Nagi Bird Sanctuary

An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. Nagi Dam Bird Sanctuary satisfies IBA criteria of A4i and A4iii for congregations of various species of birds.[5]

Bar-headed goose

Male sandgrouse

Around 1600 bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) have been recorded from this site. According to Wetlands International (2002), 1% threshold of this species is 560. Hence, about 3% of the global population of bar-headed geese are found at this site. Consequently, Birdlife International declared the bird sanctuary was declared as an Important Bird Area in 2004. Beyond the cultivated areas, the water body is surrounded by rocky terrain. Consequently, dryland birds like the Indian courser (Cursorius coromandelicus), chestnut-bellied sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus), yellow-wattled lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus) and Indian robin (Saxicoloides fulicata) are also seen. The site falls in Biome-12, i.e. Indo-Gangetic Plains, but species of Biome-11 are also sighted. More than 20,000 water birds congregate in and around Nagi Dam Bird Sanctuary in winter. The sanctuary is not only popular for the migrating birds but also resident birds. It also has a rich diversity of aquatic flora and fauna. Irrigation and ground water recharge are also key ecosystem services provided by the wetland.[5]

Ferruginous duck

Temminck's stint

Common kestrel

Falcated duck

The arrival of migratory birds begins in October with the coming of white wagtails and black redstarts. Hundreds of Eurasian coots start arriving in the sanctuary in the beginning of November. The sanctuary teems with waterbirds until February, after which the migrants start flying back to their home range in Central Asia, the Arctic Circle, the Russian taiga and northern China.

Migratory birds observed in the sanctuary are Eurasian marsh harrier, greater short-toed lark, mallard, common tern, western yellow wagtail, olive-backed pipit, Richard's pipit, blue rock thrush, common snipe, Blyth's reed warbler, falcated duck, Kentish plover, steppe eagle, Eurasian wigeon, common pochard, greylag goose, tufted duck, northern pintail, ferruginous duck, gadwall, bar-headed goose, red-crested pochard, northern shoveler, ruddy shelduck, black-necked stork, Jacobin cuckoo, common kestrel, barn swallow, brown shrike, brown-headed gull, citrine wagtail, white wagtail, black redstart, red-breasted flycatcher, osprey, great crested grebe, Eurasian coot, little ringed plover, common sandpiper, little stint, Temminck's stint, common greenshank, wood sandpiper and the green sandpiper. The reason for the arrival of a large number of migratory birds is the extent of the wetland and the thriving of aquatic plants, plankton and molluscs in the reservoir. Birds feed on them and also the fish in the wetland.

Indian courser

Cotton pygmy goose

Apart from the migratory birds that grace the sanctuary from October to February, a large number of resident birds are present in the summer and monsoon seasons in and around the sanctuary. The wetland provides rich habitat for the resident kingfishers. The paddy fields around the sanctuary provide a rich habitat for insects and dragonflies which are preyed upon by many resident birds. There are many butterflies also present in the sanctuary. The surplus of insects provides a rich hunting habitat for rollers, bee-eaters and munias. The paddy fields provide a rich foraging ground for ibises.

Resident birds of the sanctuary are Indian robin, ashy-crowned sparrow-lark, Asian koel, Asian pied starling, bank myna, baya weaver, black-bellied tern, black drongo, black-headed ibis, black-hooded oriole, black kite, black-winged kite, brahminy starling, bronze-winged jacana, Indian silverbill, Indian roller, cattle egret, brown-headed barbet, house crow, large-billed crow, common hawk cuckoo, common hoopoe, common kingfisher, common myna, white-throated kingfisher, common tailorbird, coppersmith barbet, Eurasian collared dove, spotted dove, rufous treepie, jungle babbler, Asian green bee-eater, gray francolin, Indian grey hornbill, house sparrow, Indian chat, Indian courser, Indian pond heron, cotton pygmy goose, large cuckooshrike, laughing dove, lesser whistling duck, little cormorant, Indian shag, Oriental darter, Oriental magpie robin, red-naped ibis, painted stork, plain prinia, pied kingfisher, purple sunbird, purple heron, grey heron, red-vented bulbul, little grebe, red-wattled lapwing, yellow-wattled lapwing, river tern, rose-ringed parakeet, scaly-breasted munia, shikra, spotted owlet, white-breasted waterhen, Indian thick-knee, yellow-footed green pigeon and the woolly-necked stork.