Seminar on Migratory Behavior of African Bird Glossy Ibis Held
Author(s): City Air NewsA related photograph. Jalandhar, September 10, 2015: NGO Dastak Welfare Council -Pioneer and Promoter of Birds Conservation Programmes and IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell) organized a seminar entitled Migratory...
cityairnews
Sep 10, 2015 09:30
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A related photograph.
Jalandhar, September 10, 2015: NGO Dastak Welfare Council -Pioneer and Promoter of Birds Conservation Programmes and IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell) organized a seminar entitled Migratory Behaviour of Glossy Ibis in Doaba College today. Prof Sandeep Chahal- President Dastak graced the occasion as key speaker and Dr SS Dhingra –Consultant , Ajay Aggarwal-Secretary, Aswani Kumar –Vice President , Harnoor Dhingra- Student Project Director –Dastak as guests of honour.The dignataries were accorded a hearty welcome Principal Dr Naresh Kumar Dhiman and Prof Daljit Singh Bhatia –Coordinator IQAC and students.
Key speaker Prof Sandeep Chahal “The Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a wading bird also known as by the name of Kalabhuja in vernacular in the ibis family Threskiornithidae and it breeds in the scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Africa, Australiaand in Asia including India especially in Punjab. The Glossy Ibis nests colonially in trees, often with herons. It is also gregarious when feeding in marshy wetlands; it predates on fish, frogs and other water creatures, as well as occasionally on insects. Glossy Ibis helps in the maintaining the balance in ecosystem by feeding on insects and also helps the farmers in the winnowing of their fields when it feeds on its feed prey with its long 17 cm beak. An adult glossy ibis usually is about 20 to 25 inches (51 to 64 cm) tall, and its wingspan is about 3 feet (92 cm) across. It has an oval body and a long neck, long legs and a long, curved beak. The glossy ibis has a dark, brick red head, neck and chest, and its back, wings and tail are a shiny, glossy green. Its beak and legs are dark brown or gray. Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and shiny bottle-green wings. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller bodies. This species has a brownish bill, dark facial skin bordered above and below in blue-gray (non-breeding) to cobalt blue (breeding), and red-brown legs. Glossy Ibises usually migrate from Africa and enter Punjab through Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the month of May and stay in Asia including India especially in villages of Punjab near marshy areas and seed sown fields till September .Glossy ibises fly with necks outstretched, and often flocks fly in lines in V shape and are capable in flying upto 12 kms without break.The glossy ibis has an extremely varied diet. It eats a variety of food, such as seeds, insects, crayfish, small fish, frogs, small snakes and different types of worms. Walking slowly through an area, the glossy ibis hunts for food by using its long beak to poke around in the mud and underwater plant growth, feeling for food. ”
Prof Chahal said “The Glossy Ibis is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds(AEWA) applies, 118 countries are signatories of this treaty and they organize seminars and provide marshy wetlands for these migrant birds for their breeding during their migration.”. 70 students and staff were present on the occasion .Secretary AjayAggarwal and Vice President Ashwani Sahrma said Dastak would continue to organize such awareness campaigns to make populace aware about such rare birds in near future.
Date:
Thursday, September 10, 2015
