From August to December, Kokkarebellur is a quaint little village with avenues lined with old-world houses adorned with intricate teakwood pillars and tiled roofs—a reminder of Karnataka’s charming, forgotten era. But come January, something incredible happens. The village undergoes a stunning transformation as thousands of Painted Storks descend upon it, claiming the vacant upper floors of the village as their own. Every tamarind and banyan tree is filled with these special guests, their constant clatter filling the air and bringing the once-silent village to life. For the next six months, the birds work tirelessly to build nests, hatch eggs and feed their young.
Situated in the Mandya district of Karnataka, Kokkarebellur is a small hamlet about 90 km from Bangalore. The village derives its name from the Kannada words Kokkare, meaning Painted Stork, and Bellur, meaning ‘white village,’ a reference to sugarcane. Historically, this village was located along the banks of the Shimsha River, where both villagers and waterbirds thrived together. However, in 1916, a plague outbreak forced the village to relocate a few kilometres away from the wetland. In a remarkable turn of events, the Painted Storks followed and they have continued to return for generations. Why these predominantly fish-eating storks continue to breed in Kokkarebellur, despite being several kilometres from substantial water bodies, remains a mystery.
It is fascinating to see these storks return to Kokkarebellur year after year. The village residents consider them blessings, believing they bring good rains and bountiful crops. As a result, they see it as their duty to protect the birds, treating them like daughters who traditionally return to their natal homes to give birth. A stork nesting in one’s backyard is seen as a sign of prosperity, and families often prefer to marry their daughters into such households.
To avoid disturbing the nesting birds, the village, which once celebrated the Feast of the Village Deity festival with firecrackers, chose to abolish the practice out of respect for their migratory guests. On a smaller scale, residents refrain from harvesting tamarind pods during the nesting season, as the birds often nest in these trees. Village elders have also taught their children never to tease the birds or destroy their eggs.
In many ways, this is a symbiotic relationship, benefiting both the birds and the community. Agriculture in the village has thrived thanks to manure enriched with bird droppings, known as guano. Just 10 kg of guano, when mixed with cow dung and silt, can yield three full tractors of nutrient-rich manure, increasing agricultural productivity up to fivefold. To collect the droppings, residents dig pits around trees, ensuring a steady supply. With the storks in Kokkarebellur producing around 120 kg of guano annually, there is never a shortage of this valuable resource.
In 2007, Kokkarebellur was designated a community reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, making it the only community-protected sanctuary in Karnataka. Today, it stands as a testament to the remarkable relationship between humans and birds and the power of collaborative conservation efforts.
