Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Hirakud reservoir in Sambalpur has received a record number, 2,08,000 foreign migratory birds this season. This year’s rise has been seen in the backdrop of the bird census conducted in the areas which included Sukhasoda (38 square kilometres) on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, for the first time.
According to the official reports, the biosphere received 104 types of bird species this season, a rise of six from 98 types of species that were flung to Hirakud last season. Out of these, five birds species migrated in large numbers. They include Lesser Whistling Duck, Tufted Duck, Common Coot, Little Cormorant, and Red Crested Pochard.
Further, as many as 52, 337 Lesser Whistling-Ducks have migrated to Hirakud, in the largest numbers. A total of 1.24 lakh (98 types) foreign migratory birds had visited the Hirakud reservoir last season.
