Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary emerges as key Black-necked Stork breeding site in Gujarat
Gandhinagar: Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary in Jamnagar district has emerged as an important breeding site for the Black-necked Stork, with a new scientific study recording four active nests and eight fledglings at the Ramsar-designated wetland.
The study by researchers from the Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation found that all four monitored nests successfully produced two fledglings each, resulting in a 100 per cent fledging success rate during the study period.
The research, conducted between July 2024 and March 2025, has been published in the peer-reviewed ‘Journal of Threatened Taxa’.
The research assessed the population status, breeding ecology, nest-site characteristics and reproductive performance of the Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus), one of India’s largest wetland birds.
The study was carried out by GEER Foundation scientists Sandeep Munjpara, Divyrajsinh Jadeja, Nita Solanki, Amitkumar Nayak and B.P. Pati.
“Researchers conducted extensive field surveys across the sanctuary using 48 georeferenced sampling points distributed across eight management zones. The study involved nest monitoring, behavioural observations and habitat assessments, generating more than 320 hours of observation data,” said B.P. Pati, Director of the GEER Foundation.
“One of the most significant findings of the study was the confirmation of four active Black-necked Stork nests within the sanctuary. Each nest was occupied by a breeding pair and successfully produced two fledglings, resulting in a total of eight juveniles. Along with five regularly observed non-breeding adults, the sanctuary supported a peak seasonal population of 21 birds during the study period,” Pati added.
The four nests were found on Neltuma juliflora, formerly known as Prosopis juliflora and commonly called gando baval, at heights of between three and 4.5 metres.
While the species is traditionally associated with large native trees such as acacias and figs for nesting, the findings indicate that it can also use structurally suitable invasive trees where native nesting trees are limited.
The nesting sites shared several ecological characteristics. They were located near shallow wetlands with water depths of 0.3 to 0.7 metres and surrounded by a combination of open water, emergent vegetation and elevated ground.
These conditions provide feeding opportunities, with fish, amphibians, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates forming important food resources for breeding adults and chicks.
“The research also reinforces the ecological importance of the habitat itself. Black-necked Storks require more than water to survive and reproduce. Their successful breeding depends on the availability of suitable feeding areas, aquatic prey, nesting trees, shallow water, vegetation and relatively undisturbed sites,” said Dr Jaipal Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife).
“The characteristics of the four nesting locations—particularly shallow water, emergent vegetation, elevated sites and low disturbance—offer important clues for habitat management. Maintaining these conditions could be crucial to sustaining the species’ breeding population at Khijadiya,” he added.
Amitkumar Nayak, Deputy Director of the GEER Foundation and one of the researchers, said the nesting locations had a common set of habitat features that supported both breeding and access to feeding grounds.
The researchers recorded changes in breeding behaviour during August and September, followed by nest construction in early October.
Eggs hatched between late October and early November, while intensive chick-rearing continued through December. All four nests had produced fledglings by the end of the year. The study also recorded coordinated parental care.
During 89 nest-monitoring visits, adult storks were observed attending their nests for an average of 62 minutes per visit. In 94 per cent of recorded foraging departures, one parent returned to the nest to replace the other.
“The study also highlighted the strong parental commitment exhibited by the species. During 89 nest-monitoring visits, adult storks were recorded attending their nests for an average of 62 minutes per visit. In 94 per cent of observed foraging departures, one parent replaced the other at the nest, demonstrating highly coordinated biparental care. Such behaviour ensures continuous protection and care of eggs and chicks,” said Dr Sandeep Munjpara, a GEER Foundation scientist and one of the study’s authors.
Researchers recorded no nest abandonment, predation or chick mortality during the monitoring period. Juveniles were also observed seeking food from their parents after leaving the nests, with begging and food-sharing interactions indicating continued parental care as they developed independent foraging abilities.
The sanctuary’s stable hydrological conditions, availability of prey and relatively low human disturbance were identified as factors associated with the successful breeding recorded during the study.
The nests were situated in restricted-access areas at wetland-woodland interfaces and on elevated mounds, which reduced exposure to flooding while keeping the birds close to feeding areas.
Forests and Environment Minister Arjun Modhwadia congratulated the GEER Foundation research team, saying the study had shed light on the behaviour and breeding ecology of the wetland bird and would help in developing more focussed conservation measures.
Minister of State for Forests and Environment, Pravin Mali, said: “The state had taken steps to protect its natural heritage, including the Ramsar-designated Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary.”
Khijadiya is a Ramsar wetland with a combination of freshwater and saline habitats and lies along the Central Asian Flyway, making it an important site for resident as well as migratory waterbirds.
The latest study adds evidence of its importance not only as a feeding and wintering habitat but also as a breeding site for the Black-necked Stork.
The Black-necked Stork is listed under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2022.