Bhubaneswar, Jan 5 (PTI) Chilika Lake, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, witnessed over 10.74 lakh birds, including uncommon Mongolian gull, visiting the waterbody in Odisha this winter, according to a census report released on Wednesday.

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Compared to around 11.40 lakh birds of 190 species last year, 10,74,173 winged guests of 183 species to the lake were counted during the exercise, it said.

At least 3,58,889 birds of 97 species were sighted in the Nalabana Sanctuary within Chilika Lake - a fall by 65,899 from the previous year, the survey said

This decrease in the number of birds sighted in the sanctuary is due to "high water level and presence of water in cultivated fields in adjoining areas", it said.

The census was jointly conducted by the Odisha State Wildlife Organisation, Chilika Development Authority and the Bombay Natural History Society.

"Uncommon Mangolian gulls were observed this year," CDA chief executive Susanta Nanda said.

Among the pintail species of ducks, the Northern pintail , gadwall, Eurasian wigeon accounted for over one lakh each, the report said.

The count of visiting gadwall and Eurasian wigeon was less than that of last year, it said.

A decrease in the number of species such as northern shoveler, tufted duck, and red-crested pochard was observed in this year's survey.

An increase in the population of pintail, northern coot and common pochard was noticed during the bird census.

"The rise in numbers for the Greater Flamingo at Nalabana mudflat indicates that the restoration at Nalabana is effective," the survey said.

The greater flamingo count in the current season was the highest in the last decade, and it is mostly due to appropriate management of mudflats, the CDA said.

Lesser flamingo was not recorded for the third consecutive year in Chilika Lake.

Overall, the local resident species such as purple swamp-hen, purple heron, Indian moorhen, and jacanas were found in higher numbers, the report added. PTI AAM

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)