Amit Pandey, Khairagarh. There are about 11 thousand species of birds around the world. But today we are going to tell you about a bird which does very important work for nature. We are talking about the Lesser Adjutant Stork bird. These are very rare species of birds which work to clean natural waste. These days, the courtyard of farmer Thakur Singh of Navapara Khurd village of Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh has become the favorite destination of this rare Laser Adjutant Stroke.
Let us tell you that Lesser Adjutant Stork birds are mainly found in the marshy areas and wetlands of South-East Asia. They help maintain balance in the environment by eating small dead animals along with fish, hence they are also called natural “trash-cleaning birds”. Due to declining numbers, it has been placed in the “vulnerable” category of the IUCN, and efforts are underway for its conservation.
There is a nest in the farmer’s courtyard for 15 years
For the last 15 years, these protected birds have been making their nests on the trees in Thakur Singh’s courtyard. Thakur Singh and the people of the village not only take care of them but also protect them from poachers. Thakur Singh happily gives up thousands of rupees of profit from the Semar fruit for these birds, his love for the environment is very commendable.
Lesser Adjutant Stork was first seen in 2018
For the first time in Chhattisgarh, in 2018, A M K Bharos and D. Dewan published a report on the residence of this rare bird in this village, in which it was found that four nests were made on the banyan tree in the courtyard of Thakur Singh. Now in 2024, a new report, published in Ambient Science by Prateek Thakur, Ravi Naidu, Dr. Himanshu Gupta and AM K Bharos, has revealed another shocking fact. Now these stork birds and bats (Indian Flying Fox) are roosting on the same tree. The stork has made its nest in the upper part of the tree, and the lower part is inhabited by bats. This scene is thrilling bird lovers and scientists.
Shocking fact of new study
The authors doing the research believe that the residence of these two species on the same tree can have both positive and negative effects on both. There is a need for deep scientific study of this situation so that the causes and effects of this unusual interaction can be understood.
decline in bird numbers
A decline in the number of Lesser Adjutant Strake nests is being seen in this area. While their number was five in 2017, it has come down to two from 2022 to 2024. Experts believe that these birds change their nesting sites every few years, hence there is a need for survey in the surrounding areas so that these protected birds can be tracked and taken care of.
Village’s big message regarding nature
This small village of Chhattisgarh is giving a big message today. Providing a safe haven to these precious birds by sacrificing natural resources has become a symbol of the strong partnership between humans and nature. In this study, a unique sight was observed in Chhattisgarh, rare Lesser Adjutant Stork and bat (Indian Flying Fox) living on the same tree. These birds have been making their nests in Thakur Singh’s courtyard for the last 15 years, and recently more than 250 bats have also started living in this courtyard. This habitat is special, because these two species usually live separately. The regular flight behavior of bats may help protect the nests of these birds. Researchers believe that further study is necessary to understand the advantages and disadvantages of living with them.
