Kendrapara: The mid-winter waterfall bird status survey is going be carried out at Bhitarkanika National Park January 5 and 6, said Amaresh Nath Pradhan, ACF-cum-range-in-charge of Rajnagar.
Every year with the arrival of winter, Bhitarkanika water bodies wear a colourful look. Migratory birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarkanika to escape the harsh winter in Siberia, Afghanistan, Iraq, northern Asia and some central European countries. They generally stay in Bhitarakanika for about three to four months before starting their homeward journey. Bhitarkanika is stated to be the transit point for the migratory bird species.
The forest officials along with the renowned ornithologists, bird experts and researchers will conduct the bird status survey at Satabhaya, Raitapatia, Barunei Muhana, Chataka, Praharajpur and Bagagahan.
The forest officials count the avian species with the traditional ‘direct sighting’ method’. The wildlife researchers and ornithologists would use spotting scopes, binoculars and cameras to count birds in the park.
An estimated 1,12,937 birds of 83 species were sighted by the Bhitarkanika National Park authorities in the annual bird status survey last year. While black tailed godwit came in large numbers, 30 types of shorebirds were sighted during the census.
As many as 42,548 geese and ducks of 18 species and 37,103 shorebirds were spotted by enumerators last time, said Pradhan.
Gulls, terns and skimmers of four species were also spotted by the enumerators during the status survey. Wetland dependent birds like hawks, eagles, osprey and falcon were too sighted by ornithologists.
PNN