Migratory Birds of Kabini: Winter Visitors to Nagarhole’s Waters | Evolve Back Kabini

Nagarhole National Park, lining the pristine riverside of Kabini, is considered as one of the best wildlife destinations in South India. Lush forests, nameless streams and pockets of solitude tucked in, where you least expect it. But what if there were no safaris around here anymore? Would it still be able to wear its crown?

I suppose the answer echoes through the woods of Kabini and the soft lapping waves along the banks. The birds, residents and migrants, awaken a different side of this biodiversity hotspot.

Our Naturalist from Evolve Back Kabini took us on an experience we had never imagined possible. We went birding by boat! I have been part of nature walks, hikes and the like but never had I ever considered spotting birds while we sailed. The serene backwaters of the Kapila transform into a thriving refuge for migratory birds every winter. As we moved silently along the banks a whole new world seemed to emerge! Through our binoculars we found large flocks of gregarious River terns, feeding voraciously.

Why, one wonders, do these birds endure rigorous flights for hundreds of miles across? Research suggests that migration is driven by survival and breeding cycles. During summer, the northern regions experience long daylight hours and abundant insect life, creating the perfect conditions for nesting and raising the young. However, as winter approaches and temperatures fall drastically, the local water bodies freeze and food grows scarce. Kabini, like a few other rivers of south India, offers an expansive reservoir, thriving marshlands, mudflats, grasslands and riverine forests. In other words, it is the ideal wintering habitat rich in food and shelter.

Rather than facing starvation and extreme cold, the birds migrate southward to areas where conditions remain favourable. Countless flocks arrive between October and March from Siberia, Central Asia and parts of Europe to reach the warmer wetlands of peninsular India. Some of them come to feed and prepare for their journey onward while some species rest, recover and return. The well-wooded forests of Nagarhole offer a stable environment where migratory species can conserve energy and avoid excessive disturbance.

Our afternoon session on the boat continued as we learned more about these visitors. One of the most iconic winter visitors, our Naturalist added, is the Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus). This remarkable species breeds in the high-altitude wetlands of Mongolia, Tibet, Kazakhstan and southern Russia. It crosses the Himalayas at astonishing heights, sometimes flying even above 8,000 meters! These geese typically arrive between December and January and remain until March. They migrate from frozen breeding grounds to access open grazing areas and freshwater lakes. In the winter plumage, the Bar-headed Goose displays a pale grey body, creamy white head and two bold black bars across the crown. The typical orange bill and legs stand out against the subtle tones of its feathers. We were lucky enough to spot a few along the western side of the river’s shores and it made my day!

Another elegant migrant is the Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), a graceful duck that breeds across northern Europe and Asia, including vast stretches of Siberia. They arrive in India towards the end of the year and stay until early March. The plumage of the male Northern Pintail is striking: he has a chocolate-brown head, a white stripe running down the neck and chest, a smooth grey body and elongated central tail feathers that give the species its name. The ladies however are less attractive: they sport a mottled brown with intricate patterns that provide excellent camouflage among the reeds. On quiet foggy mornings you may find a pair of pintails around Kabini’s calm waters, dabbling or resting in mixed flocks.

Another visitor is the Garganey (Spatula querquedula). This long-distance migratory duck is usually seen around the wetlands in these areas. They breed in Europe and Western Asia and come looking for warmer climates with abundant aquatic insects, seeds and plant matter. I peered through my binoculars at a male with its distinctive broad white crescent above the eye, contrasting with a brown head and patterned grey body. Such a stunning fellow! One is likely to spot them feeding discreetly in the shallow backwaters, blending in.

But when we looked to the sky we found several small pink ones with glossy black heads around a tree - flitting from branch to branch. It was the Rosy Starling (Pastor roseus) that comes all the way from Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Our fruits and agricultural grains are a particular favourite for them. It is a scene to behold, particularly at dusk, when flocks descending on fruiting trees near Kabini create dramatic synchronised motions and constant chatter.

The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) is another familiar winter migrant. This agile aerial insectivore, with its distinctive steel-blue upper parts and a rufous throat, arrives as early as September and may remain until April. The deeply forked tail and swift, acrobatic flight makes it unmistakable as it skims low over Kabini’s waters catching insects mid-air.

As we treaded softly and carefully along the muddy edges of the reservoir, the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) ran ahead of us, bobbing every now and then. We observed it probing the shoreline for crustaceans and worms. This small wader breeds in temperate Eurasia and migrates to South Asia and Africa during winter. It prefers shallow water margins rich in small invertebrates. In its non-breeding plumage, the Common Sandpiper is brown above and white below, with a distinctive white shoulder patch.

It is interesting to note here that the winter plumage of migratory birds generally emphasizes survival over display. Unlike the bright breeding colors used to attract mates, winter feathers are often subdued and cryptic. Browns, greys and soft tones dominate, allowing birds to blend into reeds, grasslands and mudflats. This camouflage reduces predation risk. Additionally, many species grow denser feathering to improve insulation against cool mornings. Isn’t that intriguing! To learn about these seasonal changes and remarkable adaptability of migratory species!

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