Rise in seasonal monsoon birds In Bhitarkanika National Park

The number of seasonal monsoon birds who thronged the mangrove forest belts in Bhitarkanika national park in Odisha for their annual nesting has registered a rise this year, a forest official said.

The continual visit of local migrant birds has re-established Bhitarkanika as one of the prominent heronries of the state, the headcount of these winged species shows, the official said on Friday.

This year 1,05,369 birds were counted at the heronry of which 37,668 were adult ones while 48,867 were chicks. A total of 18,834 nests were spotted on 1,662 treetops, according to the latest bird census report.

Altogether 91,224 birds were counted at the newly found heronry last year, it stated.

As many as 78,058 numbers of Asian Open Bill Stork species were counted during the headcount.

Lack of human interference, ideal climatic condition, cool breeze and the river system always attracted the monsoon birds towards Bhitarkanika, the official added.