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Winged guests at Chilika Lake counted

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Teams of experts and forest officials busy counting and listing the different migratory birds in Chilka Lake. —

BERHAMPUR: The annual bird census in the Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in the country with estuarine character, was conducted on Saturday.

The Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and wildlife wing of the Forest Department conducted this annual status survey of avian population in the lake with expert help from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). The lake attracts lakhs of migratory birds from regions of high altitudes of northern hemisphere every winter.

Sudarsan Panda, the CEO of the CDA said 50 ornithologists, volunteers from colleges and universities took part in the enumeration process of birds that started in the morning and continued till afternoon.

There were 17 avian census groups. The entire coastline, water body and islands were demarcated into 17 zones. Each census group had at least three ornithologists. A three member team of ornithologists from BNHS led by S. Balchandran was also monitoring the enumeration process of the birds. Veteran ornithologist of Orissa, U.N. Deo was also present.

Mr. Panda informed that endangered species and major species of birds perching in lake were counted individually.

Estimation was made to assess the number of small birds that had perched in large numbers in the lake. The data collected by the enumerating teams would be processed during next week.

Speaking to ‘The Hindu’, from the Nalabana sanctuary during the enumeration process, Mr. Balchandran said the BHNS is monitoring the distribution of migratory birds in the lake in relation to its diverse habitat. Recent census would also provide vital data about it.

The BHNS would also hold workshop for veterinary doctors working near the lake to train them in handling ailing wild birds and surveillance for cases of avian influenza.

The Chilika lake hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season during winter, and at least 97 of these are inter-continental migrants.

Migratory birds from the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and Southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas reach this lagoon in winter.

As per the earlier bird census in the lake, 32 percent of its birds were aquatic birds, 22 per cent were waders and 46 per cent were terrestrial, including 14 types of birds of prey.

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