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Nature Nuggets

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The Homecoming!

Once again, it’s the most fascinating time of the year! As we enter this New Year, 2021, let’s begin by welcoming and appreciating our beautiful winged wonders.

Image 1: Common Kingfisher spotted across river forests of India

India is the winter home to some of the most beautiful species of birds from around the world. This seasonal movement of birds from a region of low to high resources is termed as migration.

Let’s explore further into the world of these feathered visitors in this new avatar of WWF India’s fortnightly newsletter ‘Nature Nuggets’!

Image 2: Grey Heron can be spotted in Bharatpur bird Sanctuary, Periyar National Park and Sunderbans In India.

Dec 18, 2020– Officials at the Paradise for bird watchers, Okhla Bird Sanctuary, have witnessed almost 8000 birds and nearly 46 species of migratory visitors in mid-December 2020!

The birds have arrived in good numbers and on time and the sanctuary officials are expecting more guests from the northern hemisphere by the end of March.

Migration is primarily triggered by a need for food, escaping regions of extreme cold weather; it also coincides with the breeding season in many birds.

Can’t go out amid this pandemic but want to learn more about birds? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Watch this video and explore more about Bird taxonomy, Morphology, Evolutions and Adaptations!

Common Name: Greater Flamingo
Scientific Name: Phoenicopterus roseus

Greater Flamingo is the largest of all species of the flamingo family, found in the Indian subcontinent. The migratory bird is found in parts of Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary,

Flamingo City and in the Thol Bird Sanctuary of Gujarat during entire winter season.

Shrimp like crustaceans are responsible for the flamingo’s beautiful pink color. If they don’t get enough food to eat they will lose the pigmentation and their feathers will only be white. 

Did you know Flamingos spend around 3.5-7 hours a day in cleaning their feathers! Oil produced in a special gland will be spread over feathers with a help of their beak. Flamingos are monogamous (they have just one partner) and they produce one egg each year.

Watch this video and enjoy the beautiful Flamingo flourish in Mumbai, India amid Lockdown!

CLICK HERE to listen to an expert talk on Birds of Indian subcontinent by Conservationist Nikhil Bhopale. Explore more and boot your nature quotient on Stand With Nature. 

Time to check your Wild Wisdom Quotient!

By far the longest migration known in the animal kingdom, this medium-sized bird travels 90,000 km! Name this bird also known for its record-breaking migration.
Hint: It travels from pole to pole every year – from Greenland in the North to the Weddell Sea in the South.

  1. Willow Warbler
  2. Bar-headed Goose
  3. Arctic Tern
  4. Great Snipe

Answer to be revealed in our next edition!

Previous edition Answer: Kopi Luwak, One of the most expensive kinds of coffee, is made from beans that are collected from Palm Civet’s poop!
Congratulations to everyone who guessed it right!

Step into this New Year by switching to a sustainable lifestyle and contribute your bit for a better tomorrow.  

Understand about natural recyclers and learn to compost your kitchen and garden waste.  

Watch and Learn from the Panda Bot.

Want to save the planet and become a Cool Conservationist?

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