Migratory birds enter Moe Yoon Gyi sanctuary through two flyways

Bird species from the North Pole migrate for the winter to various countries through nine flyways each year. In Myanmar, migratory birds fly in through the Central Asian and Australasian flyways, and the Bago Moe Yoon Gyi Sanctuary, where migratory birds usually enter, is now welcoming its guests.
These northern land birds enter Myanmar in mid-October and return in early April. In winter, between 30 and 40 species of birds spend the winter in the sanctuary and a new species of seagull entered the sanctuary for the first time last year. This year, 11 species of migratory birds have been entering the sanctuary, including endangered bird species such as the bar-tailed godwit.
Migratory birds enter Myanmar through thirteen countries such as Siberia, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Russia, China via the East Asian and Australasian flyways. About 182 water birds spend the winter in Myanmar, and about 307 bird species also countries in Southeast Asia through 30 countries via the Central Asian flyway.
Officer of the Moe Yoon Gyi Sanctuary Daw Thin Thin Yu said, “There is plenty of food and many places for migratory birds to spend the winter and the department cares for the long-term sustainability of such birds.” In winter, the northern hemisphere is frozen and the days are short. This is why they are coming to a land where food is plentiful, she said. As wintering birds include some of the world’s most endangered species, she also urged local people to protect these birds that feed insects that cling to people’s crops.
“Having wintering birds is also something to be proud of as a country,” she added.
The Moe Yoon Gyi Lake was excavated in 1878 as a reservoir to facilitate the drift of bamboo and wood rafts into the Bago Sittoung tunnel in summer, and it has been transformed into a natural lake over the years. The Moe Yoon Gyi Sanctuary covers an area of 25,600 acres and was established in 1988 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Bird watching enthusiasts and researchers can visit Bago’s Moe Yoon Gyi Sanctuary from November to February when most wintering birds visit, and visitors can enjoy the natural beauty of the lake by boat while on vacation. The sanctuary is situated about 42 miles apart from Bago.—Nyein Thu/GNLM