Berhampur: The Berhampur forest division is all set to start its annual bird census January 3 after making all the necessary preparations by the previous day.
The forest authorities have set up 37 teams and imparted them thorough training for the bird counting which will take place in the jungles of Digapahandi, Khallikote, Berhampur and Samantiapali forest ranges.
“A census team comprising of 10 members will be deployed for Berhampur and Khallikote forest ranges while two teams comprising of 12 and six, in each, will be deployed in Digapahandi and Samantrapalli forest ranges respectively,” said divisional forest official Amlan Nayak.
Each team will have three to four forest officials who will participate in the bird census. The officials will be provided with GPS systems and binoculars for effective enumeration of the birds. After completing the process, the enumerators will submit reports to senior forest officials.
The forest officials participating in the bird census hope that this year the bird population in the forest division will go up. It may be mentioned here that bird population had declined last year.
Their (officials’) belief stems from the fact that this year there is favourable weather which has helped in the arrival of more migratory birds.
Ten teams will participate in the bird counting in Berhampur and Khallikote forest ranges, 12 in Digapahandi forest range and six in the Samantiapalli forest range.
During the 2019 bird census, 11,911 birds of 92 species including eurasian bittern, common castle, great egret, cotton pygmy goose and bar-headed goose among others were counted in the forests of Berhampur forest division.
The enumerators will lay stress on birds living in hot wetlands as the migratory birds prefer to spend the winter in these regions. The enumerators will visit Odasingi Sagar, Ghodahada, Talasagar, Khairabanka, Palaspur, Ambada pond, Kalingadala dam, Chakrabarty Sagar, Khanikhala, Madanmohan Sagar and Bagala pond in Digapahandi forest range, Kalarabadi, Huma Salt Farm, Rushikulya sea mouth, Rajghai, Khairakhama, Pathurinala, Champeighai and Kenduagha in Kahllikote forest range to conduct the bird census.
Similarly, the bird census will be held in Tampara lake, Routray pond, Berhampur University pond, Gobindpur pond, Patrapur pond, Chaitanyapada pond, Samarjhol pond and Antei pond in the Berhampur forest range as well as Panda Sagar, Mukundpur Sagar and Baghalati in Samantiapali forest range.