Rare Pacific Golden Plover makes a stop at Jayakwadi

Flock of 10-12 birds spotted in the area

VAIBHAV PARWAT

Aurangabad, May 17:

In a very rare sighting, a Pacific Golden Plover was spotted near Jayakwadi Dam on Sunday. The bird is categorized as a least concern species by the International union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 3.1). This means that it does not qualify as threatened but they do not have their population status evaluated.

The sighting has delighted bird lovers as the species is not regularly seen in the plains of Maharashtra. The golden plover was first spotted at a water body near Pune and later in Amravati in 2015. “The bird is believed to breed in Arctic Tundra and Alaska and is found in coastal areas during the migratory season. This is the first time a Pacific Golden Plover (PGP) is being sighted in the region,” said founder of Vishwas Foundation and bird watcher Mihir Joshi. Before this, there are records of sightings of PGP in Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Sikkim. “It is a medium-sized plover and breeding adult is usually 23-26 cm long and weighs around 135 grams. The interesting part is that almost half of the globe is the migration route of this species. The plover seen here were in a flock of 10-12 and in their breeding colour. Though the area is prone to disturbance as it is regularly visited by fishermen and grazing animals, the bird seems to have easily adopted and is seen feeding on crabs, snails, fish and seeds,” said Joshi.

Local NGOs and the forest department officials are constantly monitoring the bird’s movements to make note of its behavioural patterns. “There are chances that Jayakwadi is in its migratory path and it might leave in a few days. Our volunteers are keeping a close watch to ensure that no net traps are laid by poachers,” said another bird watcher Mangal Thonte.

Can fly non stop for 3,000 miles

PGP flies at altitudes of 3,000 feet (about 1 km) to 16,000 feet (4.88 km). These birds are reported to have flown 3,000 miles (4,800 km) without stopping in 3-4 days.