According to the Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) State unit’s bird count held recently, there are 9,000 weaver birds in Odisha.
The counting exercise, which was carried out on June 5 and 12, was part of the Bombay Natural History Society pan India count. The Odisha count was coordinated by IBCN State coordinator Monalisa Bhujabal.
Selected sites located in districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Keonjhar and Puri were visited by volunteers for counting weaver birds.
Notably, Odisha is home to three species of weaver birds such as the Baya weaver (common Baya or Indian weaver), streaked weaver and black-breasted weaver (also black-throated weaver). The count exercise was put in place in order to ascertain the current status of weaver birds in the country.
Weavers are highly gregarious, sparrow sized and popularly known for excellent nest-weaving skills, and have been residents of India since long. Among the three species of weaver birds or Bayas in Odisha, the ‘Indian’ Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is one of the most familiar and common birds in the country. These birds seem to be facing a population decline due to the growing human population and development. All Indian weaver bird species are protected and listed in Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Once a common species across India, it seems that most weaver birds are slowly undergoing a population decline with the increasing loss and modification of the grasslands into human-dominated landscape like agriculture farms, orchards, factories, canals, roads, and rapid increase in human population.
The organisations involved in the bird count in Odisha were Wild Orissa, Sri Sri Mahavir Pakshi Surakshya Samiti (Mangalajodi), Blackbuck Conservation Society (Bhetnoi), Odisha Parayavaran Surakshya Abhiyan (Astaranga), Centre for Rural Tourism Development (Banki), Kalinga Birds (Social Group). Besides, a host of volunteers participated in the counting exercise at Munduli, Baripada, Balipadar, Bhetnoi, Banki, Bhubaneswar, Tangi, Nayagarh, Banpur, Mangalajodi, Anandpur and Jankia, etc.
Eminent wildlife conservationist Nanda Kishore Bhujabal from Wild Orissa coordinated the counting in Chilka, Nayagarh, Ganjam and Khurda districts, while Pramod Dhal from Wild Orissa (and founder of social media group Kalinga Birds) coordinated for Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Puri districts.
Weaver nests were found on palm and banyan trees during the count. The findings from Odisha will be communicated to the Bombay Natural History Society and the Government of Odisha.