The two-day bird census at Kolleru Lake began on Wednesday, January 28. Wildlife officers, environmental experts, volunteers, and birdwatchers are working together. They are counting bird species, population sizes, nesting patterns, and habitat conditions. Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) B. Vijaya said, "The data would play a crucial role in shaping conservation strategies, strengthening habitat protection and addressing threats such as encroachments and pollution." The census will pause on Thursday and end on Friday. Afterward, the results will be shared with State and national wildlife authorities. On the first day, officials recorded rich bird life across wetlands and tank areas, showing Kolleru's ecological importance. Northern pintails appeared at Pallewada, and flamingos were spotted at Madhavapuram. Godwits and Little Stilts were seen near the Dosapadu–Kovvali border. Nearly 200 godwits and black-winged stilts were counted at Bobbili Lanka. Painted storks and egrets were nesting in the Nidamarru area. Other birds found include rosey pastors, bee-eaters, glossy ibises, mynas, wagtails, pipits, open-billed storks, herons, black-winged stilts, little stints, whistling teals, brown-winged and pheasant-tailed jacanas, coots, purple moorhens, grey herons, dabchicks, rose-ringed plovers, sandpipers, ruff, lapwings, weaver birds, starlings, and egrets. Notably, higher numbers of black-tailed godwits, northern shovelers, garganey ducks, and about 15 flamingos were recorded. The rare grey-headed lapwing was seen at China Yedlagadi. This annual census helps assess the wetland's health and track migratory bird populations that come to Kolleru in winter from Siberia, Central Asia, and Europe. Species like pelicans, painted storks, spot-billed ducks, herons, and egrets are expected to be prominent, highlighting Kolleru Lake as one of India’s key bird habitats.