Indian Skimmers Get Lower Manair Under Focus

 Hyderabad: Recently, over 110 endangered Indian skimmers, which represent 4.4 per cent of its world population, were sighted at the Lower Manair Dam (LMD) in Karimnagar.

This is the second recorded instance of these birds in Telangana, with the first sighting occurring in Manjeera, Sangareddy. Last year, 25 skimmers were spotted at LMD.

However, this location was not categorised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), unlike the other 18 listed areas.

Telangana is home to three Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) - Manjeera, Pocharam, and Pakhal - while Amrabad is a shared IBA with Andhra Pradesh. Overall, the region has a total of 18 IBAs, with the majority located in Andhra Pradesh.

Parveen Shaikh, a scientist at Bombay Natural History Society, told Deccan Chronicle: “Not all the places where birds are spotted can be declared as an IBA, Now that 110 Skimmer birds are spotted in LMD, this will be taken into consideration for the future list. We are also trying to understand the reason why they are choosing LMD.”

“As we continue to monitor these birds, it will be fascinating to observe their movements, especially as they may remain in the region until January,”she added.

“After their first sighting at LMD in January 2023, we are hopeful they will return to the same spot again, as they tend to use the same area during winters. This year, a local birder reported seeing them last week and he reported it on the eBird platform. When we visited the place, we counted them to be a total of 110.” Sri Ram Reddy, a bird watcher said.

Indian skimmers are wetland birds typically found in coastal estuaries and larger sandy rivers across western and eastern India.

During the winter months, they migrate throughout India, nesting in rivers such as the Chambal and Mahananda. Their breeding season runs from March to June, and they prefer to lay their eggs on river islands.

The Indian skimmer is particularly interesting because of its distinctive feeding method, according to those who study birds.

With a long lower beak which is significantly longer than the upper one, these birds skim the water's surface while flying, using their beak to catch fish. This behaviour, known as "skimming," allows them to access their prey efficiently.

The Indian skimmer is listed as an endangered bird, with its population declining by 34-46 per cent over the past three generations. Current estimates suggest fewer than 2,450-2,900 mature individuals are alive around the world. The decline is primarily due to habitat loss and changes in water levels caused by dams, irrigation, and sand mining. These factors lead to flooding and low water levels, both of which pose threats to their nesting colonies by exposing them to predators and human disturbances.