, mallards, pochards, Brahmany ducks, wigeons, shovellers, teals, coots and even birds of passage like the cormorants are being hosted.
The reserve, 14 km from Srinagar, is home to thousands of migratory birds, including graylag geese, mallards, pochards and cormorants.
The birds come from Siberia, China, Philippines and Turkey.
“The birds feed on water chestnuts and small fish. Since the lake is frozen, they may starve to death,” said Kashmir wildlife warden Rouf Ahmad.
“We have started feeding paddy to the birds. Some of them have gone to Wullar Lake to find food, where several hot springs keep parts of the lake ice-free,” said Ahmad.
