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Site description (2004 baseline):

Mangaljodi village is located about 5 km from Tangi in district Khurda, 60 km from Bhubaneshwar. It is one of the villages surrounding Chilka Lake. This village is connected to the northern sector of Chilika Lake and Kalupada Ghat by way of channels dug through the Phragmites karka reed bed. The area includes Mangaljodi Ghera. Mangaljodi is primarily a freshwater zone with marshes, emergent vegetation and reed beds consisting mostly of Typha and Phragmites karka.

AVIFAUNA: The marshes around Mangaljodi, and the open water between Kalupada Ghat and Teenmuhani, attract a large congregation of waterfowl, especially the dabbling ducks such as Northern Pintail Anas acuta, Northern Shoveller A. clypeata, Garganey A. querquedula and Brahminy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea. A very huge population of waterfowl is found on this site. The estimates were over 3,00,000 and 2,40,000 respectively for 2002 and 2003 (S. Balachandran pers. comm. 2003). Populations of at least 15 species exceed 1% of their bio-geographical population, as estimated by Wetlands International (2002). Over 100,000 Tufted Pochard Aythya fuligula representing 10% of the geographical population have been recorded. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina also occurs in tens of thousands, along with Large Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor (14,500) and Lesser Whistling Duck D. javanicus (2800). The reed beds are frequented by over 10,000 Purple Moorhen or Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio, 15,000 Asian Openbill Anastomus oscitans, 15,000 Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus and more than 5,000 Cotton Teal or Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandelicus. Over 400 Grey-headed Lapwings Vanellus cinereus were counted in Mangaljodi area which is more than 1% of their biogeographical population (Balachandran et al. 2002a, b, 2003). The reed beds are also roosting sites for many thousands of Streaked Weaver Ploceus manyar and Baya Weaver Ploceus philippinus, Indian Great Reed Warbler or Clamorous Reed Warbler Acrocephalus stentoreus, Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra, and Red Munia or Red Avadavat Amandava amandava.

OTHER KEY FAUNA: No information available.

MAIN THREATS: Poaching and illegal trade of birds; Reed Harvesting.

Charaching is causing irreparable damage to the avifauna of Mangaljodi. There are about 80 poachers in the village, proficient in various techniques of killing birds. These birds are regularly sold in the open market, at rates varying from Rs 20/- to Rs. 60/- per bird, depending on the species and method of killing. A proficient poacher can earn anything between Rs 10,000/- to Rs 80,000/- in a year. The local police and forest authorities are helpless spectators, as political involvement remains high. Moreover, the collection of birds’ eggs and their sale in the open market is another big problem. Strict vigil is required to conserve the Mangaljodi waterfowl breeding habitat, by local participation in the form of patrolling, educating the masses about bird conservation and their habitat. Wild Orissa, an NGO, is actively working on such issues, to prevent damaging activities in the area.

Key contributors: S. Balachandran and Wild Orissa.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Mangal Jodi (India). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/mangal-jodi-iba-india on 23/12/2024.