Vikaasajublieeschool at 10:00, 28 March 2026

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{{Short description|Freshwater oxbow lake in Bihar, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Kanwar Taal Bird Sanctuary
| iucn_category = IV
| map = India
| relief = 1
| mapframe = Yes
| mapframe-zoom = 10
| location = [[Begusarai district]], [[Bihar]], [[India]]
| nearest_city = [[Begusarai]]
| coordinates = {{coord|25|36|36|N|86|08|24|E|display=inline, title}}
| area = 67.5 km<sup>2</sup>
| established = 1987
| module = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Kabartal Wetland
| designation1_date = 21 July 2020
| designation1_number = 2436<ref name="RSIS">{{Cite web|title=Kabartal Wetland|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2436|accessdate=4 November 2020}}</ref>
}}
| alt_name = Kanwar Taal
| image = File:Kanwar Lake Begusarai by Ziddi Photowala.jpg
| governing_body = [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]], [[Government of India]]
| elevation = 41 m above sea level
| image_size = 300px
}}

The '''Kanwar Taal''' or '''Kabar Taal Lake''' or '''Kabartal Wetland''' <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2436|title = Kabartal Wetland | Ramsar Sites Information Service}}</ref> located in [[Begusarai district]] of [[Bihar]], India, Asia's largest freshwater [[oxbow lake]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kanwar lake: birds' paradise lost|url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/kanwar-lake-birds-paradise-lost-44693|access-date=2020-09-18|website=www.downtoearth.org.in|language=en}}</ref>
It is approximately six times<ref name="downtoearth.org.in">Kanwar lake: birds' paradise lost https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/kanwar-lake-birds-paradise-lost-44693</ref> the size of the [[Keoladeo National Park|Bharatpur Sanctuary]]. In November 2020, the [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] (MoEFCC) declared it the first [[Ramsar site]] in Bihar.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/kabartal-becomes-bihars-first-ramsar-site/article33083834.ece/|title=Kabartal becomes Bihar's first Ramsar site|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=16 December 2020}}</ref> It is one of the 98 Ramsar sites in India now.

<br>Kanwar jheel, as it is locally called, is located 22 km north-west of Begusarai Town in Manjhaul. It is a residual oxbow lake, formed due to meandering of Burhi Gandak<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ramsar Information Sheet|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/RISapp/files/RISrep/IN2436RIS_2010_en.pdf}}</ref> river, a tributary of Ganga, in the geological past.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kanwar Jheel: An Integrated Management Action Plan for Conservation and Wise Use: Official Ramsar Site Document|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/RISapp/files/3122446/documents/IN2436_mgt200516.pdf}}</ref> It covers 2,620 hectares of the Indo-Gangetic plains in the northern Bihar State. The Site is one of 18 wetlands within an extensive floodplain complex; it floods during the monsoon season to a depth of 1.5 metres. This absorption of floodwaters is a vital service in Bihar State where 70% of the land is vulnerable to inundation. During the dry season, areas of marshland dry out and are used for agriculture. Significant biodiversity is present, with 165 plant species and 394 animal species recorded, including 221 bird species. The Wetland is an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, with 58 migratory waterbirds using it to rest and refuel. It is also a valuable site for fish biodiversity with over 50 species documented. Five critically endangered species inhabit the site, including three vultures – the red-headed vulture ([[Red-headed vulture|Sarcogyps calvus]]), white-rumped vulture ([[Gyps bengalensis]]) and Indian vulture ([[Indian vulture|Gyps indicus]]) – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing ([[Sociable lapwing|Vanellus gregarius]]) and Baer’s pochard ([[Baer's pochard|Aythya baeri]]). Major threats to the Site include [[water resource management|water management]] activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming and canalization.<ref>Ramsar convention |url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/2436</ref>

[[Ornithologist]] [[Salim Ali (ornithologist)|Salim Ali]], mentioned about 60 [[Bird migration|migratory birds]] that come all the way from [[Central Asia]] in winter and recorded around 106 species of resident birds.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://saeesociety.org/ |title=Saviour Alluvial Ecological Establishment Society(Saee Society)Working on Kabar Taal and Lord Buddha |access-date=13 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727230835/http://saeesociety.org/ |archive-date=27 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=Important Bird Areas in India - Bihar | url=http://www.ibcn.in/IBA_Book_PDF/16%20(322_341)%20Bihar.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721162313/http://www.ibcn.in/IBA_Book_PDF/16%20(322_341)%20Bihar.pdf | archive-date=2011-07-21}}</ref> Since 2020 the lake has been designated as a protected [[Ramsar site]].<ref name="RSIS"/>

The nearest railway station is [[Begusarai railway station|Begusarai Station]]; the nearest bus stop is Jaimanglagadh; and the nearest airport is [[Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport]] in [[Patna]].

== Trees ==
''Mangifera'' ''indica, Annona squamosa, Polyalthia longifolia, Borassus flabellifer, Cocos'' ''nucifera, Phoenix sylvestris, Haplophragma adenophyllum, Bombax ceiba, Ceiba pentandra, Cordia dichotoma, Ehretia laevis, Bauhinia variegata, Cassia fistula, Delonix regia, Peltophorum pterocarpum, Tamarindus indica, Trema oriental, Terminalia arjuna, Diospyros Montana, Croton roxburghii, Trevia nudiflora, Dalbergia sissoo, Leucaena leucocephala, Pongamia glabra, Phoebe lanceolata, Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, Swietenia macrophylla, Acacia catechu, Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbeck, Pithecellobium dulce, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Artocarpus lacucha, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus hispida, Ficus racemosa, Ficus religiosa, Ficus virens, Streblus asper, Moringa oleifera, Eucalyptus tereticornis, Psidium guajava, Syzygium cumini, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Phyllanthus emblica, Bambusa bambos, Dendrocalamus strictus, Ziziphus mauritiana, Anthocephalus kadamba, Aegle marmelos, Citrus maxima, Madhuca indica, Tectona grandis''

==Threats==
* Excessive chemicals, like [[Carbofuran|Furadan]] used to capture birds
* Killing of birds
* Villagers encroachment of lake area

==Birds in the region==

===Critically endangered===
* [[Oriental white-backed vulture]] (''Gyps bengalensis'')
* [[Long-billed vulture]] (''Gyps indicus'')

=== Endangered ===

* [[Greater adjutant]] (''Leptoptilos dubiu'')

===Vulnerable===
*[[Greater spotted eagle]] (''Aquila clanga'')
*[[Lesser kestrel]] (''Falco naumanni'')
*[[Sarus crane]] (''Grus antigone'')

===Near threatened===
*[[Indian darter]] (''Anhinga melanogaster'')
*[[Painted stork]] (''Mycteria leucocephala'')
*[[Black-bellied tern]] (''Sterna acuticauda'')

===Images===

<gallery>
File:Siberian Stonechat at Kanwar Lake.jpg|[[Siberian stonechat]]
File:Red-naped Ibis at Kanwar Lake.jpg|[[Red-naped ibis]]
File:Yellow-throated Sparrow at Kanwar Lake.jpg|[[Yellow-throated sparrow]]
File:Eurasian Sparrowhawk at Kanwar Lake.jpg|[[Eurasian sparrowhawk]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Keoladeo National Park|Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSSqqydZ1qI&feature=channel NewsX Report on Killing]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orEp1A0jRjc&feature=channel NewsX report]

{{Protected areas of Bihar}}
{{Ramsar sites in India}}

[[Category:Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests]]
[[Category:IUCN Category II]]
[[Category:Wildlife sanctuaries in Bihar]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in India]]
[[Category:Oxbow lakes]]
[[Category:Begusarai district]]
[[Category:1987 establishments in Bihar]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1987]]

Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary - Revision history

Vikaasajublieeschool at 10:00, 28 March 2026