Buxa Tiger Reserve hosts 7th Bird Fest, on till January 9

Alipurduar: The seventh Buxa Bird Festival commenced with the sighting of a diverse flock of birds, attracting 22 bird enthusiasts from different parts of the state. Organised by the state forest department, this festival is going on at Jayanti within the Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) and will run till January 9.

Along with bird watching, the festival features six discussion cycles over four days, where experts will delve into various issues. The main camp, located behind the Jayanti Range Office of BTR, serves as the hub for daily bird-watching activities from morning to noon along four specified routes within the forest.

Apurba Sen, the Field Director of BTR, stated: “Buxa Tiger Reserve stands out as a tiger project where over 400 bird species are observed throughout the year. It boasts of an unparalleled diversity.”

In the previous Bird Festival, 259 different bird species were identified in Buxa.

This year, experts are optimistic about improved visibility.

Animesh Basu, the Coordinator of the Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (HNAF), stated: “It is not just about bird watching; it is about birding. The festival includes six separate technical sessions with important discussions on conservation. Buxa offers easy sightings of different raptor species, highlighting the need for more festivals like this.”

The inauguration of the Buxa Bird Festival on Saturday saw the presence of key

figures, including Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (North Bengal) Ujjwal Ghosh, Field Director Apurb Sen, Alipurduar District Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi and Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik among others.