From Tibet to Siberia, over 20k migratory birds fly in for winter halt at Pong

Around 20,000 waterfowl from places such as Central Asia, Tibet, Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia have reached the Pong wetland, an international Ramsar site.

Context

• Around 20,000 waterfowl from places such as Central Asia, Tibet, Russia, Siberia, and Mongolia have reached the Pong wetland, an international Ramsar site.

Key highlights

• With the onset of winter, migratory birds have started coming to the subcontinent.
• Some of the dominant species, which have arrived at the lake, include the bar-headed geese, northern pintails, common coots, and the great cormorants.
• India receives birds from 29 countries during migration.

Why the birds visit the continent?

• A varied habitat, food availability, and the intervention and protection offered by the state wildlife wing.
• It offers a transitory resting reserve for migratory birds coming to the subcontinent in winters.
• It is the annual dispersal of birds from the northern hemisphere to the Indian subcontinent 

Pong Wetland

• Pong wetland is situated in the Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh.
• It is one of the largest man-made wetlands of Northern India.
• It was formed by the construction of Pong Dam which has been named MaharanaPratapSagar.
• This is the first wetland of the state to have got the global arm of protection and declared a “RAMSAR SITE” in the year 2002.
• Dhauladhar Mountains are feeders of water supply to Pong Lake