SAMBALPUR: Annual enumeration of migratory birds at Hirakud Dam began on Sunday. Forest officials and experts have been roped in for the counting process, said Divisional Forest Officer, Hirakud Wildlife Division, Sudeep Nayak. Nayak said around 70 persons have been divided into 14 teams of which 11 teams have been engaged to count birds in the reservoir and three have been entrusted to count the birds in power channel areas.
The census report will be sent to Chief Wildlife Warden, Bhubaneswar, by Monday evening. The office of the Chief Wildlife Warden will compile the data and declare the number of species and birds arrived after analysis, he added.
Thousands of winged guests from Caspian Sea, Baikal Lake, Mongolia, Central and South East Asia and Himalayan region flock to the reservoir every year from November and stay for four months till the end of February before flying back in the first week of March. Last year, the census officials recorded 95,912 birds of 60 species