Fourth Sundarbans Bird Festival Concludes with Over 30,000 Bird Sightings
The fourth edition of the Indian Sundarbans Bird Festival, which wrapped up on Tuesday, has yielded remarkable results for ornithologists and conservationists. Birdwatchers, forest officials, and environmental enthusiasts successfully documented close to 31,000 birds during the intensive three-day survey across the mangrove forests.
Record Species Count and Detailed Survey Findings
This year's festival recorded sightings of 168 different bird species, marking a significant increase from last year's count of 154 species. However, the total number of individual birds spotted stood at 30,986, which is slightly lower than the 31,926 recorded during the previous edition. The survey was conducted by six dedicated teams comprising 24 participants who meticulously covered an expansive area of 4,000 square kilometres. This area included both the tiger reserve and the South 24 Parganas forest divisions, with the fieldwork taking place on January 24, 25, and 26.
Forest Minister Birbaha Hansda officially released the comprehensive summary report on Tuesday, highlighting the festival's achievements and conservation insights. The data revealed interesting geographical patterns, with the Basirhat range recording the highest diversity at 105 species. Other areas followed with Kalas at 85 species, Matla at 76, National Park west at 75, Sajnekhali at 71, and National Park east at 70 species.
Notable Species and Conservation Highlights
Among the key species observed were the white-rumped vulture, black-headed gull, brown-headed gull, and Eurasian curlew. The sighting of the white-rumped vulture is particularly noteworthy, as noted by Sujan Chatterjee of the Birdwatchers' Society. He emphasized that this critically endangered vulture has been reported in the region after a considerable absence. "Conservation breeding of this critically endangered vulture is happening in some parts of India but its population recovery is still very slow. So, sighting of this vulture is definitely a good sign both in terms of its conservation and this particular habitat," Chatterjee explained.
The festival also documented 45 mudflat bird species, underscoring the ecological richness of the Sundarbans. Amitava Majumder, a scientist from the Zoological Survey of India who served as a resource person, praised the implementation of previous recommendations. "The inputs and suggestions that we had given during the first three editions of the festival have been well-implemented by the department. This reflected on management of overall habitat. Not a single plastic was spotted in the zones during our survey," he stated, indicating positive strides in habitat management and pollution control.
Migration Patterns and Threatened Species
An analysis of the 168 species sighted shows that 57 are migratory birds, while 111 are resident species. Alarmingly, 14 of these species are classified as threatened, highlighting the ongoing conservation challenges in the region. This data provides valuable insights for future wildlife protection strategies and underscores the importance of such festivals in monitoring biodiversity.
The successful conclusion of the Sundarbans Bird Festival not only celebrates the region's avian diversity but also reinforces the critical need for sustained conservation efforts to protect these fragile ecosystems for generations to come.
