KOCHI: The water bird census in Ernakulam district will be conducted on Sunday. The census is being conducted by the Cochin Natural History Society and Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad’s Varappuzha unit. The census is being carried out as a part of the Asian Water Bird Count programme being conducted all over the world. According to Vishnupriyan Kartha, secretary, Cochin Natural History society, the presence and number of waterbirds at a wetland is an indicator of the health of the ecosystem.
“Gulls, grebes, storks, cormorants, darters, rails, snipes, ducks, geese, herons, sandpipers and flamigo are counted among water birds,” said Kartha. This year the counting will start at 7 am and will continue till 10:30 am on Sunday. Interested birders and volunteers who are capable of identifying birds can join the initiative. For more information contact - 9446437410