The two-day synchronised bird census in wetlands and bird sanctuaries in Villupuram district recorded around 146 species and 9,977 individual birds.
The census was undertaken in two bird sanctuaries — Oussudu and Kazhuveli — and 16 wetlands in Villupuram district on January 27 and 28.
More than 12 teams of volunteers, bird watchers, and ornithologists were engaged in the annual exercise organised by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, with technical support from Universal Eco Foundation, a Puducherry-based biodiversity conservation organisation.
The volunteers carried out the census using the Point Count and Line Transect method in the wetlands from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
About 3,909 birds belonging to 90 species were spotted in the Kazhuveli bird sanctuary alone. The highest number was that of Glossy Ibis (779) followed by the Northern pintail (512) and Eurasian Coot (295). Some of the rare birds recorded during the census were the Knob-billed duck and Black Bittern in Kazhuveli. Last year, more than 21,000 birds of 150 species were recorded in Kazhuveli.
The census was simultaneously held in the Yedayanthittu estuary, Uppukali creek, Irumbai, Poyyapakkam lake, Melmalayanur and Valathi in Villupuram district.
The census recorded about 2,080 birds of 64 species in the Oussudu sanctuary. A total of 7,205 birds from 124 species were recorded in Kallakurichi district, while the numbers for Cuddalore district were 14,414 birds of 118 species.
The second phase of the census, scheduled for March 2 and 3 will cover terrestrial birds.
