Hadinaru Lake in Nanjangud Taluk teeming with banded migratory birds

[Pics. by M.N. Lakshminarayana Yadav]

The picturesque Hadinaru freshwater lake near Nanjangud is teeming with the banded bird from Mongolia — the Bar-Headed Geese and the migratory birds are pulling villagers, tourists and crowds like a magnet. So much so that photographers from Mysuru are heading towards Hadinaru village to capture a few splendid moments with the winged beauties. They just waddle about and feed on the lush green vegetation, making it a perfect photo op.

The bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) is a pale grey bird, easily distinguished from any of the other grey geese of the genus Anser by black bars on its head, yellow-orange beak and same coloured legs. A mid-sized goose, it measures 71 to 76 centimetres in length and weighs about 1.80 to 3.2 kg. Their head, white in colour, is marked with a pair of U-shaped bands crossing the nape. The upper band that starts behind the eyes is thicker than the lower band.

Other characteristics are a long neck and deep chest. Both the genders have similar looks, though the males are slightly larger and heavier than females. They are social birds that breed in Central Asia and winters in South Asia, migrating south from Tibet, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia before crossing the Himalayas.

Apart from Hadinaru Lake, these birds have also come to the backwaters of the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam and in the Hadinaru Lake alone, over 400 birds are taking their seasonal break. They come from Mongolia and cross the Himalayas on one of the most iconic high-altitude migrations in the world.

Bar-Headed Geese can be found anywhere from Mongolia to the Tibetan plateau in the summer, where they raise young before the majority take long flights South to the Indian subcontinent in the autumn and return again the following spring.

They fly at altitudes that are extremely challenging and their migratory path between India and Mongolia has been tracked by satellite telemetry crossing the Himalayan mountains. They migrate in flocks and nest in colonies of thousands. While flying, these birds maintain V-shaped formations and they beautifully maintain spacing and communicate with each other visually and vocally.

These birds are a vibrant species that have electrified Hadinaru Lake with their chorus of clucks. With the black bars on their head and the pattern on their neck, the bird is quite a sight to behold, charming not only birders but also the villagers of Hadinaru and surrounding hamlets.

These annual guests from Mongolia are treasured by the villagers of Hadinaru who do not disturb their habitat in any way. Though villagers may make use of the Lake to provide water to their cattle and livestock, they make sure these birds are not disturbed. They make every effort to ensure that the seasonal birds stay in peace.

Bar-Headed Geese are primarily herbivores and they feed mainly on grasses that surround lakes and other small water bodies. They also eat corn, barley, rice, wheat, and occasionally munch on molluscs, insects and feed on crustaceans. They also feed on paddy when the farmers start preparing their paddy fields during the process of sowing. Paddy shoots attract them in large numbers.