THIS is the season when millions of birds across continents leave their breeding homelands in search of safer refuge during winters. This remarkable phenomenon, shaped by survival instincts, allows birds to avoid extreme cold, harsh climates and food scarcity. Pakistan lies on one of the world’s major bird flyways, the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), a critical host country for migratory avifauna. Every year, thousands of birds, particularly waterbirds, arrive at Pakistan’s wetlands; rivers, lakes and coastal zones, descending from Siberia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. As per data, the population has declined by 15-34 per cent due to extreme disturbance and uncontrolled hunting permits.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan continues to provide sanctuary to species, such as the common teal, mallard, northern pintail and shoveler, and the graceful flamingos. They can be seen at coastal lagoons and freshwater bogs, including the Indus Delta, Haleji Lake and Keenjhar Lake as well as the Taunsa and Chashma barrages.
The World Migratory Bird Day observed earlier this month (Oct 11) serves as a global call to action. This year’s theme — Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities — highlighted the urgent need to conserve habitats and reduce human pressures. As a key stopover country along the CAF, Pakistan bears a special responsibility to safeguard these birds and ensure their safe passage for future generations.
Pakistan can become a haven for mig-ratory birds if we continue to conserve our wetlands, ban bird-hunting and raise awareness amongst locals about bio-diversity conservation. From plastic pollution to habitat loss and the impacts of climate change, migratory birds are increasingly under threat from human activities and interventions.
The lengthy migratory routes mean these birds serve multiple purposes for us, the humans, such as seed dispersal, pollination and pest control. There is a strong inter-dependence between humans and nature, and, more specifically, people and mig-ratory birds. The beating wings of these distant acian travellers should remind us of and resilience, adaptation and the interconnectedness of our natural world.
Altaf Hussain Narejo
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025