Annual bird census for Bhitarkanika

Kendrapada, Nov 18 (UNI) Annual bird census of winter migratory birds inside the Bhitarkanika forest and wildlife division, one of the favourite abodes of winter birds, will be organised by the Bhitarkanika Forest and Wildlife Division on December 11 and 12 next.

According to forest official sources, the two-day-long bird census would be carried out at Satabhaya, Raitapatia and Bagagahan under Bhitarkanika National park.

The Bhitarkanika Forest officials had formed ten teams to count the annual census of birds under the guidance of the DFO of Rajnagar Forest (Mangrove ) and Wildlife Division.

About 1.31 lakh of birds, including migratory feathered guests and residential avian species, were sighted by the Bhitarkanika National Park authority in the annual bird census, 2007.

According to the DFO, about 1,25,400 were the water birds and 5600 other birds thronged last year to Bhitarkanika. As many as 135 types of bird species, including 97 types water birds and 38 types of other birds, were spotted last year during the annual census at the Bhitarknaika National Park.

The forest officials had also sighted last year species like Eurasian wigeon, Ferugenius, Shobeller, which are enlisted as highly threatened status as per Red Book Data of International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) were sighted.

These birds would be the major highlight of this year's census, forest officials said.

Some rare and endangered bird species like Indian Skimmer, Brahmin Ducks, Avocet, Godwin, Pintail, Painted stork, seagulls, , tawny eagle, and osprey and Bar-headed Geese, which are listed in the Red Data book of International Union Conservation (IUCN), were also sighted during the last bird census in the water bodies of Bhitarknaika National park.

UNI XC-DP SJC RN1654