Kendrapara, Dec 25 : The Midwinter status survey of wetland birds will be conducted in five forest and wildlife ranges under Bhitarkanika National Park on January 6, Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division DFO Gopinath Sudarshan Yadav said on Monday.
Yadav said the field survey will be carried out at Kanika, Gahirmatha, Rajnagar, Mahakalapada, and Kujanga Ranges within Bhitarkanika National Park.
As many as 17 numbers of survey teams will be engaged in the bird status survey this year The Bhitarkanika forest officials along with renowned ornithologists, bird experts, and researchers will conduct bird status survey at Dangamala, Khola, Chinchiri mouth, Jaudia, Bhitarkanika Mouth, Rajgarh, Satabhaya, Raitapatia, Barunei Muhana, Chataka, Praharajpur Jaudia, Ekakula, Nasi, Nasi-1, Nasi-2, Jatadhar tanda, Hawakhana, Bandar, Devi River mouth and other places under Bhitarkanika National park.
The Forest officials generally count the avian species with the traditional method of direct Sighting. The wildlife researchers and ornithologists would use VHF handsets, binoculars, and GPS to count birds in the park.
Every year with the arrival of winter, Bhitarkanika water bodies, the abode of avian species, wear a colorful look.
Migratory birds fly thousands of miles to Bhitarakanika to escape the harsh winter in Siberia, Afghanistan, Iraq, northern Asia, and some central European countries.
They generally stay in Bhitarkanika for about three to four months to escape from the harsh winter before starting their homeward sojourn from the park.
The Bhitarkanika is considered the transit point for the migratory bird species that returned when the water bodies near the Bhitarkanika National Park started drying up.