There are 23,068 birds of 54 bird species including wintering birds and local birds at Indawgyi Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Myanmar, and other wetlands in Mohnyin Township of Mohnyin District of Kachin State, a bird survey has shown.
The various wintering birds and local water birds flock to the Indawgyi Lake every winter season. According to the survey conducted in December 2022, 16,378 birds of 34 migratory bird species and 6,690 birds of 20 water bird species, totalling 23,068 birds were seen on the site.
The bird population in December is lesser than over 3,400 birds including one migratory bird species compared to the previous year. The officials also face hardships in collecting bird data at Indaw creek, where most of the birds inhabit, as the algae and duckweed block the creek and which causes difficulties in watching the real numbers of birds. Therefore, the numbers of birds are lower than the previous year.
Most of the migratory birds at the lake are Common Coot, Tufted Duck, Bar-headed goose, Glossy Ibis, Common Crane, Brown-headed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common White-eye, Eurasian teal, Ruddy Sherlock (Brahminy Duck) and Common Pochard. The data on water bird species are collected front side and west sides of the lake. Moreover, the ground study is also conducted at the wetlands along the Indaw creek this month and the survey shows 23,068 birds of 54 wintering and local bird species.
The Indawgyi Lake is the largest and most beautiful freshwater lake in Myanmar and the third largest lake in Southeast Asia. It is home to 47 mammal species, 91 amphibians and crawling animal species, 94 fish species, 105 water bird species and 400 forest bird species, according to the administrative office of Indawgyi Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Indawgyi Lake was recognized as a Wetland of International Importance on 15 December 2014, as an ASEAN Heritage Park in 2003, World Ramsar site in 2016, Biosphere Reserve in 2017 and as Wetland Link Asia – WLI Asia in 2019. — Shwe Mohnyin/KTZH
