Imphal: Bird watchers have sighted a black-headed bunting, a rare migratory bird, for the first time in Manipur, raising hope among wildlife enthusiasts that these birds will be visiting the state during winter in the coming years.

"A single black-headed bunting ( Emberizamelanace phata) was sighted during a study of birds in the Thongjaorok river near Loktak lake. The study was carried out jointly by the Centre for Conservation of Nature and Cultivation of Science, Manipur, and the Indian Bird Conservation Network in Loktak lake from November 1 to 3," state coordinator of the Indian Bird Conservation Network, R.K. Birjit, told this correspondent .

He said for the first time this migratory bird was sighted in Manipur.

The bird was identified by him and ornithologist and assistant professor of Morang College N. Sony Meitei.

Birjit, quoting ornithologist Aniruddin Choudhury of Assam, said though there were reports that the bird was sighted in Assam in the recent past, it wasn't documented.

Wildlife photographer E. Premjit captured the bird in his camera. Birjit and Sony identified it as a black-headed bunting.

"The birds breed in areas from southeast Europe to eastern Iran. They migrate to India and some move on towards Southeast Asian countries. Since the bird was sighted in Manipur, it could also be migrating to some other areas of the Northeast," Birjit said.

When the bird was sighted, it was sitting on a reed eating grain.

The Thongjaorok flows into 246 square km Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake which is home to migratory birds during winter.

A census carried out in January last year recorded a bird population of 47,000 in Loktak lake. The survey found half of them were migratory birds.