Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest lagoon in Odisha known as a birdwatchers' paradise celebrated the second edition of National Chilika Bird Festival, January 27-28, 2019
The festival saw around 200 ornithologists, researchers, environmentalists, wildlife photographers and bird lovers
This winter, around 10,21,563 bird species arrived at Chilika, says Dr S Balachandran, a noted ornithologist and the deputy director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)
Chilika lies in the Central Asian Flyway for birds and is a major stopover site for migratory birds from the arctic and sub-arctic during their migration along the east coast
The lake provides an extensive feeding ground for the birds because of the abundant availability of fish and distance from human habitats
Considering its importance as a major congregation site for migratory waders and ducks and the huge population of birds, it has been recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention
