New Nesting Colony of Asian Openbill Stork in Bhagalpur City, Bihar, India

The birds build their nest to lay eggs and to raise their young ones. Nest building behaviour of birds is an instinct behaviour and may signal the reproductive performance of individual and physiologically stimulate a partner. The present study was carried out at the old campus of Bhagalpur Radio station, Aliganj in Bhagalpur, Bihar, and its adjoining areas to study the nesting behaviour of the Asian Openbill Stork (Anastomus oscitans). The study was conducted from May, 2023 to December, 2025 . The results showed successful breeding and a gradual increase in the population of storks during the study period. The birds exhibited colonial nesting behaviour and preferred tall nesting trees located near human settlements and wetlands. They also showed strong site fidelity by returning to the same breeding site in next successive years and reusing old nests with minor modifications. Both male and female birds actively participated in parental care, ensuring successful rearing of chicks. Other behaviours like aerial display, allopreening, nest cushioning etc were also noted well during the breeding season.These observations indicate that the old campus of Bhagalpur Radio station may be an important breeding habitat for the Asian Openbill Stork. The findings of this study provides important information on the nesting ecology of the Asian Openbill Stork, which will be valuable for future research and will assist in the conservation and sustainable management of the species and its breeding habitats.