HYDERABAD: Before sunrise, as birds sweep across Hyderabad’s lakes, parks and neighbourhoods, hundreds of volunteers have been stepping out with binoculars and notebooks to document the city’s avian life under the Hyderabad Bird Atlas (HBA), a citizen initiative tracking birds in urban landscapes.
The HBA has completed its third survey season, conducted from February 7 to 22, coinciding with the end of winter when both resident and migratory birds are present. The project is jointly led by WWF-India, Hyderabad Birding Pals and Deccan Birders.
Season 3 recorded 214 bird species and 76,174 individual birds, making it the most species-rich round so far. Of these, 69 species were migratory to Telangana. “Hyderabad is an important stopover and wintering site for birds travelling across regions,” Sriram of Hyderabad Birding Pals told TNIE.
Rare and noteworthy sightings included long-legged buzzard, Bonelli’s Eagle, Eurasian Wryneck, red-headed Bunting, Baillon’s Crake and spotted redshank. Volunteers also documented a nesting pair of Indian spotted eagles, indicating continued breeding of sensitive raptor species in or around the city.
Species counts have fluctuated across seasons. Season 1 recorded 195 species, Season 2 logged 166, while Season 3 recorded 214. In total, the Atlas has documented 242 species across Hyderabad.
At a glance
Survey dates: February 7-22
Total species recorded: 214
Total individual birds: 76,174
Migratory species: 69