Pelicans started arriving from Siberia at Telineelapuram Bird Sanctuary in the first week of November and will stay on till the end of March next year.

About Pelicans

• Habitat: Primarily inhabit coastal areas, lakes, and wetlands.
• Pelican populations in India have declined due to habitat loss, pollution, and human disturbance. 

Spot-billed Pelican (Grey Pelican)

• Habitat: Shallow lowland freshwater bodies like lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.
• Diet: Primarily fish, crustaceans and amphibians.
• Behaviour: Social birds, often seen in large flocks.
• Life Cycle: Breed during the monsoon season, laying eggs in large communal nests.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV

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Types of Pelicans Visiting India:

• Spot-billed Pelican: Common in India, frequently seen at Telineelapuram Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh, and Kolleru Lake, Andhra Pradesh. 
• Great White Pelican: Visits Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan; a large white pelican that migrates occasionally.
• Dalmatian Pelican: Occasionally visits Chilika Lake, Odisha; a large pelican with distinctive black wing spots.

About Flyway

• A Flyway is a geographical region within which a single or group of migratory species completes its annual cycle, i.e., breeding, molting, staging, and non-breeding.
• Migratory birds from 3 flyways (CAF, East Asian Australasian Flyway, and Asian East African Flyway) visit India.
  • Central Asian Flyway (CAF): Extends from the northernmost breeding grounds in the Russian Federation (Siberia) to the southernmost non-breeding (wintering) grounds in West and South Asia, the Maldives, and British Indian Ocean Territory.

Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or Bonn Convention

• Purpose: An international treaty aimed at conserving migratory species and their habitats signed in 1979 and in force since 1983.
• Member States: As of 2024, 131 countries are party to the Convention.
  • India has also been a party to CMS since 1983.
• India has hosted several CMS meetings, including the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP13) in 2020.
• India has also signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with CMS for the conservation of specific species, such as Siberian Cranes, Marine Turtles, Dugongs, and Raptors.

About BirdLife International

• Global partnership of conservation organisations (NGOs) that strives to conserve birds, their habitats, and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.
• Founded  in 1922 as the International Council for Bird Protection.
• Publications:
  • World Birdwatch
• Official Red List Authority for birds for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• Also publishes Important Bird Areas (IBA) inventory.

Standardised criteria for the designation of IBAs

• Significant Numbers of Globally Threatened Bird Species : IBAs should host substantial populations of one or more bird species globally classified as threatened.
• Presence of Restricted-Range or Biome-Restricted Species: Designation considers sites that are part of a collection of locations collectively supporting a range of restricted-range or biome-restricted species.
• Exceptionally Large Numbers of Migratory or Congregatory Birds.

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Telineelapuram Bird Sanctuary

• Telineelapuram is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) and is the prime location for the spot-billed pelicans for winter breeding.
• Location: Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• Wildlife: Primarily known for migratory birds, especially the Spot-billed Pelican, which comes here for winter breeding. Other bird species include Painted Storks, Open-billed Storks, and various waterbirds.
• Water Bodies: The sanctuary is situated near the coast, with access to brackish water bodies and the Bay of Bengal.
• Vegetation: The sanctuary has a mix of Mangrove forests, coastal wetlands, and agricultural lands.

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