By Laxman Poudel
Bhairahawa, Jan. 31: Lumbini is becoming a centre of attraction not only for the Buddhist and peace-loving community from across the world but also for the bird species. Lumbini is a bird's paradise due to its calm environment, lush vegetation, flower gardens and especially canals and ponds designed to attract birds.
There are 290 species of birds in Lumbini, including native and migratory. Birds from Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tibet, especially the coldest places, have been found to come to Lumbini to enjoy the fair sun during winter.
Saroj Bhattarai, head of the Lumbini Development Fund (LDF), said that many species of birds like Maron (maroon oriole), Sunjurehas, Khadarward, Kali Jura and Malik come to the Lumbini area. The LDF has constructed 1.3km of the central canal and beautiful ponds to enhance the habitat and attraction for birds in each Bihar region.
Another beautiful aspect of Lumbini is the rare species of birds Gruidae (cranes) found here, said Bhattarai. For this, according to the master plan, 100 hectares of land in Lumbini has been made a wetland area for stork conservation. An effort has been made to conserve storks in collaboration with the American Crane Foundation. About 500 storks are found in rural areas inside and outside Lumbini.
According to the LDF, besides stork, the local birds include Bhudiphod, Garud, Dhodhiphod, Hutityaun, Bhangera (Passerinae), Bagedi, Silsile, Chil, Krishnakand, Nilkantha and hundreds of other species of native birds found in Lumbini area.
Bhattarai said that Lumbini has become the centre of attraction for the birds as the Lumbini area has a conducive environment to enjoy the warm sunshine, ponds and farms and to water recreation in canals and ponds.
According to the Lumbini Development Master Plan, Lumbini is becoming a bird's paradise as it has 60 per cent green area, 40 per cent canals, ponds and beautiful gardens.
Hundreds of tourists, ornithologists and bird researchers from around the world visit Lumbini and the surrounding wetland area every year to enjoy and conduct studies.
Rabindra Man Shrestha, who has been involved in stork conservation for a long time, said that there are about 250 storks in the Lumbini area.
A few years ago, 910 species of birds of 41 different species of water birds were found in the wetland area of Lumbini during the census. Along with Lumbini, various species of birds can be seen in the nearby Gaidhawa Lake and other areas.
According to the Nepal Bird Conservation Association, 12 species of birds were found around Gaidhawa Lake during the census.