Tagging of migratory birds
Credit: Special Arrangement
Mumbai: The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) works across six key wetlands in six districts of Bihar and has tagged several migratory birds.
The tracking study is expected to provide crucial insights into the migration routes, stopover sites, and behavioral patterns of the Bar-headed geese wintering in Bihar.
The BNHS is undertaking the initiative under the Wetlands and Flyway Programme, focusing on bird monitoring, bird ringing, habitat assessment, and awareness initiatives funded by the Department of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. As part of this project, BNHS has successfully ringed and released over 2,000 birds in these sites.
A step forward, GPS-GSM tags have been successfully deployed on two Bar-headed geese, at the Nagi Dam Bird Sanctuary in Jamui District on February 22, 2025, according to a BNHS press statement released in Mumbai.
Dr. P. Sathiyselvam, Deputy Director and head of Wetlands and Flyway Programme deployed the tags along with the team - Khushboo Rani, Vertika Patel, Abilash R, Abhay Rai, and Susmit Bole. Arvind Mishra, Governing council member of BNHS was also present during the tagging.
This was the first time GPS-GSM were deployed on the Bar-headed geese to track their precise movement. The collected data will also be helpful in understanding the geese's journey from non-breeding areas like Nagi Dam and surrounding wetlands to their breeding grounds in the Central Asian Flyway.
As these Bar-headed geese follow the Central Asian Flyway it was decided to track this movement of this specific Geese species. Also the local movement of this species, in and around the Nagi Dam will be known. This information will play a vital role in strengthening wetland conservation efforts and connectivity across the region.
The Bhagalpur Forest Division is also working to procure GPS-GSM tags for 20 Greater Adjutant Storks in Bhagalpur. Tracking these storks will provide valuable data on their movement within Bihar and neighboring areas, contributing to a deeper understanding of their habitat use and conservation needs. This advanced tagging initiative marks a significant milestone in Bihar’s ongoing efforts to study and conserve migratory birds.