The Painted Storks of Kokrebellur

It’s a sight seen nowhere else on Earth.  Storks and humans living together in harmony, each unmindful of the other.

Kokkarebellur is a  little village near the town of Maddur, 120 km from Bangalore. Since a thousand years, this place has been the nesting site of the endangered Painted Stork  (Mycteria leucocephalus, family Ciconidae). Each year, during late February and early March, painted storks descend upon the village for their annual breeding program.  And each year, birders like myself visit Kokrebellur to pay our respects to this spectacular member of the Stork family.

It must be seen to be believed.  Beautiful Painted Storks on every tree, clattering their beaks, creating life, celebrating Nature.

Kokrebellur is also the nesting ground for another endangered species – the Spot-billed pelican. They pelicans too live in harmony with the storks and humans. There are other rarely seen birds in and around Kokrebellur – the Indian grey hornbill, yellow-footed pigeon, chestnut-shouldered petronia, common rosefinch, common hoopooe, and many more.  Kokrebellur is truly a birder’s delight.

One sincerely hopes a mall doesn’t come up there one fine day.