By Tikaram Upreti, Jhapa, July 15:  The Road Division Office complex in Damak, Jhapa, has become a haven for different species of herons to hatch their chicks.

In the office complex located in the middle of the booming Damak city, people can see different species of birds playing on the nearby trees. The white birds have turned the office premises near the main chowk in Damak Municipality-6 of Jhapa as their major habitat.

Every year, thousands of migratory birds come to this place to lay eggs and hatch their chicks. Especially from May to October, they live in the office area, raising chicks as they find the place a safe habitat.

Birendra Gauatam, an officer at the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Area Forest, said as the herons found in the area are local species, they seek safe habitats to hatch the chicks. At other times, they live in the forests, fields and wetlands.

This is not the time for other birds to hatch, but the herons do so on small trees.

Gautam said that the death rate of herons has been increasing due to weak security measures. So two to three generations of herons have raised chicks in one season.

According to Gautam, the study found that the chicks were bred for three generations in a short period.

Heron is the generic name but it is called with various names like Egretta gargetta, Little Egret, and small white bakulla. White, pale black, pale yellow and grey birds come here to lay eggs and hatch. Some of them are grey, black, white, with long or short necks, but they grow and live in the same group and herd.

Although they look different, they live in the same group. But during the breeding time, they choose different habitats. 

They have no permanent habitat as they migrate from one place to another every year.  The species roam from one place to another to find the feeding grounds.

Even the nest doesn't look good. Since it is made of ordinary wood, many chicks and eggs fall onto the ground and die. It takes six months for the chicks to become adults.

According to Dharma Acharya, who has been working as an office assistant at the Division Office Damak for 18 years, the area road division office is spread over an area of ​​about five bighas. The migratory birds come to the area every year in March.

The species have built hundreds of nests on the same tree here. Poachers have been prevented from installing high compound walls in the large areas. Drinking water wells have also been constructed in some places for the birds.

There are local species of trees, including Shirish, Mango, Khayar, Shisau, Kadam, Masala, etc. Since fish is their main food, there are plenty of fish in the nearby areas, so herons have taken this area as a haven for laying eggs, hatching chicks and bringing them up.