Asian Waterbird Census : Time to count waterbirds
Date : 6th to 21st January 2018

Photo credits: BNHS Photo Library, Hrishikesh Rane

Time to count waterbirds
Participate in the Asian Waterbird Census beginning this weekend

Mumbai: 3rd January: Waterbirds are key indicators to understand the health of wetlands along with highlighting the importance of these wetlands for both humans and birds. Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), a pan-India initiative coordinated by BNHS and Wetlands International in India is a citizen science programme supporting management and conservation of waterbirds and wetlands. It is a part of the global initiative International Waterbird Census (IWC). This time AWC is scheduled between 6th and 21st January 2018.

The AWC encourages people to count waterbirds in wetlands around them and collect information that will help to promote the designation and management of internationally important sites such as nationally protected areas, Ramsar sites and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs).

The data collected through AWC will also be helpful in identifying and protecting new sites of importance for waterbirds. Birders can participate in AWC anytime in January apart from the mentioned dates, and counts from any day in January will be welcome.

How to participate:

o Download AWC count forms from AWC website
https://south-asia.wetlands.org/news/participate-asian-waterbird-census-2018/ (click on the Word or Excel version of AWC Data Entry Form)
o Venture for bird watching and count waterbirds around wetlands or IBAs around you during 6-21st January or any time in the month of January
o If you have participated in AWC earlier, visit the same site along with any new sites you wish to cover. We encourage birders to cover as many sites as possible
o The Count forms can be submitted through state coordinators, to know contact details:
https://www.wetlands.org/profile/india/, with a copy to awc@wetlands.org and wetlands@bnhs.org
o If there is no coordinator, forms can be submitted to awc@wetlands.org and wetlands@bnhs.org or if submissions are to be made by post, forms should be sent to
Wetlands International – South Asia office,
A25 Second Floor,
Defence Colony,
New Delhi, India
o Count forms can be submitted in word or excel format or through the eBird India platform + AWC eBird 2018 site form
o Forms should be submitted by end of February 2018

Dr P. Sathiyaselvam, Scientist, BNHS says “The Asian Waterbird Count, primarily carried out by amateur and professional ornithologists, government and non-governmental agencies, has been successful in providing substantial information on status of wetlands and distribution of waterbirds. This data obtained will be valuable not only in conserving waterbirds habitats at the national level but also the wetlands under the Central Asian Flyway at international level.”

For further details contact: wetlands(AT)bnhs(DOT)org