Fewer winged Visitors sighted in the lagoon: Recorded 15% Decline

The number of migratory birds visiting the Chilika lake in the Odisha region has recorded a 15% decline this season with around 2 lakh fewer winged visitors were sighted in the lagoon when compared to the previous year.

We find, the major highlight for this year's bird count was the rare sighting of the uncommon Mongolian Gull and the increase in the number of sightings of Greater Flamingo at the Nalabana bird sanctuary of the brackish water lake.

The annual bird census was undertaken in the brackish water lagoon yesterday, thus putting the count to 10,74,173 migratory birds of 183 different species. There has been a drop of about 1,86,653 birds this time. Previously around 12,42,826 birds of 190 species were sighted.

A Total of about 106 people, which also included ornithologists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), officials from wildlife organizations, numerous ornithologists and wildlife activists have also taken part in the bird count exercise.

The total bird count was carried out for all waterbird species as well as wetland dependent birds which does include passerine birds. The actual number count was made for smaller flock, larger as well as conspicuous birds and estimates were done for the species found in the larger flocks too.

The lagoon hosts migratory birds each year during the peak winters. The birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, the Aral sea and other remote parts of Russia, Southeast Asia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, visit the lake In order to escape the biting cold in their native places. They begin their homeward journey with the onset of the summer season.