Near-threatened water bird spotted after 16 years in Manipur

A group of Mayang Urok, or the black-headed ibis, was spotted during the annual water bird census 2018 at the Tangjeng, an associated wetland of Loktak in Manipur.

INDIA Updated: Jan 22, 2018 21:09 IST

Sobhapati Samom
Hindustan Times, Imphal

The oriental white ibis or black-headed ibis (threskiornis melanocephalus), a near-threatened water bird, which is locally known as Mayang Urok, was sighted after a gap of 16 years at Loktak and its associated wetlands in Manipur on Saturday.

A group of Mayang Urok, which has been listed as a near-threatened bird species under the Birdlife International and IUCN Red list, was spotted during the annual water bird census 2018 at the Tangjeng, an associated wetland of Loktak, according to state coordinator of Indian Bird Conservation Network, Manipur, R K Birjit.

The annual water bird census was conducted across 50 spots in and around Loktak and its associated wetlands. Around 250 enumerators, representatives of many social bodies around the lake, conducted the census under the aegis state forest department.

In 2017, the census team spotted only around 5,000 birds of 17 species in the lake against the sighting of about 47,088 birds of 68 species in 2016.

A total of 50,725 water birds, including the migratory bird population belonging to 65 species, visited the Lake in 2015 whereas 32,852 water birds of 57 species were seen in 2014.

The black-headed ibis will be listed in the census list for the first time this year.

Continued