There are 11,676 birds from weavers’ family in the State. A census during June by the Odisha chapter of Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), headed by the Wild Orissa revealed this.
This figure is an all-time record for the State for the weaver birds since this annual all India exercise which started a few years ago. 9,000 birds were counted in 2016 weaver census in Odisha, which was conducted by the Odisha Chapter of IBCN.
Selected sites located in districts of Khordha, Cuttack, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Kendrapada, Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Dhenkanal and Puri were visited by volunteers for counting.
Odisha is home to three species of weaver birds or bayas: Baya Weaver (Common Baya or Indian weaver), streaked weaver and black-breasted weaver (or Black-throated weaver). The count is helpful to ascertain the current status of weavers in the
country. Various organisatioons were involved in the exercise. Eminent wildlife conservationist Nanda Kishore Bhujabal from Wild Orissa coordinated the counting in districts of Nayagarh, Ganjam and Khordha and Sulabha Sethi coordinated for Kendrapada, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Jajpur districts.
It was found that urban and semi-urban areas like Bhubaneswar and surrounding areas, are becoming devoid of weavers.
Rural areas where much development has not taken place still have good number of weavers. Excavation of fish ponds in Chilika lake is adversely affecting weavernesting.
loss of palm and date palm trees is a serious concern, as they are most favoured for nesting.