BHUBANESWAR: As the population of weaver birds dwindles in the state, the Odisha Chapter of the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) has begun conducting their annual census.
Sources at the IBCN said that the census that began June 1 will continue till June 30 and will be carried out in the districts of Khurda, Puri, Cuttack, Jagatsingpur, Kendrapada, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh and Sambalpur.
“We have been conducting the weaver bird count since 2016. Each year observations are carried out by volunteers and other organisations who note down the details regarding the particular site, the number of birds and their nests and the tree/plant species on which nests are built,” IBCN Odisha coordinator Monalisa Bhujabal said.
Weaver birds that are found in grasslands are known for their hanging nests woven from leaves of tall trees. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny, coconut trees or palm fronds. The impact of Fani was disastrous for the green cover of the state. This resulted in a decrease in the number of weaver birds, stated environmentalists.
“Take for instance the Kuleipada village in Bhadrak district. The birds have not visited the place for the past five years. While some nests were destroyed by Asian Palm Civets, most of their homes are lost due to urbanisation,” said Baijyant Routery, an ornithologist.
Weaver birds are highly social birds and known for their nest-weaving skills. Three species of weavers, belonging to the family Ploceidae are found in Odisha. They are Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus), Streaked Weaver (Ploceus Manyar) and Black-breasted Weaver or Black-throated Weaver (Ploceus benghalensis).
