GUWAHATI:
A total of 26,747 birds of 97 species were recorded in Deepor Beel in a bird count conducted by Guwahati Wildlife Division.
“This bird count exercise revealed greater species diversity and also increase in the total bird count as compared to the 2021 record of 10,289 birds of 66 species,” said Jayashree Naiding, divisional forest officer (DFO) of Guwahati Wildlife Division.
Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site in Guwahati, known for its fish and bird diversity and rich aquatic vegetation that attracts wild elephants, faces conservation threats from garbage dumping, quarrying, and the construction of a railway line, besides a smart city project.
In the bird count, 3,901 birds of Lesser Whistling Duck was recorded, which is the highest number of birth this year.
This was followed by 2,544 birds of Ferrugineous Pochard species and 2,234 birds of Common Pochard.
Among others found in the wetland are: Eurasian Coot (1500), Gadwall (891), , Northern Pintail (650), Black-winged Stilt (564),
Cattle Egret (670), Little Cormorant (451) and Purple Swamphen (358).
The wetland was divided into nine areas and nine groups conducted bird count on foot as well as country boats. The methodology adopted was a visual encounter survey.
“This exercise was successfully conducted by 37 participants comprising of bird experts, student volunteers, members of NGOs’ viz; Aaranyak, Help Earth, Rongmon, Midway Journey and officials of Guwahati Wildlife Division,” Naiding said.
Retired IAS and eminent ornithologist Dr Anwaruddin Choudhury was also present during the bird count.
Along with the bird count exercise, a spot bird photography contest was also organized in which 8 bird photography enthusiasts captured birds in different moods in the greater Deepor Beel landscape.
“This is the second consecutive year of bird count exercise conducted by Guwahati Wildlife Division. I thank all volunteers for active participation in the documentation of the avifauna of the only Ramsar site,” Naiding added.