Himalayan Bird Count 2023––Final Results

Summary

In the second edition of Himalayan Bird Count, around 380 eBirders from India, Nepal, and Bhutan uploaded 1,482 lists and recorded 654 species! This remarkable accomplishment highlights the success of this single-day birding event!

We extend our sincere gratitude to all the HBC coordinators who planned, organized, and conducted various birding activities in their respective regions. Their dedication and efforts have not only inspired many people but also helped foster a greater appreciation for the beautiful birds that inhabit our surroundings.

Note: The numbers provided in these summaries may vary from the global results.

Table 1: Overall summary from all 3 countries

The country, state/union territories, and district-level coverage of HBC 2023 based on checklists are shown below. To view the summary (number of checklists, participants, species), please click on a country/ state/ district in these zoomable maps.

Disclaimer: Each HTML file is 11 MB. Be mindful of data usage when downloading, especially on mobile. Best viewed on a computer. 

HBC 2022 Country & State/ UT coverage

HBC 2022 District coverage

Congratulations to all the birders who participated in the Himalayan Bird Count! Your observations and contributions are important for understanding the changes occurring in bird populations in this unique ecosystem.

Table 2: Participants who uploaded more than 5 lists from India, Nepal and Bhutan

Key Findings:

The participation from Nepal and Bhutan in HBC 2023 showed an impressive increase, with 51% and 91% more checklists recorded this year compared to the previous one. Impressively, birders covered 85% provinces in Nepal and 65% districts in Bhutan! Kudos to all the birdwatchers, coordinators, and members of Bird Conservation Nepal and the Royal Society for Protection of Nature, Bhutan, for making this event a big hit.

Nepal

76 birdwatchers in Nepal uploaded 174 lists from six states/provinces. Commendable efforts were put in by BCN, Pokhara Branch, for initiating and conducting a three-day ornithology course (12–14 May 2023) as part of their capacity-building efforts for university students. 35 students who attended this course participated in HBC 2023. Another group of BCN members also went birding in the Godavari Forest (Lower Phulchowki Hill) and clocked 67 species. Here is a short story on their birding trip and their highlights.

Table 3:  No. of participants and lists from state/ province in Nepal

Table 4: Top 5 most frequently reported species in Nepal 

Clockwise: BCN-Pokhara Branch, Sanjay Tha, Ankit Bilash Joshi, Sanjay Tha and Rajendra Gurung

Bhutan

40 birdwatchers in Bhutan uploaded 170 lists  and recorded 351 species! Participation was seen from fourteen districts. The Royal Society and Protection for Nature (RSPN) Bhutan played a crucial role in promoting this event in Bhutan.

Table 5:  No. of Participants and lists from district/ county in Bhutan

Table 6: Top 5 most frequently reported species in Bhutan: 

India

In the Himalayan regions of India, 264 birdwatchers uploaded 1,138 lists, documenting a total of 604 species. However, while there was a 15% rise in the number of lists, there was a 28% decline in participation compared to the previous year.

Table 7: No. of birdwatchers in Indian States and UTs (ordered by geography from west to east). The Himalayan regions in West Bengal are Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong

Table 8: Top 5 most frequently reported species in India 

HBC Celebrated in Indian states and union territories

Jammu & Kashmir

HBC Coordinators spread the joy of birding by taking students on birdwalks. Many of them were birding for the first time, and they were delighted to see Ibisbills during their birdwalk.

Ladakh

The Wildlife Conservation and Birds Club of Ladakh (WCBCL), in collaboration with UNDP SECURE Himalaya, WWF, NCF, and Snow Leopard Conservancy, Ladakh, celebrated HBC by conducting bird walks and talks for three schools in Leh. WCBCL also held an exhibition showcasing photographs of birds in Ladakh. A book titled Bird Life of Ladakh by Mohd Abbas, ex-DFO and Advisor WCBCL, was also launched by the Chief Guest, Dr. B.D. Mishra on this day.

Students participating in birdwalk and talk organised by WCBCL in Leh. Photo by WCBCL

Himachal Pradesh: 

Along with individual birdwatchers, the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department played a big role in coordinating the event and ensuring the maximum number of districts participated in this event. Kudos to their efforts!

Uttarakhand

Birdwatchers in Tehri Garhwal and Pithoragarh also conducted public walks. Nature enthusiasts attending a butterfly festival also participated in the event. 

Species Diversity

An impressive diversity of 625 species was recorded, with many species at their peak of the breeding season and singing. Birdwatchers did not just make lists of the birds they saw or heard but also documented signs of breeding by recording songs, videos, and photographs and maintaining detailed notes.

Here are some of the interesting species documented during HBC 2023:

Spiny Babbler and Bugun Liocichla – Both iconic localized endemics to the Himalaya

Kashmir Nutcracker and Kashmir Flycatcher – special birds from the western parts of the Himalaya

Ibisbill – a species like no other with its long red bill and red legs, reported from Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir

Hill Partridge, Chestnut-breasted Partridge, and Rufous-throated Partridge – three elusive partridges that are more often heard than seen

Western Tragopan and Satyr Tragopan – A dream for birdwatchers around the world

Great Parrotbill, Brown Parrotbill, White-breasted Parrotbill, Fulvous Parrotbill, and Black-throated Parrotbill – Bamboo specialists found typically at high elevations 

White-bellied Heron – reported from Bhutan that holds one of the last populations of this critically endangered bird.

Gathering basic information on such endangered species is one of the main goals of the Himalayan Bird Count!

The Himalaya is well known for the diversity of cuckoos and woodpeckers, and 16 species of cuckoos and 19 species of woodpeckers were documented in this HBC!

One of the great joys of birdwatching in the Himalaya is that you not only see special birds but also other special creatures. In Uttarakhand, during the Devalsari Titli Utsav (Devalsari Butterfly Festival) that coincided with HBC 2023, butterfly enthusiasts showed their support by watching and documenting birds. Along with birds, two unique butterflies – Hairy Angle and the Stately Nawab – were also recorded.

In Sikkim, during HBC 2023, a Red Fox was sighted.

In Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, birdwatchers saw a colourful and elusive butterfly called Kaiser-i-Hind, also the state butterfly of Arunachal Pradesh.

Clockwise Photos by: Punyo Chada, Dibyendu Ash, Koj Mama and Sanjay Sondhi

Conclusion:

HBC is intended to serve as a platform to raise awareness about bird conservation in the Himalaya. Many birdwatchers and institutions, including local bird clubs, forest departments, nature guides, and nature enthusiasts, used this opportunity to highlight the importance of preserving habitats and protecting Himalayan bird species. Thank you to everyone for interacting with the public and students, organising bird walks and talks, and promoting the joy of birdwatching.

Here are some eBird Trip Reports made during HBC 2023: 

1. Trip report from Jammu & Kashmir

2. Trip report from Uttarakhand

3. Trip report from Sikkim

The Himalayan Bird Count will return next year on 11 May, 2024, with the hope of generating even more enthusiasm among birdwatchers and enthusiasts across India, Nepal, and Bhutan!

Please note that this preliminary report provides an overview of the event. More detailed analysis and findings will be presented in the final report, which will be released by the end of June upon completion of the data analysis.

Banner Image: Himalayan Landscape from Jammu & Kashmir. Photo by Muzaffar Kichloo