Winter birds begin return journey
Kendrapara: Migratory birds of the trans-Himalayan region have started their homeward journey from Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district after a four-month-long winter sojourn, a forest official said on Monday. More than 1.52 lakh feathered guests of 106 species had flocked to the Bhitarkanika wetland sites this year to avoid the harsh winter, Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division assistant conservator Manas Das said.
Every year, birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarkanika to escape the severe cold conditions in northern Asia and some central European countries. The first batch of migratory birds usually comes to Bhitarkanika in the second week of November, but their arrival got delayed by a couple of weeks this year due to the late onset of winter, he said.
“Several batches of birds had already flown from Bhitarkanika, while others are preparing to leave. The birds, which flew into the water bodies and the serene environment of the mangrove forest of the national park from places as far off as the Himalayan region and central Europe, have been leaving the Bhitarkanika almost every day,” the forest officer said.
The avian species found a calm environment in the park due to improvements made to their habitats, he said. “In Satabhaya wetland areas, a large number of winged species gathered this winter as the forest officials guarded the birds from poachers. We are very much hopeful that more will arrive before the advent of next winter,” the forest officer said.
