This year more nests of residential birds have been sighted at the Bhitarkanika National Park, said Rajnagar Mangrove forest and wildlife division DFO Kedar Kumar Swain.
The officials sighted 19,784 nests in Bagagahan and Mathadia under the Bhitarkanika National Park this time whereas last year 17, 550 nests were sighted. While 6,303 nests were sighted in Mathadia, 13,481 nests were spotted at Bagagahan this monsoon, the DFO said.
An estimated 91,545 monsoon bird species, including 39,568 adult birds, thronged Bagagahan and Mathadia forests within the Bhitarkanika National Park and formed nests in 4,817 mangrove trees, said a monsoon bird census report of 2014, which was carried out by the officials of Bhitarkanika from August 18 to September 2, by forming seven teams.
According to the DFO, this year more 11,993 birds, including adults and chicks, were sighted than last year. Notably, an estimated 79,552 monsoon bird species had thronged Bagagahan and Mathadia forests in the Bhitarkanika for nesting and breeding last monsoon season as per the monsoon bird census report of 2013.
This year 10 out of 11 types of bird species which generally throng the Bhitarkanika every monsoon have thronged the national park. The residential bird species who thronged the Bhitarkanika this monsoon comprised Asian open bill stork, Grey heron, Purple heron, Great egret, Intermediate egret, little egret, Black crown night heron, Darter, little cormorant and Black headed Ibis, informed official sources.
In the Mathadia forest, the forest personnel sighted 12,606 adult birds whereas the number of chicks was 16,925. Similarly, 26,962 adult birds and 35,052 chicks were sighted in 13,481 nests at Bagagahan. Only two bird species thronged Bagagahan whereas 10 monsoon bird species paid a visit for nesting and breeding at Mathadia, informed official sources.
The forest officials have carried out the census through individual counting by going near the trees.
This time the monsoon bird species have laid their eggs in mangrove species of Guan, Sundari, Sinduka, Bani and Jagula. Basically most of the nests were sighted in Guan and Bani trees. This time, the Open bill stork population was 69,588 out of 91,545 birds. Open bill stork prefers to form its nest in Guan tree and the avian species form its nest on the top canopy whereas the lower most branches are preferred by smaller birds like cormorants.