HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Bird Atlas (HBA), one of the city’s largest citizen science initiatives, will launch its fourth season on July 4 with an aim to add to the 242 bird species documented across the first three survey seasons.
The 22-day survey, running until July 26, is expected to draw over 300 volunteers. Organisers have extended the duration, making it the longest season so far, to offset disruptions caused by the monsoon.
Sriram Reddy, a core HBA team member, said the longer survey window would help volunteers gather adequate observations despite intermittent rainfall.
Jointly organised by WWF-India, Hyderabad Birding Pals and Deccan Birders, the initiative is also supported this year by the GHMC and the Telangana Forest Department. Birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, students, photographers and first-time participants have been invited to take part in the city-wide exercise. Registrations are open on hydbirdatlas.com.
The project seeks to map bird distribution within Hyderabad’s Outer Ring Road limits, documenting species presence, abundance and breeding status while tracking seasonal migration patterns. The first survey in February 2025 recorded 195 species, including 53 migratory species, and over 70,000 birds. The second season, held in July 2025, added 23 new species, taking the cumulative tally to 218. The third season in February 2026 proved the most productive, documenting 214 species and 76,174 birds.
Combined data from the three seasons has recorded 242 bird species across Hyderabad.
Organisers noted that participation has largely been concentrated in the city’s central and western areas.