Kaziranga's records 112,000 migratory birds across 124 species

Kaziranga, Feb 3: Kaziranga has received record numbers of migratory birds in freshwater lakes and water bodies in the north-eastern region.

This was revealed while declaring the result of the 6th water bird counting programme held in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve on the sidelines of the observation of Wetland Day on Sunday at Laokhuwa - Burachapori under Nagoan Wildlife Division by the officials.

A total of 112,062 water and wetland-dependent individual birds have been counted, covering about 124 different species of avifauna under 25 families across 189 beels and water bodies.

Interestingly, 62 species of avifauna are winter migrants. According to the IUCN Red List, seven species are globally threatened, and 15 species are near threatened. Nagoan Wildlife Division under Kaziranga Tiger Reserve has recorded the highest number of species, which is about 107.

The key sightings included the critically endangered Baer's pochard and Pallas fish eagle.

The bar-headed goose had the highest individual count of 20,845, which is very significant as far as the ecology and habitat of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve are concerned.

For the first time, five different species of birds were observed during the 6th Water Bird Counting Programme held in Kaziranga, and these species are the knob-billed duck, Baer's pochard, falcated duck, white-tailed eagle, and greater white-fronted goose.

By Correspondent