Tiger Bitterns Spotted at Jatinga After Nine Years Amid Mysterious Bird Phenomenon

OUR Correspondent

Haflong: After a long nine years, Tiger Bitterns were sighted here at Jatinga during the seasonal mysterious birds’ phenomenon at Jatinga, perhaps due to increasing awareness about the love for birds among the netizens of Jatinga.

The mysterious bird phenomenon has made Jatinga, only 7 km from Haflong, the district headquarters of Dima Hasao in Assam world famous for the peculiar behaviour of migratory birds that occurs from September to November. Due to the favorable weather, the entrance of the birds—mostly Indian pittas, two species of kingfishers, common moorhens, drango, and green pigeons—started a few hours ago at approximately 7.40 p.m. and continued for several hours.

The birds are juvenile, i.e. they belong to the current years brood. None of these birds are found to be resident birds of Jatinga. Birds come on foggy, moonless nights flying against the wind when it blows south-west to north-east. Significantly, absence of even one of these conditions results in non-appearance of the birds.

The birds, mostly aquatic and coming from various places thronged a few locations near Jatinga under some specific weather conditions like moonless night, heavy fog, drizzling and south-west wind direction. Though there has been a marked fall in the number of visiting birds due to environmental and climatic change, but the enthusiasm of the bird lovers is still there to witness this peculiar phenomenon.

Same phenomenon is also observed at Doiheng village located on old Haflong – Silchar Road via Retzuolsome 25 km from Haflong where record number of birds visited this year. Gaon Bura of Doiheng Ruothlal Hmar said they came to know about this peculiar bird phenomenon long before but people were not aware of the preserving or protecting them but now as the forest department organised awareness campaign and pleaded not to harm these birds, no villagers are harming the birds at present. Though he is now capable of going outside but still Hmar appealed to the villagers not to cause any harm to these visiting winged guests of Doiheng. GB prayed to the concerned authority to establish a bird watch tower at Doiheng where birds throng during the phenomenon so that tourists can watch the mysterious bird phenomenon at Doiheng thereby making this village a must visit tourist spot in Dima Hasao. 

Tuhin Langthasa, DFO, West Division said the forest department is committed to protect and preserve these visiting winged guests and continuing the patrolling during the entire season so that none can cause any harm to them. Regarding the sighting of Tiger Bittern after nine years he said it is very encouraging that some rare and endangered birds including Tiger Bittern are being sighted at Jatinga after long nine years which proves that people are now very much aware of preserving and protecting birds of Jatinga and Doiheng. He also promised that the Forest Department will always be willing to work with the locals and others to ensure the safety and security of the birds.

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