Balasore, Jan. 22: Nearly 13,000 birds including a few rare and endangered migratory species were sighted during the waterfowl census conducted in the district recently.

“We have sighted some rare and endangered avian species, which are found in the Himalayan region,” said divisional forest officer Kedar Swain.

“Of the 57 species of birds that we counted here, two were migratory. While the oriental darter is under the endangered category around the world, sighting of the northern shovler is uncommon for Balasore,” he said.

The enumeration team members found 11 each of oriental darters and northern shovlers on the interim test range (ITR) campus under Chandipur wildlife range.

The enumeration was conducted under the supervision of two experts from North Odisha University between January 5 and 11.

The surveys were conducted mainly near water bodies such as Padmatola, Khemkote, Rissia, Bogalibandha, Parikhi, Rupkhand, Kantiachira, integrated test range campus, Budhabalanga mouth, Talseri and Subarnarekha mouth under Nilgiri, Kuldhia, Chandipur and Jaleswar wildlife ranges.

“We have surveyed 13 points near the water bodies and found a variety of birds on the ITR campus. The maximum number of fowls were found at the mouth of river Budhabalanga followed by Rupkhand,” said a forest official.

The ITR campus houses an artificial bird sanctuary called Nisarg, which is visited by a number of Siberian birds.