Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) is all set to kick-off in Jharkhand from January 15 amid the ongoing bird flu scare.

In this voluntary census, AWC experts will be surveying migratory and local birds as part of their exercise.

According to AWC state co-ordinator Satya Prakash, the survey will be conducted across 10 water bodies including Ranchi, Ramgarh, Koderma, Dhanbad, Dumka, Hazaribag, East Singhbhum, Giridih and Sahebganj.

“We have earmarked these districts and would try to cover all the bodies. Census will start on January 15 and would conclude by the month-end,” Satya Prakash informed over the phone from Hazaribag.

Migratory birds usually start arriving with the onset of winter from mid-November and stay there till February. “We are working out the logistics to successfully conduct the census from January 15. Usually, it is done between December and January, but it got delayed this year owing to the pandemic,” Prakash added.

He said they have a list of 5-6 volunteers and more would be added before its beginning. “We will survey around 10 water bodies including Topchanchi (Dhanbad), Massanjore (Dumka), Udhwa bird sanctuary in Sahebganj, Khandoli (Giridih), Charwa and Gonda (both in Hazaribag) and other prominent water tanks,” the AWC state co-ordinator said.

Prakash said besides the Covid-19 pandemic, bird flu outbreak in the country may have affected the habits of migratory birds.

In 2016-17, the survey was held for the first time in coordination with the state forest department. As many as 71,833 birds were observed, of which 42,223 were migratory. In terms of species, there were a total of 71 of which nine were endangered, 21 resident migrants, 25 migratory and so on.

Another round of census, two years later, witnessed a decline in population as 51,669 birds were observed of which 20,072 were migratory. It included a total of 73 species comprising 12 endangered, 21 resident migrants and 24 migratory.

Endangered birds sighted during these censuses included white-necked stork, lesser adjutant stork, oriental white ibis, fulvous whistling duck, ferruginous pochard, western marsh harrier, osprey, river tern, red-headed goose and river lapwing.