Migratory birds start arriving at Chilika Lake

Bhubaneswar: Migratory birds have started flocking at the Chilika Lake with the arrival of winter in Odisha.

Birds of different colours have arrived in the lake after flying thousands of miles at the Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon.

As against their usual landing that happens October 1, the arrival of the migratory birds has been delayed by two weeks this year. It is suspected that it was delayed by cyclonic storm Titli which hit Ganjam and Gajapati districts earlier this month.

As many as 160 avian species come to the lake.

While in the first phase, over 5,000 birds of 20 varieties including Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Plovers, Sandpiper, Greater Flamingo and migratory ducks arrive here, more birds arrive if the climatic conditions remain conducive.

The birds are also sighted in Mangaljodi, a major village on the banks of the lake.

Migratory birds fly thousands of miles across continents, from snow-covered Siberia, Caspian Sea, Baikal Lake to remote parts of Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Ladakh, US and Canada, to the marshy lands of Nalabana inside Chilika which is spread across 1,000 sqkm.