The cozy village of Veerapuram in Chilamathur mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district comes alive each year with the arrival of thousands of Painted Storks during the summer season, from March to August. These birds nest and breed in large numbers, perched on tamarind trees, and have long been an integral part of the village’s identity. However, researchers now caution that this rare natural wonder is becoming increasingly fragile.

A two-decade-long study by researchers from Sri Krishnadevaraya University in Anantapur has found that erratic rainfall, recurring droughts, and shrinking wetlands are placing the breeding colony under severe stress. The research draws on extensive field observations conducted by Dr V.V. Bala Subramanyam, an assistant professor in the University’s Department of Zoology.

According to the study, the stork population showed strong breeding activity during years of good rainfall, particularly in 2010 and 2015, when more than 4,000 birds were recorded in the colony. But, during severe drought years such as 2013 and 2018, the nesting birds disappeared entirely from the village.

However, in the mid-1990s, during the severe drought in the region, the birds arrived at the wetlands in thousands but were forced to leave early, and the breeding season was badly hampered.

“Veerapuram is a unique example of people living in harmony with wildlife for decades. But climate uncertainty and the loss of wetland ecosystems are beginning to disturb that balance,” Dr Bala Subramanyam said.

As birds build nests on the fragile vegetation in wetlands, they are prone to falling to the ground, since each pair (male and female) weighs more than 40 kg during the breeding period, with the weight further increasing when newborns are added. “When the nests fall to the ground, the process of re-nesting becomes rare, and the eggs would break. There is an urgent need for manual erection of nests for these birds at safer and congenial locations,” the researcher said.

Members of the study group observed that the colony depends heavily on nearby tanks and water bodies that provide feeding grounds during the breeding season. As water sources dry up, success in breeding has become increasingly unpredictable. The group calls for an action plan to protect the wetlands from encroachment, creating artificial nesting platforms, and surveillance of the core zone with drones.

Meanwhile, Dr. Bala Subramayam maintains that, unlike the Nelapattu and Pulicat lakes along the Bay of Bengal between Nellore and Tirupati, which attract a variety of migratory birds, mostly flamingos and herons, the Veerapuram sanctuary is unique because the Painted Storks reach here for breeding from the Vindhya and Aaravali mountains. “Due to intense heat there (Vindhya and Aaravali mountains) from March onwards, these birds reach here (Veerapuram) for its warm climate. However, many people think they are from Siberia,” he said.

Despite multiple challenges, villagers continue to protect the nesting trees and treat the birds as symbols of good fortune. Researchers said this support remains central to conservation efforts.