Migratory birds throng Bhitarkanika National Park during their monsoon sojourn. Telegraph picture

Kendrapara, Aug. 29: The Bhitarkanika National Park has once again established its place in the state as a congenial habitat for the winged species.

The park has been witnessing a steady rise in the number of water birds, mostly from the stork family found in the nearby regions. The birds throng the heronry and wetland spots here for their seasonal sojourn every year during monsoon.

The latest census findings put the figure of the monsoon guests migrating to the park from local regions at 70,105, an impressive rise than the figure recorded last year. Last year, the national park witnessed 59,972 monsoon birds visiting this internationally acclaimed wetland.

“As the monsoon was erratic this time, our expectation was that lesser number of local migrant birds would visit the site. But, we were proven wrong. Local migrant birds visited in large numbers,” said Manoj Kumar Mahapatra, divisional forest officer (DFO), Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division.

The onset of monsoon has triggered chirpy cacophony along the marshy wetland spots in the Bhitarkanika National Park. Their sojourn would last for about a fortnight after which they would start their homeward journey, said the National Park officials.

“Over 70,000 local migrant avian species have arrived at the Bagagahana heronry. As the spell of rains was not uniform, their arrival was delayed this time. More birds are expected here in the coming days,” said Mahapatra.

For past one month, flocks of these avian guests had been crowding the heronry in the core region of the sanctuary, said the official. Prominent among the species arriving here for nesting are grey heron, purple heron, darter, cormorant, large egret, intermediary egret and little egret.

The birds’ temporary habitat is spread across around four-hectare stretch. They wing their way in and around the water bodies, adding to the scenic beauty of the place. According to Mahapatra, there is ample food security for the birds, as innumerable water inlets and nullahs free from human interference crisscross the place.

Lack of human interference, ideal climatic condition, cool breeze and the river system here makes this place a favourite retreat of these chirpy winged species.

Noted ornithologist Salim Ali made a chance-discovery of Bhitarkanika birds’ habitat on a casual visit to Bhitarkanika in 1981.

Forest personnel said that about a dozen types of local birds congregated at the Bagagahana heronry within the park for nesting and breeding every year. The species are open bill stork, little cormorant, intermediary egret, large egret, little egret, purple heron, grey heron, night heron, darter, white ibis and cattle egret.