Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary Emerges as Major Black-Necked Stork Breeding Site

Key facts

• A GEER Foundation study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa confirmed four active Black-necked Stork nests within Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary.
• The study recorded a 100% fledging success rate, with eight juveniles raised from four nests between July 2024 and March 2025.
• The sanctuary's peak seasonal population of Black-necked Storks reached 21 during the study period.
• All four nests were built on Neltuma juliflora (formerly Prosopis juliflora) at heights ranging between 3 and 4.5 metres.
• The nesting sites featured shallow water depths of 0.3 to 0.7 metres, emergent vegetation, open water, and elevated ground.
• Breeding behaviour changes were observed in August-September, nest construction in early October, hatching in late October-early November, and fledging by the end of the year.
• Adult storks attended nests for an average of 62 minutes per visit, with coordinated biparental care observed in 94% of foraging departures.
• Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is a Ramsar-designated wetland along the Central Asian Flyway.
• The Black-necked Stork is protected under Schedule II of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, following the 2022 amendment.