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Markazhi

Open billed storks ( migratory birds along the cost of Bharathappuzha no 4)

open billed stork

open billed stork


Open billed stork   no 5 migratory birds along the cost of Bharathappuzha

Open billed storks are one of the local migrants that we find along the banks of Bharathapuzha..It wouldn’t be correct to say that they search for food along the banks of the river or in the  shallow waters of the river itself because I could spot the birds only twice along the banks or shallow waters of the river though I could find them several times on inland wetlands, their  food searching habitat.I spotted them in    Bharathapuzha by Randal near PattIkkayal wet lands at five p. m. on  26.3. 2013,

a flock of open billedc storks along the banks of Bharathathappuzha at Chamravattamm

a flock of open billed storks along the banks of Bharathathappuzha at Chamravattamm


the other being on the wet delta like sand banks at Chamravattam ,Bharathappuzha river.They were sighted even if the wet land  turned dry following drought. A folk of storks were  found searching for food in Chalissery dry rice fields at four fifteen pm on 28.3. 2013.The birds were seen foraging in eastern Anakkara fields ion  26.3. 2013.so their favourite food searching  area is inland wet land.though  nests of  open billed storks have been reported to have found at Kumarakam bird sanctuary,the open billed stork  can be taken as a local migrant.

openbilled stoks searching food

open billed storks searching food


Open bill storks that we find along the banks of Nila river are greyish white or light smoky grey  with glossy black wings  and tails.comparing with other waders their legs are proportionally short  and its colour ranges from pinkish to smoky grey.

open billed storks foraging

open billed storks foraging


As I  could find a  folk of open billed storks numbering thirteen in the fields east of Anakkara at 4.30 on 26.3 .2013 and another folk of birds  numbering seven in the shallow waters of the river near Randal  near toPattikkayal at 4.36 on the same day . So we can assume that there could be different folks of these storks foraging along the banks.

open billed storks at dry inlands

open billed storks at dry inlands


When I advanced closer to a folk  searching food at Chalissery rice fields six  out of  eight of the birds flew away though two remained still a few yards away.They raised themselves to the air with wings flapping interspersed with gliding .

open billed stork

open billed stork


As they attained altitude they  started to soar  and later they descended rapidly on the western end of the fields.Open billed storks make long distance migration in response to food availability and  weather conditions.Storks are broad winged soaring birds which rely on moving between thermals on hot air for sustained flight.Thermals are columns of rising air that are formed on the ground through the warming of surface by the sunlight.Once a thermal life is encountered  the stork keeps to soar within thermals.after attaining altitude within the same thermal .They may fly off to the next thermal towards destination.

 open billed storks at nayyur wet lands

open billed storks at nayyur wet lands


As I recall the experience  of a folk of sheep searching food hastily in  Nayyur wet lands.They were feeding on a kind of snails ,frogs ,fishes and earth worms perhaps.the gap between the mandibles of the beak  facilitates handling the favourite  varieties of mollusk and snail prey very easily.The mandibles of the beak meet at the tip.

open billed strokes

open billed strokes


Open billed storks have been found searching for food along with white necked storks and herons. We can find fables in dutch mythology  that suggest babies are brought by storks.Storks nesting on ones roof meant good luck often in the form of family happiness. Open billed storks are  found  from mid july to march mainly in the inland wet lands along the banks of Bharathapuzha.  Thus the major migratory birds along the banks of Bharathapuzha include, Black headed seagull,  Openbilled stork & Ibis.

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