Asian Openhill storks | Representational image
Guwahati, Sep 8: In a tragic incident, over 30 endangered Asian Openhill storks were allegedly found dead after strong winds blew their nests off trees on Friday morning in Jorhat district of Assam.
While the exact number is yet to be established, the lifeless bodies of about 30-40 birds were found along the river bank at Rangdoi Bhognia village.
It is suspected that the birds might have died due to heavy rain and lightning that ensued on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.
The Asian openbill or Asian openbill stork (Anastomus oscitans) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. This distinctive stork is found mainly in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The name is derived from the distinctive gap formed between the recurved lower and arched upper mandible of the beak in adult birds. Young birds do not have this gap.