Over 205 species of birds found in Bihar, reveals census
The list of bird species recorded during the counting includes water birds, wetland dependent birds and land birds
As many as 205 species of birds were found in Bihar in the latest census conducted in the state by the department of forests, environment and climate change in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in January-February this year.
In comparison to 2022 census, only 202 species of birds were found in the state.
This year, the counting exercise was done in 26 districts of the state, covering 76 wetlands, comprising three river systems, Ganga, Kosi and Gandak.
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The survey team also visited nearly two dozen reservoirs, fishponds, freshwater marshes and freshwater lakes.
In the 2022 birds census, 68 wetlands in 23 districts of the state were covered.
Since 2022, the annual census of birds has been carried out by the government to review the status of birds and their habitats and also to sensitise people about the conservation of birds.
The list of bird species recorded during the counting includes water birds, wetland dependent birds and land birds.
“Bihar has been home to many bird species. But a much greater variety of species of migratory birds have been visiting the wetlands located in our state during winters. The wetlands located in districts like Jamui, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Vaishali and even in Patna have been known for drawing large varieties of migratory birds. But the data regarding the kind of species coming here, was available earlier,” PK Gupta, chief wildlife warden, state forests, said.
In January 2021, the forest department organised a bird festival, Kalraw at the Nagi bird sanctuary in Jamui district.
It was intended to create awareness among people about the conservation of birds, their habitats and to sensitise them towards such issues, he added.
“But the department realised that it needed to have an exact status of birds and their habitats to make any conservation plan,” the chief wildlife warden said.
The annual bird census was started in 2022 and this year too it was conducted in January-February.
“And the result has been encouraging. Altogether 205 species have been witnessed this time while in 2022, there were only 202 species,” he said.
Sathiaselvam P, in-charge of the state unit of Bombay Natural History Society, said that a wider area was covered during the census 2023.
“And among the districts covered in this exercise, Bhagalpur and Jamui were found to have maximum species of water birds while Begusarai had maximum number of land bird species,” he said.
Discussing the background of the census of birds, the BNHS official said that in 2018, the union government created ‘India’s National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds and their Habitats’ and the states were also asked to take steps in this direction.
“Bihar has been the first state to act in this direction. The forest department signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bombay Natural History Society in 2020 and set up a Bird Research Ringing, Monitoring and Awareness Centre at Bhagalpur,” he said.
Under a long-term monitoring plan, the department realised the need of exact numbers of species of birds and their habitats in the state, he added.