GURUGRAM: A total of 235 species of birds have been spotted in the ninth edition of
Delhi Bird Race 2018, which took place on Saturday in Delhi and NCR.
Last year, 225 species were spotted by birders participating in the race.
The teams covered places, including
Aravalis, Mangar, Sultanpur Flats, Sultanpur National Park,
Aravali Biodiversity Park, Najafgarh, Basai, Chandu Budhera and other sites in East Delhi.
As many as 11 species, including great crested grebe, clamorous reed warbler, jungle prinia, Asian brown flycatcher, sulphur bellied warbler, blue tailed bee-eater, small pratincole, comb duck, Indian courser, sind sparrow and sirkeer malkoha, which were not spotted in last year’s edition, have been spotted this year.
“Even though the summer is setting in early, we have seen 10 more species this year as compared to last year. It is definitely a good sign and calls for immediate protection of bird habitats in Delhi and NCR, especially Basai, Mangar, Aravalis and Sultanpur flats,” said Pankaj Gupta from Delhi Bird Foundation who was a part of the race.
The maximum species were witnessed in the Sultanpur, Najafgarh, Basai and Chandu Budhera areas while the highest biodiversity was seen in Aravalis, Mangar and Aravali Biodiversity Park. Birders said that some rare species were spotted in the Aravali Biodiversity Park and Mangar area. “Some species that are not very common in the Delhi and NCR region were spotted in these areas. It can be due to the diversity of native trees and plants of the Aravalis. More efforts should be put in to develop city forests like Aravali Biodiversity Park and conserve old flora in Mangar and other villages in the Aravalis,” said a birder.
Amit Sharma, another birder and participant in Delhi Bird Race 2018, said, “This year, we have also noticed this trend of some species such as red crested pochard, ferruginous pochard, greylag geese, and all of the wheatears and other water birds starting to migrate back early.”
The key highlights from the Aravalis and the Mangar area were the sightings of red headed vulture, short toed snake eagle, Asian brown flycatcher, Tickell’s leaf warbler, sulphur bellied warbler, white browed fantail, ultramarine flycatcher, white-bellied minivet, orphean warbler and sirkeer malkoha, while the key highlights from Sultanpur flats (area around Sultanpur National Park), Basai, and Najafgarh area were the sightings of northern lapwing, little pratincole, pallid harrier, peregrine falcon, Bonelli's eagle, imperial eagle and short-eared owl. At Okhla Bird Sanctuary, unique sightings were that of Pallas’s gull, whiskered tern, striated grassbird and ferruginous duck.
Delhi Bird Race is an annual birding event that takes place in Delhi and NCR where birders spot different species. Over 10 teams of birders took part in the race.
