Bar-headed Geese finally arrive in Gurgaon; Why do they have a discolouration around their beaks?

It was a welcome treat to spot Bar-headed Geese finally at the Chandu Budhera wetland. They seem to have been a bit late in arriving in Gurgaon, probably because of the weather conditions, smog, and pollution. Bar-headed Geese are known to travel long distances to winter in the northern plains of India. Earlier, they could be spotted at the now defunct Basai Wetland but now seem to be moving further and further away from the city due to urbanization and human activities.

Incidentally, Bar-headed Geese are known to travel at great altitudes where Oxygen levels drop in rarified atmosphere. It is said that Bar-headed Geese travel from Central Asia and Tibet and that they navigate accurately, landing on the same patch of land year after year. Bar-headed Geese follow important flyways utilizing important natural features, landmarks like rivers, mountains, relying on the position of the Sun, stars and magnetic fields to navigate. Bar-headed Geese are marvels of nature in terms of navigational abilities, resilience, and the ability to fly at great altitudes often over the peaks of the Himalayan mountains.

The movement of migratory birds, their appearance, and non-appearance are important indicators of the adverse conditions of the environment and ecosystems of each biodiversity hotspot. The movements of migratory birds also provide important information on food availability patterns. A study of migratory patterns of birds is an important indicator of changing climate patterns, deterioration of ecosystems, and perhaps, even important warning signs of the adverse impact of human development activities.  

I have been photographing Bar-headed Geese for the past ten years and have noticed how they have been shifting their wintering spots. Earlier, they would land and the now-defunct Basai Wetland, closer to the city, but now they are moving on. The Sultanpur National Park, the so-called Ramsar site, doesn't even attract them. It is high time that the powers did some research to understand the actual situation on site.

It is high time that environmentalists and authorities took cognizance of the environmental degradation that is taking place in Gurgaon due to development activities.

Please note that the reddish-brown colour around the beaks and the sides of the heads of the Geese is because of staining caused by an iron-rich mineral in the water. Some of the wetlands might also contain abnormally large amounts of industrial waste.