Bird Census Begins In Odisha’s Bhitarkanika, Chilika Reports Rise In Numbers

Kendrapara/Balugan: The annual bird census started in Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district on Monday.

The census begun at Rajnagar, Kanika, Gahiramatha, Mahakalpada and Kujang ranges at 6 am, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Rajnagar, Bikash Ranjan Dash, informed the media.

Led by the deputy director of Bombay Natural History Society, Dr S Balachandran, as many as 18 teams comprising 4-5 members have conducted the bird count till 12 noon. “The bird count is underway in Mathadia, Gahiramatha, Satabhaya, several water bodies and along the sea coast,” Dash said.

He said that compared to last year, more country and migratory birds are expected to throng the park this year as the water bodies are filled with water due to favourable weather and late rainfall.

The Park had recorded 1.09 lakh birds last year.

Meanwhile, the annual bird census carried out in Chilika lake on Sunday has revealed that the count of migratory and country birds has gone up this year.

The Balugan DFO, Alok Ranjan Hota, informed that the lake has recorded 11,05,040 birds this year as against 10,47,968 last year. The highest number of 4,06,308 birds was found in Nalabana area of the lake.

The DFO further said that a total of 184 species of migratory birds have been spotted in the lake this year as against 102 species last year.

The migratory birds from far off places like the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, remote parts of Russia, Central and South-East Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas throng the lake every winter for feeding and nesting and begin their homeward journey with the onset of summer.