Raiganj, Sept. 7 -- The two-day annual migratory bird census at the Kulick Bird Sanctuary in Raiganj, North Dinajpur, concluded on Sunday, with forest officials and wildlife organisations expecting the number of birds to surpass last year's record.
The census, which began on Saturday, was conducted by the Raiganj Social Forestry Division in collaboration with several NGOs and organisations, including North Dinajpur People For Animals, Raiganj People For Animals, Bhorer Alo, an organisation of morning walkers, and the NCC section of Raiganj University.
The Kulick Bird Sanctuary, regarded as the second-largest bird sanctuary in Asia, attracts thousands of migratory birds every year. Cormorants, Open-bill Storks, Egrets, Herons and Night Herons are among the major species that arrive at the sanctuary during the nesting season.
According to officials, the birds generally start arriving in June or July and remain in the sanctuary until around mid-October. They build nests, mate and raise their young during their stay. Last year, 100,058 birds were recorded at the sanctuary. The corresponding figures were 78,141 in 2023 and 96,719 in 2024.
Gautam Tantia, secretary of the North Dinajpur unit of People For Animals, said the census was conducted by counting nests in trees. Each nest was estimated to contain four adult birds and two young ones. He said the birds had arrived in July and bred in August. The absence of major storms this year had helped maintain a stable bird population, although some birds had dispersed to nearby areas.
Bhupen Biswakarma, Divisional Forest Officer of the Raiganj Social Forestry Division, said forest personnel and NGO members were divided into small groups for the census. He expressed hope that the final count would exceed previous years' figures.
The annual congregation of migratory birds remains a major attraction for tourists and nature lovers visiting Raiganj during the season.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.