Two-day Coringa Bird Festival from Dec 14

Amaravati: AP forest department and EGREE Foundation in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) are going to hold Coringa Bird Festival 2018 on December 14 and 15 for the first time at Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, at Chollangi village near Kakinada in East Godavari district. Ministers for forests, environment, science and technology Sidda Raghava Rao will inaugurate the event.

Speaking to The Hans India, Raghava Rao said Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and adjoining areas were famous as a constituent of the Central Asian Flyway (CAF). It is an important bird area with a recorded population of 271 bird species, of which 95 are migratory. The region regularly supports over 1 per cent of biogeographical population belonging to 17 water-bird species.

The area has a rich and diverse bird population. Of the 84 species of waders (birds that search for food in water) reported from India, 51 species are found here. The egrets and storks are one of the major groups of birds which form 15 to 20 per cent of the total bird population. The presence of Waders in the region is a good indication of the effective food supply and healthy status of the wetland.

This area also plays host to many endangered and migratory bird species like Great knot that visit the region from as far Russia and Central China during the migratory season. The Indian Skimmer bird is the official mascot of the Coringa Bird Festival is also a key species of avifauna found in the region. These birds with their beautiful plumage marked by its black cap and bright orange bill which is in sharp contrast to its white body is hard to miss.

The event highlights include interesting sessions including one by renowned wildlife photographer, filmmaker and conservationist Kalyan Varma and a session on conservation through cartoons by Rohan Chakravarthi. The bird festival will also include fun activities like an exhibition, puppetry show, bird quizzes, bird portrait painting, bird walks among others.