Delhi's 1st bird census to start from Feb-end; to be held every 3 months

Delhi's forest and wildlife department is planning to create a "bird atlas" for the Capital, which will have details of the city's bird diversity in terms of species and their distribution across the city. The department is planning to create the atlas by the end of the year by conducting a series of bird census, beginning this month-end, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.

- Jasjeev Gandhiok

A bird atlas helps the states to look at the change in bird diversity and density over the years. It also uses maps to help identify important bird habitats.

A census is planned to be carried out once every three months, which will provide the government adequate data on both resident and migratory birds across different seasons, they added. Forest officials said this will be for the first time that the department will carry out a bird census in the city, which will eventually provide the data to create Delhi's first bird atlas.

Suneesh Buxy, Delhi's chief wildlife warden, said to gather data and conduct census across the city, the department will seek assistance from Delhi Development Authority's (DDA's) Biodiversity Parks Programme and Delhi University students. A date to start the first such census is still being finalised. Birders have also been approached by the department to cover different wetlands and bird-rich areas of the Capital, he added.