Bhubaneswar: The bird census in Chandaka forest, which concluded Saturday, revealed that more than 10,000 different migratory birds belonging to 19 different species visited the forest during this winter. This time, five new species of birds were also spotted in the forest that is also an elephant sanctuary located on the outskirts of the Capital city.
The bird census also showed that this year the migratory birds visiting the forest dropped by 133 compared to the previous year. In all, 10,114 birds visited the different lakes and water bodies in the Chanaka forest compared to 10,247 birds in 2017.
According to forest department officials, despite the marginal drop in the number of birds visiting the forest this year augurs good for the environment. This is because the growing concrete jungle in the vicinity has not deterred the birds from visiting their regular winter home. This is indeed good news for all nature lovers in the region, the officials said.
This year 73 bird species, including 19 migratory bird species, visited the Chandaka sanctuary. Some of the migratory birds flew all the way down from Siberia and Afghanistan, the forest department officials said. The five new bird species that were spotted in the forest this year include the Long-billed plover, Northern shoveler, Bar-headed goose, Grey-headed lapwing and Black-bellied Tern.
Like in the previous years, the census volunteers spotted various visiting species of birds, including cormorant, pelican, open-billed stork, flamingos, large whistling teal, swan, porchard, pintel and others at the sanctuary.
As many as 11 teams comprising of 60 persons, including forest officials as well as 35 other individuals, conducted the bird census between 6am and 10.30am. The birds were counted at 22 places including Ambil, Deras, Bharatpur, Kumarkhunti, Kajalaganda, Jhumuka, Jaria and Godibari in Chandaka.
PNN
