Kendrapara (Odisha): The annual resident bird census started at Bhitarakanika National Park on Sunday. During the five-day census, a scientific database will be created on the population of birds in the park.
Around four teams have been set up to carry out the exercise. Each team comprising of five members each will monitor all the water bodies and mangrove forest areas. The avian census kicked off at around 6 am yesterday and will continue till September 7, district forest officer said.
According to officials the census will help in identifying the bird species that come to the park in the monsoon season and the vegetation preferred by them. All these details will get scientifically documented during the census.
A significant rise in the number of birds visiting the park has been registered in the last two years. In 2022, around 1.16 lakh nesting birds of 10 species were sighted in the park. In 2021, forest officials counted 98,639 birds while 97,866 birds were spotted in 2020.
In 2019 there were 88,614 birds and in 2018 the figure was 91,224. In 2017 and 2016, the number of birds counted were 1,04,490 and 1,03,853 respectively.
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The census of migratory birds is conducted in January while that of the resident birds is held in September. The Bhitarkanika National Park is a mangrove forest spread across 145 square km in northeast Kendrapara district in Odisha. It was designated as national park on September 16, 1998 and obtained the status of a Ramsar site on August 19, 2002.
