Rare Migratory Red-crested Pochards Spotted in Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

Guwahati, December 3, 2025: In an encouraging sign of improving wetland health, three rare migratory Red-crested Pochards (Netta rufina) were spotted and photographed today at Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam’s Morigaon district.The striking ducks – one male with its bright orange-golden crest and red bill, and two females – were observed and documented by Mr. Ujwal Bayan, a noted wildlife photographer and researcher associated with Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation NGO in Northeast India.The sighting occurred in the Tamuliduva, Hanchora, and Pagladuva beels (wetlands), areas that traditionally used to dry up before the peak arrival period of winter migratory birds. This year, however, sustained water levels have been maintained thanks to systematic habitat management interventions carried out by the sanctuary authorities in the last few years.Scientific measures such as soil-moisture conservation, strategic desiltation of water bodies, and regulated water retention have ensured that the beels remain adequately inundated even during the crucial winter months, making the sanctuary far more attractive and suitable for long-distance migratory waterfowl.“Successful habitat restoration work is now showing visible results. The presence of Red-crested Pochards, which are not commonly seen in Assam, is a testament to how targeted conservation efforts can bring back rare visitors,” said a delighted Ujwal Bayan.Red-crested Pochards breed in southern Europe, Central Asia, and parts of northern Africa and usually winter in the Indian subcontinent, preferring large, open wetlands. Their arrival in Pobitora highlights the sanctuary’s growing importance as a stopover and wintering site on the Central Asian Flyway.Wildlife officials have hailed the sighting as a direct outcome of sustained wetland restoration initiatives and renewed focus on habitat management in one of Assam’s most compact yet biodiversity-rich protected areas, famous primarily for its high-density population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros.Conservationists hope that continued scientific management will attract even more rare migratory species in the coming winters, further enriching Pobitora’s avian diversity.