The midwinter waterfowl census began on Thursday morning at the Hirakud reservoir. The head count for migratory birds began at 6 am and will continue until 1 pm, official sources said. 21 teams comprising forest workers from the Sambalpur, Hirakud and Jharsuguda divisions were involved in the bird census.
“The Hirakud reservoir has been divided into eighteen sectors, whereas the ability channel has been divided into three sectors, Jitendra Kumar Behera, assistant forest conservator (ACF), Hirakud life Division aforementioned. For the movement of the census team, 14 non-motorized boats, six motorized boats and one other vehicle have been deployed. Bird protection teams have been deployed at several locations, including at several locations, he stated”
The census includes workers with designations such as guards, ACF’S, range officers, veterinary surgeons, ornithologists, nature lovers and local bird club members. Students from Bhubaneswar’s Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology were roped in for the drive as well. Jitendra Kumar Behera, said “GPS, route charts, maps, binoculars, and complex cameras are provided for the groups.”
According to forest officials, in mid-November 2020, the species began flocking to Hirakud Dam. The department of the forest made elaborate arrangements with frequent patrols on boats to secure the winged visitors. In 2019, in the annual Hirakud (WL) Division and Forest Division of Sambalpur and Jharsuguda, the wildlife teams spotted a total of 92 bird species and about 1,45, 946 avian guests during the annual census drive.
In addition to Central and South East Asia, the birds came mainly from the Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Mongolia. Meanwhile, a total of 82 bird species and 1, 36,835 migratory birds were spotted in the reservoir of Hirakud in 2018. The latest census reported a small rise in the head count of avian species during the winter season, by contrast.
