Berhampur: The winged guests that flocked to Chilika this winter have started their homeward journey with the rise in temperature. “Around 50% of the migratory birds have already left the lagoon. The exodus started in the second week of Feb,” said Amlan Nayak, DFO, Chilika wildlife division.He said the departure is not earlier than usual, noting that last year the birds left around the same time. Also, several resident and migratory species continue to inhabit the lake. Day temperatures have hovered between 32°C and 35°C, prompting the winged visitors to head back to their native habitats.“The migratory birds arrived in Chilika in the first week of Oct to escape harsh winter in their native habitats and to forage. They return once temperatures starts rising. In recent years, some migratory ducks have chosen to stay back permanently due to abundant availability of food,” said retired RCCF Sudhakar Mohapatra.Every winter, avian visitors from Northern Eurasia, the Caspian region, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal, and remote parts of Russia stop at the lagoon before heading back ahead of summer. Last winter, 11,37,200 birds of 187 species were recorded at Chilika. This included 10,98,813 birds of 108 migratory species and 38,946 birds of 79 resident species, sources said.
