World · South & Central Asia · 1 hr ago
Rare white stork spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary
A rare white stork has been spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary on the Delhi-Noida border since November 1.
The sighting has drawn naturalists, bird experts and photographers to the wetland.
The species was last seen in Delhi-NCR in March 2019 near Jewar, and birders say there have been only a handful of regional sightings over several decades.
White storks have white bodies, black wing feathers and long red bills and legs.
The bird may belong to a Central Asian subspecies whose global population is estimated at fewer than 2,000, and its migration route reaches the Indian subcontinent.
The sighting highlights the value of protected wetlands as places where rare migratory birds can be seen.
Birders continue to visit the sanctuary to catch a glimpse of the stork.
A rare white stork has been spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary since November 1.
The sighting has drawn naturalists, ornithologists and wildlife photographers to the wetlands.
Birders say the species has been recorded only four times in Delhi-NCR in nearly three decades.
The last reported sighting in the region was near Jewar in March 2019.
Birders say the stork may be a subspecies that breeds in Central Asia.
- Who
- A rare white stork (Ciconia ciconia) was spotted at the sanctuary.
- What
- The bird was first spotted on November 1 and remained there for at least three days.
- When
- From November 1; the report was published on November 4, 2026.
- Where
- Okhla Bird Sanctuary, at the Delhi-Noida border.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The white stork was first spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary by a birder identified in the report as Dr Tejaswi Surya.
The bird remained at the sanctuary for the last three days, drawing visitors, according to the report.
Hindustan Times published its report on the sighting.
- Species
- White stork (Ciconia ciconia)
- First spotted
- November 1
- Location
- Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Delhi-Noida border
- Previous regional sighting
- Near Jewar, March 2019
- Delhi-NCR records
- Four in nearly three decades, according to birders
- Estimated global population of the possible subspecies
- Fewer than 2,000 individuals
What people are saying
It was around 8am and a little foggy but I immediately spotted this bird at a distance and noticed a bright red bill. That is what caught my eye and it was bigger in size than the herons around it,
This distinct and isolated population breeds in Central Asia, primarily across most of Uzbekistan and the deep south of Kazakhstan, with a total global population estimated at fewer than 2,000 individuals.
After hearing about the sighting, everyone wants a glimpse of the bird, which is rarely seen here in NCR. This also shows how crucial these protected wetlands are and the need to safeguard such habitats,