The Waterfowl species of Loktak Ramsar in Manipur (IBA)

Purple Moorhen (Umu) By R.K. Birjit Singh

Purple Moorhen P.Porphyrio (Photo: R.K. Birjit Singh)

Phubala Tourist Home is some 36 kilometers away from Imphal, the capital city of Manipur in the vicinity of Loktak Lake located at NS – 24.535⁰; EO – 93.76565⁰ with an elevation of 775 meters above sea level (MSL) and it is the richest home of the Purple Moorhen (Porphyrio Porphyrio) locally known as Umu. No other part of Loktak Lake has such a good number of Purple Moorhen as seen in Phubala although the number and population had been dwindled during the last two decades. During our childhood days local fisherman’s used to catch and trap this water bird by using nets and a beam of lights to attract and dazzle the species during the night in many parts of the villages surrounding the lake such as Thinungei, Phubala, Naraseinya and Toubul. Most handsome catch was recorded at Thinungei and the roasted bird was sold at the local wine vendors of Moirang and Ningthoukhong. Read the rest of this entry »