137 species of birds totaling more than 5.76 lakh, including 5.70 lakh waterbirds, were counted during last month’s Bird Count Porbandar Wetlands, 2023. The number of waterbirds this year is almost two times higher than it was last year. Birdwatchers attribute this phenomenon to changes in water levels and the timing of population estimation.
As per the results released by the Bird Conservation Society of Gujarat (BCSG) on Thursday, a total 5,76,885 birds of 220 species were estimated to have been present in eight major wetland pockets in Porbandar. They include 5.70 lakh waterfowls of 137 species. Last year, more than 3.26 lakh waterbirds of 117 species were counted during the first bird survey conducted by the BCSG in wetlands spread over around 200 square kilometres (sqkms) in Porbandar district.
As per the data shared by the BCSG, Eurasian coot or common coot was the most abundant species during the count with survey pegging their numbers to 1.57 lakh individuals. It was followed by northern pintail (77,447), greater flamingos (43,015), lesser flamingos (39,152), Eurasian wigeon (31,994), green winged teal (26,159), demoiselle crane (24,216), northern shoveler (24116), and gadwall (15053). More than 6000 rosy pelicans were also sighted.
In all, 2.06 lakh ducks and geese, 1.57 lakh rails, coots and crakes, 1.02 lakh flamingos, 29,354 cranes, 29,762 gulls, 18,066 waders, 4,795 cormorants, 2,674 herons, egrets and bitterns, 2,010 terns, 1,874 ibises and spoonbills and 397 storks were counted.
“During this year’s count, the teams of birdwatchers recorded species like bronze-winged jacana, common starlings, chest-tailed starlings etc which were not sighted during the previous year’s count,” Dhaval Vargiya, a consulting faculty with the BCSG said.
“One obvious reason for the higher count of birds is that we undertook the bird count during peak bird migration season this year,” Uday Vora, honorary secretary of BCSG said.
Vargiya opined the higher numbers may have to do with the level of water in wetlands. “This year, the water levels seem to be ideal for waterbirds,” he said.
Mendha Creek had the most birds this year, with over 3.60 lakh, followed by Kuchhadi, the Mokarsagar wetland complex, and Bardasagar wetland.
The BCSG conducted its first bird count in the Porbandar wetlands in collaboration with the Gujarat state forest department last year, and this year was its second iteration.