The number of Indian skimmers will rise during the breeding period between February and May
Cuttack, Jan 6: Colourful Indian skimmers that are normally found in South Asia are now nesting at sandbars dotting Kakhadi and Mundali areas of River Mahanadi.
According to a recent survey report, the number of the beautiful birds is somewhere around 300 at Cuttack. “Their number will grow during the breeding period between February and May,” according to Athagarh divisional forest officer (DFO) Sasmita Lenka.
Interacting with Orissa POST, Lenka said, “These birds are categorised as vulnerable species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and found in colonies associated with terns and cormorants. They breed once a year and it takes 21-30 days for an egg to hatch.”
According to a research, these birds are social species and often seen resting in flocks on rivers, clean beaches, sandbars and islands. The skimmers often breed in summer when the water level of the river goes down.
Odisha is one among the 16 states of India were these birds are spotted. The Forest department will make special efforts to notify these areas of Mahanadi as protected area so that skimmers can nest and breed safely, said the DFO.
Forest staffers would be deployed in these protected areas to protect the eggs of these birds. Along with these birds fresh turtles were also found in abundance at Kakhadi area. Apart from Forest department, local fishermen are protecting these wild lives during their breeding season.
