Gudibande, 25 March

A large numbers of migratory birds, including the painted stork, grey heron and cormorant, have been spotted at Amani Byra Sandra tank in Gudibande of Chikkaballapur district.

Tahasildar Sibgath Ulla said the birds, believed to have arrived from North India, have been present at the tank for the past few days. Morning walkers frequently gather along the tank bund to observe the birds.

Spread across about 287 acres, Amani Byra Sandra tank is among the largest water bodies in the district. Local resident B Suresh said the tank has retained water since it filled to capacity two years ago and has been clean since.

Wildlife photographer Mohan Krishna identified the species at the site and noted that such birds migrate seasonally and stay near water bodies with sufficient food before returning to their native habitats after summer.

Both Painted Stork and Grey Heron are quite tall in these sizes and can fly for long hours, Sastry said, while Cormorant birds are often found in groups, noted  environmentalist VSS Sastry. He said that similar bird activity is observed at nearby Veerapura water tank.

Ulla further said steps would be taken to bring in more aquatic life into the tank to meet the needs of these birds, especially given the presence of fishermen.