Haldwani, Dec. 20 -- The state forest department on Friday launched a three-day bird census in the Corbett landscape, covering the Haldwani forest division and the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary, officials said. The census, launched after a gap of two years, will be conducted from December 19 to 21. Officials said the exercise aims to generate scientific data on the diversity, distribution and population of bird species in the region. Divisional forest officer (DFO), Haldwani forest division, Kundan Kumar said birds play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. "Birds are a vital part of the ecosystem and contribute significantly to the pollination of various plant species. The census is being conducted to create reliable scientific data on bird species in the Haldwani forest division and the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary," Kumar said. He added that participants in the census include trained forest staff, registered nature guides and volunteers, all of whom were given a one-day training session at the Nandhaur forest rest house on December 18. "The bird count will be carried out across several forest ranges, including Nandhaur, Jaulasal, Sharda, Chhakata and Danda, along with other ranges under the division," officials said. "This initiative is also aimed at increasing awareness about bird conservation among students, nature enthusiasts, wildlife researchers and the general public," the DFO said, adding that such exercises help in long-term conservation planning. Forest officials said a similar survey was conducted in the Nandhaur Wildlife Sanctuary in 2023, which recorded more than 235 bird species. An earlier survey conducted in 2018-19 had documented 218 bird species....