The State of India’s Birds (SoIB) 2023, published on August 25, 2023, states that many bird species in India are declining, although some like the Indian peafowl are doing well. This report is based on the observations of 30,000 birdwatchers across India, amounting to 30 million observations. It identifies pollution as a significant threat to the bird populations in India.
The report categorises 178 bird species as “High Priority”, meaning that they need immediate conservation efforts. This list includes migrating wetland birds like the Ruddy shelduck and native species such as the Indian courser.
The State of India’s Birds report regularly checks the number, distribution, and protection levels of bird species in India. Birds are everywhere and play a crucial role in our environment, making them ideal symbols for nature and strong indicators of our natural world’s health. The report, which covers the whole country, indicates what needs to be done to conserve India’s birds.
Bird Population Decline In India: Key Findings
- The latest trends indicate a downward trajectory for 142 bird species, with 64 experiencing rapid decline. In contrast, 189 species remain stable, while 28 show an increase.
- The 2023 State of India’s Birds report reveals a mixed outlook. While some general bird species like the Indian peafowl and Asian koel are increasing, habitat specialists, particularly those found in grasslands and wetlands, are suffering rapid decline.
- Raptors and vultures, birds that feed on vertebrates and carrion, have exhibited a significant downfall. This could indicate pollutants in food resources, a dwindling prey population, or a combination of both.
- Insect-eating birds are also under threat. The report highlights a steep drop in bird species native to the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot over recent decades. The specific causes of this fall remain uncertain.
- Other declining groups include grassland birds, such as the Great grey shrike and the Great Indian bustards, and wetland species and shorebirds like the curlew sandpiper.
- Despite its global status as Near Threatened, the curlew sandpiper has experienced a reduction in numbers in notable Indian wintering sites like Point Calimere and Pulicat Lake.
Peafowl Population Boom: A Double-Edged Sword
- The ‘State of India’s Birds’ Report 2023 indicates that the population of a few generalist birds, including the national bird – the Indian peafowl, has surged in the country.
- Over the past decades, there’s been a 150% increase in peafowl abundance nationwide.
- From being spotted in only two districts in Kerala in 1998, peafowl now occur across all districts.
- However, this population boom is not entirely positive.
- The report mentions increased instances of crop damage and retaliatory poisoning due to peafowls.
- There’s also speculation about the potential negative impacts of rising peafowl populations on snakes and other reptiles.
- The report emphasises the need to consider the effects of this ‘peafowl boom’ on both people and ecosystems, and not just concentrate on protecting declining and rare species.
Overview Of Bird Conservation Priorities In India
- The SoIB 2023 report has classified 942 bird species into three priority groups: High, Moderate, and Low.
- The High Priority group includes 178 species, featuring migratory, resident, and endemic birds. Examples are the Ruddy shelduck, Indian courser, Narcondam hornbill, and the Nicobar megapode.
- Among these high-risk species, 90 are globally marked as ‘Least Concern’ in the IUCN Red List 2022.
- The report suggests that 17 out of these ‘Least Concern’ species, like the Indian Roller and the Northern shoveler, should be reassigned to a different threat status nationally due to significant population decline.
- The first SoIB report released in 2020 also indicated decreasing bird populations in India and was based on over 10 million observation records.
- Compared to the 2020 report, the latest SoIB assessment is more comprehensive. It expands its analysis from 867 to 942 species.
- Out of 101 birds marked as High Concern in the 2020 report, 74 remain in the same category according to the 2023 report. There are also 104 new additions to the High Priority list.
Major Threats To Bird Species
- The State of India’s Birds (SoIB) 2023 report identifies several significant threats to bird species. These include forest degradation, urbanisation, and energy infrastructure.
- The report reveals the negative impact of environmental pollutants on bird species like vultures. Specifically, veterinary drugs such as nimesulide are posing threats in India.
- Climate change, avian diseases, illegal hunting, and trade are also serious concerns, particularly for migratory species.
- The report stresses the importance of conserving certain bird groups. For example, it found a decline of over 50% in grassland specialists, underscoring the need to protect grassland ecosystems.
- Long-term, systematic monitoring of bird populations is essential for understanding small-scale changes, the report suggests.
- Scientists on the team insisted on the need for more research to comprehend the reasons behind population declines or increases, during an online press conference on August 25.
Read the full report here.