Mathura (UP), Jan 27 (PTI) Close to 1,500 migratory and resident birds -- from 72 wetland-dependent species and 11 endangered species -- were spotted at the Jodhpur Jhal wetland in Mathura district during
a recent survey, experts said.
According to ecologist Dr K P Singh of Agra-based Biodiversity Research and Development Society, a non-governmental organisation, the Jodhpur Jhal wetland receives thousands of migratory birds belonging to more than 50 species every year.
"The birds fly to wetland and other areas of Mathura after clocking a distance of up to 9,000 kilometres on the Central Asian Flyway, which covers nearly 30 countries across Europe and Asia. Bluethroat from Alaska, Common Pochard from Siberia, Bar-headed Goose from Mongolia, and Grey-headed Lapwing from Northern China are among the birds already arrived at the wetland," Singh told PTI.
The birds take 30-50 days to travel from different parts of the Central Asian Flyway to the city, he said.
"Migration is an important part of their life cycle. The interesting fact is that the primary consumers (herbivores) are followed by the secondary consumers (birds that feed on small animals) during migration," he added.
Citing the Wetland International's Asian Waterbird Census 2026 conducted at Jodhpur Jhal on January 18 jointly by the Biodiversity Research and Development Society, Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Social Forestry Division, Singh said that a total of 1,493 individual birds from 72 wetland-dependent species and 11 endangered species were identified.
It took more than three hours for a team of eight experts led by Singh and Forest SI Amit Diwakar to cover an area of 80 hectares, including the adjoining canals, to conduct the survey.
Among the wetland-dependent birds, 32 were identified as migratory species, while 40 were resident species.
As many as 184 Common Teal, 387 Bar-Headed Goose and 249 Northern Pintail (the highest in numbers) were found along with Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Pied Avocet, Little Stint, Tamarin Stint, Sandpiper, Wagtail, Black-winged Stilt, Purple Swamp Hen and Common Snipe, Singh said.
Endangered species such as Sarus Crane, Black-necked Stork, Painted Stork, Oriental Darter, Common Pochard, Woolly-necked Stork, Black-tailed Godwit, Greater Spotted Eagle, River Tern, Ferruginous Pochard, and the Black-headed Ibis, were also identified in the survey, he said.
Singh said the habitat area at Jodhpur Jhal wetland has been expanded by developing new micro habitats of different water depths within aquatic vegetation. As a result, the number of wetland-dependent species coming to the area has increased.
Anil Patel, Chief Conservator of Forests, Agra Circle, said that due to the forest department's constant monitoring and protection, the threat to migratory birds has decreased, leading to an increase in their arrival. PTI COR NAV RUK
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