Open Billed White Stork (Jhangils), Danapur Cantonment

OPEN BILLED WHITE STORK

Many avian species visit this place, the prime and interesting among them is Open Billed White Stork. Locally known as "Jhangils", these avian guests are of migratory nature, who every year visit Danapur Cantonment in the month of June. In fact they are the harbingers of monsoonal rains in the area. These storks are white in colour, have strong wings, which help them to fly, making use of thermal currents, to cross thousands of kilometers over land, have a peculiar beak ( see through beak when seen from sides, that is why the name ‘open billed',, which helps eating their preys like frogs, snails and small fish from These species, famous in folk tales and anecdotes world over for their legendary fidelity, (a rare thing all over animal kingdom including the notorious homo sapiens ) build their nests on pre selected and often tested trees. At all the times the nest is fervently guarded by either of the partners. After the nesting and meting, the small offspring come out of the shell , learn the flying techniques in high skies of Danapur and fly away to their native places by mid winters (December-January) every year, only to return back in next monsoon.  

Cantonment Board Danapur welcomes these beloved guests, give them a comfortable ambience by reducing the noise pollution level in these six months, by protecting their habitat and the species themselves from hunting, through public awareness campaigns, with active involvement of local populace.