The Bar-headed Geese Have Arrived!

Yesterday, Friday, the 7th of March, after a rather disappointing visit to the Sultanpur National Park, I decided to visit the Najafgarh Lake Zone at Chandu Budhera. On reaching the lake I was pleasantly surprised to spot hundreds of Bar-headed Geese! It was even more surprising to see them reach their nesting ground so late in the winter season. I spotted these birds in the month of November 2023. Incidentally, I did not spot any of these birds in 2024.

The late arrival of Bar-headed Geese in the Gurgaon district could be because of climatic disruptions, change in weather, and availability of feeding grounds. It is also pertinent to note that the birds that once could be spotted closer to the city have now chosen to visit wetlands that are farther away. The Sultanpur National Park rarely hosts Bar-headed Geese and the Basai Wetland is no longer a wetland.

Bar-headed Geese are fascinating birds. They are capable of flying long distances all the way from central Asia, Tibet and parts of Russia and Mongolia. Bar-headed Geese can fly at great heights were there is hardly any Oxygen to breathe. Last but not least, they are amongst the greatest navigators in the world!

Their late arrival in the district of Gurgaon, in Haryana could be because of unfavourable weather and climate conditions. Strong head winds, lack of food, and global warming might have impacted their migration to India. Yes, it is unfortunate that their stay will be marred by the approaching summer season.

Bar-headed Geese are now forced to seek other more lush and better resourced areas than the Sultanpur National Park and the now defunct Basai Wetland. It is a matter of great concern that human industrial activities, conversion of wetlands into residential areas, and the general apathy of various organizations has resulted in these birds switching to other locations. The reduced number of Bio-diversity hotspots, lack of wetlands, is driving away migratory birds from the plains of Northern India. This has implications for us. A reduction in water resources and forests, the vanishing green areas are bound to have a future impact on the livability index for human beings.