Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 18: The state government has identified the sandy islands of River Mahanadi near Mundali in Cuttack as the nesting site of ‘The Indian Skimmer bird’ and decided to notify the island as a protected site.
“With the help of ornithologist Sumant Rajguru, we have identified the nesting site of rare bird species Skimmer and decided to announce it as a protected nesting site,” forest and environment secretary Suresh Mohapatra told reporters here Wednesday.
The local residents and bird lovers have observed that the birds lay eggs in the sand banks between February-end and first week of March, Mohapatra said, adding, “During this period we have protected the site with the help of water resources department and local community. It was noticed that 64 nests of Skimmer (181 eggs), 13 nests of River Tern (39 eggs) and one nest of Black-bellied Tern (three eggs) have hatched eggs.”
Encouraged by the pilot project, the state government has decided to protect the site every year, the secretary said.
The state government with help of Natural History Society attaches rings to the hatchlings so that the movement of the local migratory bird can be monitored. So far, 34 Indian Skimmers and a River Tern hatchling have been attached with rings.
