This year more nests of residential birds were sighted at the Bhitarkanika National Park during the ongoing monsoon season than last year, said Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division DFO Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.
The forest officials this year sighted 17,550 nests in Bagagahan and Mathadia forests under the park area where as last year 15,422 nests were sighted in the locality. While 6,831 nests were sighted in Mathadia, 10,719 nests were spotted at Bagagahan, added the DFO.
According to DFO Mohapatra, this year more than 9,347 birds, including adults and chicks, were sighted at the park than last year. An estimated 79, 552 monsoon bird species thronged Bagagahan and Mathadia forests and formed nests.
According to the DFO, this year 10 bird species such as grey heron, purple heron, night heron, medium cormorant, larger cormorant, cattle egret, open bill stork, darter and pond heron thronged the park.
In Mathadia forest, the forest personnel sighted 13,658 adult birds whereas the number of chicks stood at 17,614 in 6,831 nests. Similarly, 21,432 adult birds and 26,844 chicks were sighted in 10,716 nests at Bagagahan.