Kendrapara: With the winter coming to an end, migratory birds that had made their annual sojourn in Bhitarkanika National Park in the middle of October last have started their homeward journey.
According to Amaresh Nath Pradhan, ranger of Rajnagar, though thousands of birds are on their way back, a large number of birds are still hanging around as the water bodies are yet to dry up at Satabhaya.
Every year with the arrival of winter, Bhitarkanika water bodies become the abode of avian species and wear a colourful look. Migratory birds fly thousands of miles to arrive at Bhitarakanika to escape the harsh winter in Siberia, Afghanistan, Iraq, northern Asia and some central European countries. They stay in Bhitarakanika for about three-four months before flying back.
As per the mid winter migratory bird status survey report-2018, Bhitarkanika National Park attracted an estimated 1,12,937 birds of 83 species. This year, black tailed godwits came in large numbers. Besides this year, there were more lesser whistling ducks compared to other species. As many as 21,172 lesser whistling ducks visited the national park this year.
While 30 types of shore birds or waders were sighted during the census, other species spotted this year at the park include 136 grebes; 1,837 birds of three types of cormorants and darter species; 8,479 birds of a dozen types of herons, egrets and bittern, three types of Ibis and spoon bill species with a population of 918.
Besides, a total of 3,330 wetland dependent birds like hawks, eagles, ospreys and falcons also visited the national park this year
Forest officials and ornithologists this year spotted tufted ducks, mallards (dabbling ducks) and comb ducks. Another rare migratory bird species garganey, which is a small dabbling duck, also arrived at the park. Similarly, about 10 red-crested pochards were also spotted by enumerators this year.
Other birds that were spotted this year include lesser black backed gull, grey leg geese, larger whistling duck, ruff, tiger bitter, whimbrel, Eurasian curlew and ferruginous ducks.
Bhitarkanika is stated to be the transit point for migratory bird species. These birds begin their journey back when the water bodies around the park begin to dry up. PNN