Number of country birds declines at Odisha’s Bhitarkanika

Kendrapara: The population of country birds declined at Bhitarkanika National Park, one of the major wildlife sanctuaries of the world, this year.

The number of birds visiting the national park during monsoon dropped by 13,266 this year as compared to previous year.

The decline was noticed during a week-long census released by the forest officials on Friday.

As per the census report, the Bhitarkanika National Park recorded a marginal drop in the country birds from 1.04 lakh in 2017 to 91,224 this monsoon.

The dip in monsoon birds suggested that the departure of birds from Bhitarkanika to other locations where they find favourable weather condition to survive.

The census was conducted by two teams of forest officials led by Bhitarkanika Additional Conservator of Forests Subrat Patra and Forester Bijay Kumar Patra from August 23 till 30. Total 15 forest officials had participated in the bird counting.

The teams of forest officials counted 19,890 nests, 39,780 adult birds and 51,444 baby birds on mangrove and other trees at Mathaadia.

During the counting, the number of Grey Cranes (gendalia) bird species was found more at the national park. Among others, the birds including Open Billed Stork, Little Cormorant, Median Egret, Large Egret, Little Egret, Purple Heron, Grey Heron, Darter, White Ibis and Cattle Egret visited the sanctuary this monsoon.

Notably, the country birds used to visit Bhitarkanika every monsoon for breeding.