he second National Chilika Bird Festival will be organised on January 27 and 28 at Mangalajodi. The programme includes exhibitions, seminars and visit to Mangalajodi
and Nalabana.
Internationally-acclaimed birders, photographers and ornithologists will be a part of the festival along with 200 participants from India and abroad.
Night stay arrangements are made by the Department Forest and Environment and Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha, which are jointly hosting the festival.
The birds’ paradise of Asia, the Chilika lake invites millions of migratory birds during different parts of the year here. Winter witnesses the highest gathering of more than 10 lakh species of birds.
More than 200 species of birds are recorded in Mangalajodi during winters. Lakhs of Ruffs, Godwits, Terns, Plovers, Sandpipers, rare Grey-headed Lapwings, Gulls ,Pintails, Ruddy Shelducks, Skulkers like Ruddy-breasted Crakes, Baillon’s Crakes, Slaty-breasted Rails and the Greater Painted Snipes ,Black-tailed Godwits, Oriental Pratincoles and the Pacific Golden Plovers etc are spotted.
Chilika has been recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention and has been included in the Ramsar list.
Mangalajodi freshwater wetland and Nalabana Island which form part of the Chilika lake have been identified as Important Bird Areas (IBA).