SHILLONG, Feb 10: Birdwatchers across India will unite from February 14-17 to document as many bird species as possible across the country’s diverse landscapes.
In last year’s global Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), over 5,000 birders from India participated, making the country the second-highest in terms of submitted bird lists (58,276 checklists) and third in the number of species reported, closely following Colombia and Ecuador.
A total of 1,036 species were documented, representing 75% of all known bird species in India.
Among the most frequently observed birds were the Himalayan Bulbul in the Himalayas, Feral Pigeon in the north, Red-vented Bulbul across the western, eastern, and central regions, House Crow in the south, and Red-whiskered Bulbul in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
According to a press release, GBBC has become a vital citizen science initiative, providing crucial data on bird populations across India.
Last year, birdwatchers from every state and union territory participated, and thanks to their efforts, many birds were recorded from new regions for the first time. Organisers anticipate the same enthusiasm this year.
For the 2025 event, over 500 local birdwatching walks and talks have been planned across 30-plus states and Union Territories, inviting public participation.
Dr Sumiti Saharan, a neuroscientist and avid birdwatcher from Chandigarh, shared her excitement: “GBBC has all the elements of a great bird-a-thon — excitement, challenge, competition, and pure joy. It’s perhaps the only event where the only spectators are the participants themselves (and the birds they watch). The growing participation in GBBC is a testament to the sheer love of birding. It’s beautiful to see people from all walks of life, separated by geography and language, come together for their shared love of birds. In doing so, they contribute to one of the largest global citizen science initiatives, helping us understand and support our avian friends.”
Participants are encouraged to record all bird species observed at a specific location for at least 15 minutes and upload their sightings to the bird recording platform eBird. This process can be repeated multiple times throughout the four-day event.
Alongside GBBC, educational institutions across India participate in the Campus Bird Count, a sister event to monitor bird populations on institutional campuses.
Outside protected areas like national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, these campuses are becoming increasingly vital habitats for wildlife.
The global GBBC is organised by Cornell University and the Audubon Society (USA), while GBBC India is coordinated by Bird Count India, an umbrella group of 50+ birding, nature, and conservation organisations.
