Kendrapada: With the southwest monsoon becoming active, thousands of residential water birds have descended on Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapada district, marking the onset of the annual nesting and breeding season in one of the state’s largest heronries, forest officials said Monday.
The birds have begun arriving in batches at the park’s marshy wetlands and mangrove forests, filling the area with their calls as they build nests atop mangrove trees.
Forest officials said the seasonal congregation has once again reaffirmed Bhitarkanika’s status as a major breeding ground for resident water birds.
“With the monsoon bringing steady rainfall, local migratory species have started arriving for seasonal nesting. They are building nests now and will soon lay eggs. Their stay here will continue for at least three months before they begin their return journey,” Assistant Conservator of Forests Manas Kumar Das said.
Nesting activity has intensified across the mangrove wetlands, with several species collecting fresh twigs and branches to build nests. Newly hatched chicks can already be seen in some nests, while large flocks of non-breeding birds are foraging in the surrounding wetlands, he said.
Forest officials pointed out that the successful breeding season is due to the park’s abundant food resources, extensive network of creeks and tidal channels, favourable weather conditions and minimal human disturbance.
Bhitarkanika’s importance as a bird habitat was first brought to wider attention by renowned ornithologist Dr Salim Ali, who documented the area’s rich avian diversity during a visit to the mangrove ecosystem in 1981.
