How are the birds that fly around, don't stay in one place and look the same counted? Many may be surprised. Counting of waterfowl found in water and border areas in Nepal has started from Saturday. There are more than four hundred volunteers, nature guides and ornithologists who have knowledge about birds.
How do you count the birds that walk and fly fast? Is it an easy task ? What methods and techniques are used to count birds? And what special skills and abilities are required to count birds? Kantipur worker Maneez Paidel has asked this question to ornithologist Hathan Chaudhary :
How is the bird counted?
Water birds are counted visually. We have to count the head of each bird and calculate it . But if there is a large scale, it is difficult to count the heads of each bird . In that case, we divide the lake into different parts ie grid . And each grid is assigned to a certain person. And by taking the number of birds counted in a grid and the average number of species, we calculate how many birds there are in the lake .
The head of the bird sitting in the lake could not be counted . How do you count flying birds?
It is difficult to determine the number of birds in flight. It is not possible to say exactly how many birds are flying. And it is not possible to tell what race and species of bird they are just by looking at them. But now technology helps us . If it is not possible to recognize which bird it belongs to, we will identify it by zooming the camera and taking a picture of it. In the case of birds found in the forest, there is a method that can be counted based on the sound. But waterfowl have to be counted by sight. Waterfowl are slightly larger than other birds. They are easy to see . Therefore, it is easy to calculate . 
Birds are naturally beaked. They keep flying. How to manage the data if the counted bird flies to an uncounted place?
In such a case, if the bird you counted flies and lands in an uncounted place, we reduce it . However, if it goes a little beyond the calculated place, we will not reduce it . At the counting place, friends sit and count at different places. Where did he fly from? We monitor where it is coming from. There is good communication between friends in this job. When there are many friends in a large place, we work by dividing the species and giving responsibility. We are counting from two to three sides. It makes it easy to work . Mismatch is less likely. Waterfowl live in flocks in places where there are a lot of lees and fish. We calculate from a certain distance after knowing the area where the waterfowl mainly live. Let's note the number and species of birds seen ahead. If a bird crosses the counter from the back and goes forward, we decrement it so that the number doesn't repeat . For bird counting, ornithologists who have knowledge about its color, texture and sound use nature guides with binoculars and cameras. What tools are used to calculate
? GPS required for
location. Binoculars are very important. Also need a camera . Sometimes the camera needs to take a picture and identify it . It would be great if a new bird could be recorded. For which a camera is a must-have device. A telescope would be even better. It helps to identify the distant bird well .
How hard is bird counting?
is challenging. If you do it incorrectly, the data will be wrong . Policy planning does not become effective .
How authoritative is human bird counting?
The Wildlife and National Parks Department is responding well to the bird count. When the department lacks resources and manpower, its authenticity has been strengthened when the count is done by ornithologists and conservationists on a voluntary basis . The results of the calculation have helped the department to make conservation policy plans and programs.
What do the results of the bird count guide?
How is the situation in the border area? Is the habitat, diet good or not . Pesticides, what are the effects of climate change? It helps the bird gauge what vulnerabilities and challenges are present. As waterfowl are also indicator species of the border and the surrounding environment, their number also indicates the environmental conditions in that place . Therefore, counting and number of waterfowl is important to protect the border area. Overall, it gives a message about how healthy the border area is.
