Water birds have made Bhitarkanika their temporary home this monsoon with thousands of winged species thronging the national park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district for their seasonal nesting and breeding, a forest official said on Thursday.

The arrival of these birds has reestablished Bhitarkanika as one of the prominent heronries of the state, he said.

“With the commencement of the rainy season, migrant species have arrived in batches for seasonal nesting. They have built nests and laid eggs atop the mangrove trees. Their sojourn would last for at least three months from now and after which they would start their homeward journey,” Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) divisional forest officer Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav said.

More than 14 species of birds such as open-billed stork, little cormorant, little, medium and large egret, purple and grey heron, darter, white ibis and cattle egret have already arrived in Bhitarkanika for laying eggs, the DFO said.

These birds have stepped up their nesting activities at Mathadia, Durgaprasaddia and Laxmiprasaddiha forests in Bhitarkanika during the monsoon season, he said. There is food security for these winged species as the place is free from human interference, Yadav said.