Reporting a new site record of the breeding population of lesser adjutant (leptoptilos javanicus) from bankura district, west bengal, India

The lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus) ranges throughout the South East Asian region. It has been evaluated by IUCN as of “globally vulnerable species”. This species has been reported in a few states of India including a few districts of West Bengal. This paper deals with reporting a new site record of the species from Bankura District, West Bengal, India. The study was conducted during August 2012 to November 2013. In the study, birds were found to arrive at the site during last week of June every year and stay there for eight months and leave for some other location during last week of February. The total number of lesser adjutant population was found to be 33 birds in the year 2012 and 42 birds in 2013. Adults were found to feed on snails, fishes, frogs, crabs, locusts, rats, carrion and snakes. The paper concludes that the population of lesser adjutant storks in the site are not protected in any way and, therefore, special conservation efforts are needed by raising public awareness among local people.