Guwahati: If you could not visit Chilika Lake for migratory birds, you can always visit Kaziranga, which now boasts the second-highest number of migratory birds.
The 5th Water-Bird Census in Kaziranga conducted on January 10 revealed the presence of 84,839 birds, a 27% increase since the last count (66,776 in 2021-22). This places Kaziranga among the top 5 in terms of presence of resident and winter-migratory birds in the country.
Sonali Ghosh, the director of Kaziranga National Park, said Kaziranga is second to Chilika in the country now for migratory bird numbers. The top 5 migratory bird sites in India (in terms of numbers) are Chilika (Odisha)- approx 10,74,173 birds, Bharatpur / Keoladeo: 25,000, Najafgarh Jheel (Delhi): 10239, Nalsarovar (Gujarat): 7,099.
The gull-billed tern sighted in the Bagori range of Kaziranga was a new record.
The Tiger Reserve is home to the big five mammals and is a popular destination for birders owing to a very high diversity of over 500 bird species. Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve extend over 1,302 sq. km with a significant area of over 50% of the landmass under grasslands interspersed with waterbodies, locally known as beels.
These, along with the main channel of the River Brahmaputra, Dhansiri, Difloo and Laokhowa Suti rivers provide a unique habitat for both resident and migratory birds. Recognizing its unique ecological significance, it has been listed as an Important Bird Area (IBA IN390) by the Bombay Natural History Society and BirdLife International which maintains a global registry of IBA in the world.
The Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, comprising mostly of the Kaziranga National Park area, recorded 37,606 birds and the highest abundance of a single species (Bar-headed Goose) was recorded at Sohola Beel (13084 individuals). Rowmari beel under Nagaon Wildlife Division (Nagaon Wildlife Division) recorded the highest number of birds across all wetlands (19,301 individuals). Under this Division, (Laokhowa and Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries and Joysagar Doloni of Kaliabor) the highest abundance of birds recorded was of Northern Pintails (8,960 individuals).
During the 5th KTR Water-bird Census, it was decided to carry out a census in major wetlands adjoining the Tiger Reserve along with the wetlands falling inside the Reserve. The Kaziranga-Hukuma beel in Biswanath recorded 3,049 birds while the Joysagar Doloni in Kaliabor recorded 1,765 birds highlighting their conservation and protection. Other notable wetlands adjoining the Tiger Reserve that recorded significant bird presence were the Gonak beel (973 individuals), Sahala beel (424 individuals) and Sisubari beel (348 individuals).
There are over 200 wetlands across the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and a significant area of the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries are protected as part of the 6th Addition of Kaziranga National Park and 1st Addition of Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary. “The results of the 5th KTR Water-bird Census reinstates the importance of Kaziranga wetlands as a globally important habitat for local and migratory water-birds,” a forest official said.
Some of the unique, rare and endangered species reported during the present Census are: Baer’s Pochard, Baikal Teal, Greater Scaup, Gull-billed Tern, Greater-white fronted goose, Great-crested Grebe, Pallas’s gull, Black stork, Black-headed gull and Cotton pygmy goose among others.
There was no disruption in regular tourism activities that occurred during the conduct of the census to sensitise the importance of science-based conservation in protected area management. The census design also included important beels adjoining the Tiger Reserve.
“The Census also sprang many surprises especially with the sighting (and first visual photograph by a non-forest department person) of a Greater One-horned Rhino in Laokhowa-Burhachapori WLS complex and the elusive Binturong under Burapahar Range of KNP&TR,” the official said.
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“The active involvement of students, educational institutes and others in various activities, including educational workshops and awareness campaigns, underscores the collective responsibility towards preserving our natural heritage, making the 5th KTR Water-bird Census cum Bird Festival the greatest ever Citizen-Science driven conservation effort,” the official said.
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