Bhubaneswar: Authorities of Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary recorded at least 10 species of water birds on the 26 islands inside Hirakud reservoir during the summer nestingperiod.Summer, being a breeding season, makes the Hirakud wetland, a Ramsar Convention site, a robust ground for migratory species to stay back for nesting. Migratory tern, pratincole and a few other species of waders put on a colourful show by nesting in thousands across the 26 islands in the reservoir.“More than 10 species of water birds, such as river tern, gull-billed tern, little tern, Oriental pratincole, little pratincole, ringed plover, whiskered tern and a variety of egrets, laid thousands of eggs and are rearing their chicks. Shorebirds are one of the most threatened groups of birds due to the presence of common predators like stray dogs, snakes and raptors. Therefore, waders have chosen the islands of Hirakud as they are away from the reach of dogs, cattle and humans,” Anshu Pragyan Das, divisional forest officer of Hirakud, said.After the winter fizzles out, by April, islands emerge from the receding waters of Hirakud. By the middle of April, flocks of birds are found nesting on the islands as there is no human intervention.Debrigarh officials said that on a few islands, large breeding colonies of river tern and pratincole were seen with mother birds guarding the eggs and saving chicks from the scorching heat. They also take care of newborns. The isolated islands of Hirakud are ideal nesting locations for birds as they are safe from predators, they said.”To create awareness about conserving the nesting sites, a dedicated team of nine squads and four frontline staff with two speedboats were engaged. The team has been educating fishermen and coordinating with cattle grazers of three districts adjoining Hirakud to build awareness among them,” said Das.This year’s bird census recorded a total of 122 migratory bird species in Hirakud, with their number pegged at 3.77 lakh.