Paradip, March 10: After a four-month-long winter sojourn at Bhitarkanika National Park, the migratory birds that had made the wetland sites their temporary home have now begun their homeward journey.
Around 1,06,356 birds from the trans-Himalayan region had travelled to the wetland to avoid the harsh winter, said divisional forest officer of Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) division Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
"These birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarkanika to escape the harsh winter in north Asia and some central European countries. They stayed in Bhitarkanika for four months before flying back," Acharya said.
The first group of birds usually arrive at Bhitarkanika in the second week of November. However, their arrival was delayed this year owing to the late onset of winter.
A large number of birds have already flown out, while waderspecies (birds commonly found on coastal shores, including beaches, rocky shores, mudflats, tidal wetlands and lagoons) are now preparing to leave.
The birds, who flew into the wetlands of the national park from far-flung places, such as Siberia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the Himalayan region and central Europe, have been leaving almost every day, said the forest officer.
The heronry, mainly in Bagagahana, is a popular destination for these migratory species. The bird census conducted in the second week of January by the forest department and environmentalists and non-government organisations found 87 species in the wetland areas.
Acharya said the birds found the environment calm and serene due to the forest department's efforts to curb human interference. In Satabhaya wetland areas, a huge flock of birds gathered with forest officials guarding them from poachers.
"We hope more birds arrive here next winter," Acharya said.
"Though species such as shoveler, pintail, gadwall, common pochard, garganey, tufted duck, common teal, coot have already started to leave, some wader species, including curlew, pipit and oriental white-eye, have not shown any urgency to leave Bhitarkanika sanctuary yet," said Acharya.
