Migratory bird Greater Scaup, locally called ‘Sadangman’ was sighted in portions of Hubidak and Takmu, parts of the Loktak lake, Manipur reportedly after a gap of 94 years.
The Greater Scaup species of duck is a medium sized diving duck, and belongs to a family of Anatidae.
The duck species was sighted by ornithologist Kumam Jugeswor and members of Wildlife Explorers Manipur.
Although there is no record of Greater Scaup roosting widely in Manipur during the British time, there are records of Captain L Gamble of Gurkha Rifles gunning down the duck on January 25, 1925 and in December 1927 by ICS JP Mills during their stay in the state.
However, it is believed that the duck species might have migrated to Manipur despite not having much evidence as it has a Manipuri name too.
Ornithologist Kumam Jugeswor said that the duck species was previously sighted in Manipur in 1994. He said that declaring Takmu Lake as a bird sanctuary will be helpful in protecting migratory birds.
Several whistling ducks and coots are also roosting at Loktak Lake currently.
As might be expected from its rarity elsewhere in India, this species has only been shot twice in Manipur. A female was shot on January 25, 1925 by Captain L Gamble, 4th Gurkha Rifles, and a male on December 27, 1927, by JP Mills.
In Manipur, it arrives in large numbers a little later than the White-eyed Pochard and before the Common Pochard, and remains later than any duck except the Garganey Teal.
Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on his Facebook posted, “On January 13, 2023, Birdwatchers resighted 26 numbers of Greater Scaup (Bluebill) at Hubidak area in Loktak Lake (at the South of Sendra). Ornithologists say that this is the first record of sighting of the duck in Loktak Lake after 94 years.”
