Bhubaneswar: The annual census of migratory and domestic birds in the Chilika lake has commenced from today morning. Twenty teams of the Forest Department consisting of seven members each will survey the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia. The counting will continue till 12 noon. Spread across three districts Khordha, Puri and Ganjam, the Chilika Lake is the favored destination for migratory birds and more than ten lakh birds come to the lake from far away countries. It is spread on an area of 1100 square kilometers. Officials of the Satapada, Rambha, Balugaon, Tangi and Chilka Range of Chilika Wildlife Division will conduct the bird counting.
The 2022 Census had reported a total of 10,74,173 birds of 107 species and 37,953 birds of wetland dependent species in the Lake.