In news- Recently Himalayan Bird Count, the first regional event was held between India, Nepal and Bhutan.
Key findings-
- About 607 species were recorded in the first edition of the Himalayan Bird Count (HBC).
- It was co-organised by Bird Count India, Bird Conservation Nepal and the Royal Society of the Protection of Nature, Bhutan.
- Around 706 checklists were submitted by Indian bird watchers from six states and one union territory – Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Northwest Bengal, and Arunachal Pradesh.
- The participants – individuals, government agencies like Himachal Forest Department and NGOs and bird clubs – eagerly uploaded their 15-min checklists on the eBird app (the app is used extensively by bird watchers and experts to keep a record of their observations and monitor).
- The idea for HBC was proposed in 2021.
- Like other regional bird count events in the country, such as Onam (Kerala), Pongal (Tamil Nadu) and Bihu (Assam), the HBC is intended to become an annual event for the Himalayan region, which is known to attract many migratory birds – both seasonal and altitudinal ones.
- From preliminary data, Uttarakhand surpassed the highest number of species and checklist count by clocking 294 species with 185 checklists.
- J&K, however, submitted the highest number of checklists at 193, with the same number of species count.
- The results from the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) held in February 2021 stated that the region didn’t see any major changes in species pattern.
- Himalayan Bulbul, Large-billed Crow, Blue Whistling-Thrush, Common Myna and Cinereous Tit continued to remain as the five most common birds out of the 510 species reported in the Himalayan region.
Further reading: https://journalsofindia.com/great-backyard-bird-count-gbbc/
Source: Livemint
