- This is the first comprehensive assessment of the distribution range, trends in abundance, and conservation status for most of the bird species that regularly occur in India.
- The report was released at the 13th Conference of Parties (CoP) of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. A massive database of around 10 million observations uploaded by 15,000 birdwatchers on the online platform, Bird and ‘citizen science data’ to assess the distribution and trends of common Indian birds was used.
Findings:
- 867 species of Indian birds were assessed in this report.
- Only 48 per cent of all the species analyzed have registered a stable bird population and a slight increase in their numbers.
- During the last two decades, over half the species assessed have declined.
- These declines are particularly acute for birds of prey, migrant shorebirds, birds of forests and grasslands and endemic birds of the Western Ghats.
- To the list of 67 globally threatened Indian bird species identified by the IUCN Red List.
- The report adds 34 more species, making the number of species of high conservation concern in India now 101.
- 319 birds are categorized as moderate concern and 442 birds as low concern species.
- India has witnessed a big decline in:
- Migratory shorebirds
- Raptors
- Indian Vulture
- Large-billed Leaf Warbler
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Richard’s Pipit
- White-rumped Vulture
- The species which have registered a healthy spurt in their numbers include:
- Rosy Starling
- Feral Pigeon
- Glossy Ibis
- Plain Prinia
- Ashy Prinia.
- A good growth has been observed in Indian Peacock’s population and has been mentioned as the species of ‘least concern’ on the IUCN list.
- The number of India’s domestic or house sparrows has decreased in large cities but is almost stable overall. The reasons for decreasing numbers of house sparrows are lack of suitable nesting sites and lack of insect (a key part of sparrow’s diet) population.
- Raptors overall are in decline, with ‘open country’ species such as the Pallid and Montagu Harriers, White-bellied Sea Eagle and Red-necked Falcon suffering the most.
- Migratory shorebirds, along with gulls and terns, seem to have declined the most among water birds.
- The Indian vulture has recorded a consistent drop in its numbers since the 1990s.
- White-rumped Vulture has suffered the most severe declines, followed by Indian Vulture and Egyptian Vulture (former two are critically endangered and the latter one is endangered on Red list).
- The Indian bustards including the Great Indian Bustard, the Macqueen’s Bustard, Lesser Florican and the Bengal Florican have decreased in numbers due to loss of habitat and hunting practices by humans.
