Resident Bird Census Underway at Bhitarkanika National Park

Kendrapara: Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara has initiated a five-day census of resident birds that flock to the wetland areas for nesting each year. The bird counting commenced at 6 AM and will span both the National Park and its surrounding regions, according to Rajnagar Divisional Forest Officer (DFO).

For this bird count operation, four teams have been established, each comprising five members responsible for tallying the avian population. The counting started on September 3 and will run until September 7.

The National Park and its vicinity attract over a dozen species of local resident birds annually for nesting and breeding purposes. This year seems to be no exception, with an impressive congregation of birds expected.

In addition to the core area, peripheral wetland sites such as Kanika Range, Matha-Adia, Durga Prasad Diya, and Kaliabhanja Diya are also included in this year’s census program.

Sudarshan Gopinath Jadav, the Divisional Forest Officer in Rajnagar, Kendrapara, explained, “Every year, thousands of resident birds come to Bhitarkanika National Park and its surrounding areas for nesting. We typically conduct their census in August or September. This year, the counting is taking place from September 3 to September 7, with four dedicated teams in action.”