Ipsa Tripathy
Bhubaneswar: Every October, a quiet countdown begins along the shores of Chilika Lake. This year, the forest department has set up 22 temporary bird protection camps around the lagoon. The camps began operating on October 1 and will remain in place until the end of March, when most of the migratory birds begin their journey back north. The first visitors were expected around the middle of October, roughly when they arrived last year.
But migratory birds do not follow a fixed calendar. Their arrival depends on conditions along the route and at their wintering grounds. Earlier this month, Divisional Forest Officer Amlan Nayak noted that water levels in Chilika remained high following recent rainfall. He said a clearer picture of the birds’ arrival would emerge after an assessment later in the month. Water levels matter because they influence the availability of feeding and roosting areas. In an earlier season, birds arrived nearly two weeks late because water levels at Nalabana had not fallen sufficiently.
Over the coming months, lakhs of ducks, waders and gulls are expected to settle across the lagoon. Their numbers will be recorded during the annual bird census in January, when teams of forest officials, researchers and volunteers set out to count them across the lake.
Chilika’s winter visitors travel remarkable distances to reach the lagoon. Many arrive from northern Eurasia, the Caspian region, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal and other parts of Russia. Some travel from closer locations, including Ladakh. Their journeys follow the Central Asian Flyway, an important migratory route connecting breeding grounds in northern regions with wintering areas further south. Chilika is one of the major wintering destinations along this route.
Ducks make up a large share of the birds recorded each year. In the January 2026 census, the Northern Pintail was the most numerous species, with 2,18,993 individuals. It was followed by the Eurasian Wigeon, with 1,53,318, and the Gadwall, with 1,43,127. Other regular visitors include shelducks and Black-tailed Godwits. Occasionally, the lake also attracts rare visitors. In 2023, a Pallas’s Fish Eagle was spotted after an absence of ten years.
Two areas are particularly important for the wintering birds. The first is Nalabana, an island within Chilika that remains submerged during the monsoon and gradually reappears as water levels recede. In winter, its exposed mudflats and shallow waters provide feeding and resting grounds for large numbers of birds. The island covers more than 15 square kilometres and has been designated a bird sanctuary. The other major site is Mangalajodi, a wetland along the northern edge of the lagoon, known for its large concentrations of waterbirds.
The annual census is usually conducted in mid-winter, when migratory bird numbers are close to their seasonal peak. In 2025, Odisha carried out the census across the state on a single day for the first time, on January 18. The exercise covered Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Hirakud. Counting teams use binoculars and small boats to observe the birds while trying to avoid disturbing them.
A single-day census cannot capture every bird with absolute precision. Flocks may move between feeding grounds, weather can affect visibility, and water levels can change where birds gather. The count is therefore best understood as a snapshot of bird populations on a particular day. Its real value comes from repetition. When the census is conducted consistently each year, it can reveal changes in numbers, species composition and the importance of different habitats over time.
The January 2026 figures offered a largely encouraging picture. Chilika and its surrounding areas recorded 11,32,200 birds belonging to 196 species. The number of migratory birds increased from 10,87,227 in 2025 to 11,10,257 in 2026, even as the number of migratory species fell slightly from 109 to 106. Nalabana recorded a notable increase, from 3,43,226 birds in 2025 to 3,97,587 in 2026. The number of species recorded there also rose, from 92 to 106. The Plain Martin and Bengal Bushlark were recorded for the first time in the census.
The longer-term picture, however, is more complicated. The census recorded 8.68 lakh birds belonging to 95 species in 2017–18. The total rose to 12.04 lakh in 2020–21 and reached 12.42 lakh in another season, before falling to around 11 lakh the following winter. In recent years, the overall count has remained relatively stable: 11.31 lakh in 2023, 11.37 lakh in 2024, 11.27 lakh in 2025 and 11.32 lakh in 2026.
This suggests that Chilika has recovered considerably from its earlier low numbers, but the total population has remained close to 11.3 lakh for four consecutive years rather than continuing to rise. The number of species recorded has shown a different pattern, with new records adding to the diversity documented by the census.
The recovery of birdlife around Chilika is closely linked to the efforts of local communities. Mangalajodi offers one of the clearest examples. The wetland was once associated with widespread bird poaching. In 2002, Shiba Behera and eleven other local men pledged to stop hunting birds. Over time, several former hunters became involved in protecting the wetland and supporting bird tourism. Local accounts suggest that the number of birds at Mangalajodi has grown from around 5,000 at the time to more than two lakh today. Ecotourism has also created an alternative source of income for the village.
Action against illegal prawn farming has contributed to wetland protection as well. Shrimp enclosures, locally known as gheris, had occupied large areas of the lake and altered parts of its natural habitat. Efforts to remove illegal enclosures have helped address one of the pressures on Chilika’s wetland ecosystem.
Yet not all the census figures are reassuring. The number of resident birds fell sharply from 40,002 in 2025 to 21,943 in 2026, almost a 50 per cent decline. At the same time, the number of resident species increased slightly, from 87 to 90. Conservationists have noted the fall in numbers, but there is not yet a clear explanation for it. A single annual count cannot establish whether this represents a lasting decline or a temporary change in bird distribution.
Poaching also remains a concern. Forest officials say incidents have declined considerably over the years, but reports of hunting continue from areas around Brahmagiri, Krushnaprasad, Tangi, Mangalajodi and Bhusandpur. Poison and traps have reportedly been used to catch birds, with some meat allegedly sold to hotels around the New Year. Protecting a lake as large and ecologically varied as Chilika is a difficult task, particularly when illegal activity can take place across remote stretches of the shoreline.
The people who protect the birds also need reliable livelihoods. In Mangalajodi, community members involved in conservation have faced difficulties earning from fishing as catches have declined amid concerns about overfishing and changes in the lake. Ecotourism provides an alternative, but it cannot automatically replace every source of income. Long-term conservation depends on ensuring that local residents have a practical reason and the means to continue protecting the wetland.
Weather adds another layer of uncertainty. Heavy rainfall, cyclones and changes in water levels can affect the timing and distribution of migratory birds. When Nalabana remains submerged for longer than usual, suitable feeding grounds may become available later in the season. Cyclone Titli, for example, delayed the arrival of migratory birds by around two weeks in 2018.
When the census teams take to the water in January 2027, the numbers will be watched closely. The first question will be whether Chilika’s total bird population moves beyond the level at which it has remained for the past four years. The sharp fall in resident birds will also need attention. And after the first records of the Plain Martin and Bengal Bushlark, observers will be looking to see whether other species appear in the count.
Chilika’s winter visitors have been returning for generations, but their presence is not guaranteed by tradition alone. The condition of the wetland, the availability of food and resting grounds, the pressure of human activity and the protection provided by surrounding communities all influence whether the birds can continue to use the lagoon.
The annual census gives us a way to measure those changes. Its figures are important, but what happens between one census and the next matters just as much. The future of Chilika’s winter birds will depend not only on the number counted in January, but also on whether the lake remains healthy enough to welcome them back the following year.