Asian Openbill Stork, a large wading migratory bird, is in search of prey near wetlands and areas where land is being prepared for paddy cultivation in Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Several flocks have already chosen their strategic spots for the annual breeding season from Telikunche, a village on the Srikakulam-Odisha border to Kolleru lake and many other villages in Coastal Andhra.
The greyish white bird with glossy black wings is most likely to begin its breeding season after it arranges its nest at the suitable location, where it can find water in abundance.
During the breeding season, the birds form into pairs. By this time, the region receives enough rainfall following the southwest monsoon. “Unlike Painted Stork, Asian Openbill Stork spends most of the day in agricultural fields, wetlands and marshy areas. It can be seen in complete white colour during the nesting period,” said S. Sreedhar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Eluru Division.
According to him, the species can be considered as local migrants, as majority of them travel within the country. However, handsome number of flocks of Asian Openbill Stork is also coming from tropical South Asia to Andhra Pradesh for its annual sojourn. A team led by Mathew K. Sebastian from the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore has found thousands of Asian Openbill Storks across Srikakulam district in Coastal Andhra during their ‘Ecological Status Survey on Wetlands’ in 2012.
