Winged Guest in Balasore

A Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa Tridactyla) gull has been recently spotted for the first time in the state.

The Bombay Natural History Society and the Indian Bird Conservation Network has confirmed the identity of the bird, making it the sixth recorded spotting of the species in India.

A bird survey team of the Wild Odisha, an organisation engaged in monitoring the presence of various bird species in the state, in collaboration with the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), had spotted the Kittiwake on January 21 at a water tank on Balasore coast.

It is a small, graceful, cliff-nesting gull, which is named for its loud, nasal "kitti-wake" call. According to experts, it nests on coastlines and islands across the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans, as well as on islands off the north coasts of Russia, Norway, north Canada, north United States, Greenland and west and north Europe.

Earlier, it was sighted at Morjim (Goa) on January 16, 2005, Kadalundi (Kerala) on February 8, 2008, Alibaug (Maharastra) on November 25, 2012, Majuli Island (Assam) on November 30, 2012, and Chvakkad (Kerala) on January 24, 2013," said Monalisa Bhujabal, secretary of the Wild Odisha.

With a white head and body, grey back, grey wings tipped solid black,the Kittiwake had little grey marks around the crown and behind the eyes. Its distinct black legs and a dull greenish yellow bill makes it different from other gull species found in Odisha.

"The spotting of black-legged Kittiwake assumes much significance in study on bird migration and ecology as this species that inhabits in the northern regions of the earth had chosen to come down to coastal regions of the state, separated by several thousands of kilometres. Its presence here could assume significant importance in light of changes in climatic patterns being observed," said Nanda Kishore Bhujabal, another bird expert and member of the survey team.