Annual Bird Census Begins In Odisha’s Hirakud Reservoir

Sambalpur: The annual bird census at Hirakud Dam Reservoir in Odisha’s Sambalpur district began at 6 am on Monday.

According to Hirakud Wildlife Division DFO Anshu Pragnya Das, 32 teams and as many boats have been engaged in Sambalpur, Bargarh and Jharsuguda for the counting of the avian species. A total of 78 Forest personnel, including 33 bird experts, are participating in the census. They will cover Hirakud reservoir, including power channels, by 5 pm.

The Hirakud Dam Reservoir extends up to the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border covering 533 sq km area and 5.5 sq km of the power channel. The reservoir has been divided into 21 sectors for the survey and each team has been given binoculars, birding & census kits along with lifesaving jackets following a training training programme at Sambalpur zoo.

All fishing and tourism activities have been stopped inside the reservoir.

The 2024 bird census result will be announced on January 11-12 after approval from Wildlife headquarters, she added.

Every year, thousands of exotic birds of different species migrate to the reservoir in November. The avian guests stay put for four months till March before flying back. The birds come from Caspian Sea, Baikal Lake, Mongolia, Central and South East Asia and Himalayan region to the reservoir due to the presence of large wetland. Till last month, five new species were sighted in Hirakud lake. These are Cotton Pygmy Goose, Little Tern, Purple Swamp Hen, Marsh harrier and Large Egret.

Notably, 1.24 lakh birds of 98 different species were recorded in 2021 census, while in 2022, the number increased to 2.08 lakh (of 104 species). Last year, more than 3 lakh avian guests of 108 species in the mid-winter waterfowl census here. At least 10 of them were new species.