Every year, the Jayakwadi dam and Sukhna lake are crowded with local and migratory birds in the winter season. But despite abundant availability of water, the arrival of birds to the Jayakwadi dam has slowed down. Several birds including flamingos, glossy ibis, teal, pochard and brahminy ducks are still not seen in large numbers.
Two months have passed since the migratory season has begun. But the overflowing dam has already submerged the fringe areas of the dam that serve as habitat for birds. Owing to this, flamingos and other migratory birds may elude the Jayakwadi bird sanctuary with uncertainty looming large over their usual arrival. These birds come to Jayakwadi to avoid the cold winters in Siberia, Russia via, China, Tibet, and the Himalayas for four months. However, despite the onset of December this year, there is little sign of migratory birds at Jayakwadi and Sukhna lake. According to bird watchers, flamingo, bar-headed goose, common crane, osprey, barn swallows, eurasian wigeons, shoveller ducks, plover birds and different types of storks and ducks are still not visible in villages and some other locations near the dam wall and the Godavari river. Environmentalist Kishor Pathak said “The migratory birds need shallow waters sans human interference and proper food. The birds feed on fish, crabs, shrimps, conchs, mussels, leaf insects, water plants and algae found in shallow water. However, the overflowing Jayakwadi dam has already shrunk the natural habitat of these birds. The birds do not come down as they see nets and thermocol on the water. As there are no trees or bushes around the water, there is no shelter for the birds. In the past, it was easy to spot these birds, but now we have to find them," Pathak said. Fallen numbers of migratory birds have saddened the bird watchers.