Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Compared to the previous season, the number of birds in Chilika, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, has increased by more than 5,000 this year. Amlan Nayak, DFO, Chilika Wildlife Division, stated that the annual bird census, which was carried out on Friday, showed that 11,37,759 winged visitors of 187 species sought refuge in the lagoon, compared to 11,31,929 of 184 species the previous year.
With so many migratory birds seeking refuge in the sanctuary area this year, the island of Nalabana inside the lake remained the most popular destination for the avian visitors. According to the study, 3,47,280 migratory birds spent the winter at the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary. It is with great pleasure that Pallas’s fish eagle returned after a gap of 10 years.
The greatest number of Northern Pintails (2,18,650) have been seen at the lake this year. Comparably, 1,40,322 birds from Eurasia and 1,56,636 Gadwall were discovered during the census. The bird count in the lake involved about a hundred experts, including ornithologists from the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in Mumbai, representatives from wildlife organizations, the WWF, and activists for wildlife.
