Monsoon birds arrive for nesting in Bhitarkanika

Kendrapada, June 20 (UNI) Much to the delight of bird lovers, residential birds have started arriving at Bagagahan inside the Bhitarkanika National Park for breeding and nesting.

Rajanagar Forest and wildlife Division officer A K Jena said the Bagagahan, the abode of avian species in Bhitarkanika National Park, wore a colourful look during the monsoon and winter season.

The dense mangrove vegetation and its serene pollution free atmosphere attracts thousands of residential winged visitors.

As many as eleven species of local birds thronged to Bhitarkanika National park for nesting and breeding every year during the monsoon. They included Open Billstork, Little Cormorant, Intermediate Egret, Large Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron,Night Heron, Darter, White Ibis and Cattle Egret.

This years Open bill stork, little cormorant, Intermediate Egret, Grey Heron and Darter hve arrived so far, wildlife officials said.

With the onset of monsoon in early June these birds congregated in large number inside the Bagagahan and started nesting in the mangrove species. The birds selectively use mangroves species like Guan, Sundari, Jagula and Bani for constructing nests.

Birds like Darter, Grey heron and Purple heron start breeding early whereas Open Bill stork and White Ibis are the late breeders Open bill stork is the most abundant, which constituted nearly 60 per cent of the total nesting population in Bagagahan.

Last year over 9000 Open Bill Stork had come to the Bagagahan for nesting. Open Bill Stork prefers nest in Guan tree whereas the lower most branches are preferred by smaller birds like Little Cormorants.

The highly productive ecosystem of Bhitarkanika provides enough food to the thousands of breeding birds.

UNI XC/DP TJP YA GC0842