Congratulations to everyone involved in the very successful Himalayan Bird Count!
The Himalayan Bird Count (HBC) is an annual citizen science initiative aimed at documenting the diversity and abundance of bird species in the Himalaya. This preliminary report provides an overview of HBC 2025 that took place on May 10, highlighting participation, key findings, and notable observations.
354 birdwatchers from three Himalayan countries – India, Nepal and Bhutan – came together and documented 450+ species in 940 checklists! Participants represented almost every Himalayan region in the three participating countries. Thanks to all birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts from across the Himalaya who made this event a success. A special shout out to all those who took this opportunity to conduct public bird walks and introduce new people to the wonders of birds and nature!
Birders in Ziro © Kojmama Taman
Key Findings:
HBC 2025 saw remarkable growth in participation from Bhutan and Nepal – with 33% and 56% more checklists this year compared to the last. Impressively, birders covered 95% districts in Bhutan (except Ha) and 100% provinces in Nepal! Kudos to all the birdwatchers, coordinators, and members of Royal Society for Protection of Birds, Bhutan and Bird Conservation Nepal for making this event a big hit.
| Country | # Participants | # Complete Lists | # Species |
| Bhutan | 56 | 79 | 255 |
| India | 201 | 487 | 400+ |
| Nepal | 97 | 374 | 384 |
Table 1: Country-wise participation in HBC 2025
Bhutan
In Bhutan, 56 birdwatchers uploaded 79 lists from 19 districts.
| District | # Participants |
| Dagana | 6 |
| Thimphu | 10 |
| Wangdue Phodrang | 6 |
| Trashigang | 4 |
| Zhemgang | 4 |
| Punakha | 5 |
| Sarpang | 3 |
| Bumthang | 2 |
| Paro | 4 |
| Trashi Yangtse | 2 |
| Chhukha | 3 |
| Monggar | 2 |
| Tsirang | 2 |
| Gasa | 1 |
| Samtse | 1 |
| Pemagatshel | 1 |
| Lhuentse | 1 |
| Samdrup Jongkha | 1 |
| Trongsa | 2 |
| Ha | 0 |
Table 2: No. of participants in Districts in Bhutan (ordered in descending order of checklists)
India
In the Himalayan regions of India, a total of 201 birdwatchers from 7 states and union territories participated in this event.
| State/ UT | # Participants |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 5 |
| Ladakh | 22 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 27 |
| Uttarakhand | 65 |
| Sikkim | 13 |
| West Bengal | 19 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 50 |
Table 3: No. of birdwatchers in States and UTs in India (ordered by geography from west to east)
The Himalayan regions in West Bengal are Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong. In addition, 1 birder uploaded 1 complete checklist from Rupnagar in Punjab (edge of Himalaya) and 2 birders uploaded 2 checklists from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh (Himalayan Terai).
Birders in Ladakh © Padma Gyatso
Nepal
97 birdwatchers in Nepal uploaded 374 lists from 7 provinces.
| Province | # Participants |
| Bagmati | 51 |
| Gandaki | 25 |
| Lumbini | 6 |
| Province 1 | 6 |
| Sudurpaschim | 6 |
| Madhesh | 2 |
| Karnali | 1 |
Table 4: No. of participants in Provinces in Nepal (ordered in descending order of checklists)
Birders in Ladakh © Tshering Togbay
Species Diversity
An impressive diversity of 450+ 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.
Great Parrotbill from Nepal and White-bellied Heron from Bhutan were especially exciting sightings. Many more such sightings will be highlighted in the final report! Do upload photos on your checklists soon.
The Himalayan Bird Count will return next year on 9 May, 2026, 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.
Header Image: Himalayan Bird Count in Ladakh © Padma Gyatso
