As the winter season has come to an end ,so the winter migratory birds, who had made their annual sojourn to Bhitarkanika in October last, have started their homeward journey.
According to DFO of Rajnagar Mangroves (forest) and Wildlife Division Dr Jangyadatta Pati, as many as 144 types of bird species with an estimated population of 1,38 ,107 had thronged Bhitarkanika in the winter season as per the report of mid winter waterfall bird status survey -2022, carried out in five forest and wildlife ranges under the park on January 12.
This year, 23 more bird species and 2 ,015 more birds were spotted than the last year.
On last of mid winter waterfall bird status survey -2021, as many as 121 types of bird species with a population of 1,36,092 had thronged Bhitarkanika.
Notably, every year with the onset of winter, Bhitarkanika water bodies, the abode of avian species ,wear a colourful look. Migratory birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarakanika to escape the harsh winter in Siberia, Afghanistan, Iraq , northern Asia and some central European countries. They generally stay in Bhitarakanika for about three- four months to escape from harsh winter before starting their homeward sojourn from the park. The birds return when the waterbodies near the Bhitarkanika dry up .