India stood out once again in the Great Backyard Bird Count 2026 (GBBC) securing second position in terms of participation and four in terms of species diversity, globally.
The 14th edition of GBBC held between February 13 and 16 brought together birdwatchers from around the world, who uploaded bird observations through platforms like eBird to help track bird populations and distribution.
A total 7,336 birders from 562 districts contributed an impressive 64,992 checklists in the bird count exercise, covering more than 27,000 birding hotspots across the country.
The participants recorded 1,092 bird species, representing nearly 78.8 per cent of all species known to occur in India. In terms of species diversity, the country ranked fourth, recording its highest-ever species count in the history of the GBBC.
India also secured the second position in participation based on checklist submissions, highlighting the scale of engagement in the exercise. US topped this chart with over 2 lakh submissions.
Colombia with 1,384 species topped the chart in terms of species count, followed by Brazil (1,155) at number two and Ecuador (1,129) at number three. Peru stood at number five with 1,070 bird species.
Among individual birding locations, Sultanpur National Park in Gurgaon emerged as the top hotspot in India with 212 species. It was followed by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) with 206 species and Forest Research Institute with 175 species. Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhubaneswar, that includes the Nandankanan zoological park, secured fourth position, with an impressive 173 species observed.
The data also highlighted some of India’s most widespread bird species. The Red-vented Bulbul emerged as the most ubiquitous, appearing in the top five species lists across five major regions of India such as east, central, north, south and west. Other commonly observed species included Common Myna, Rose-ringed Parakeet, House Crow, Feral Pigeon and Black Drongo, reflecting their adaptability across diverse habitats.
The participation spanned all 36 states and union territories of India, with Odisha achieving a significant milestone of complete district-level participation for the first time. Compared to 2025, this year’s GBBC saw a 12.9 pc increase in participation, with the number of birders rising from 6,500 to 7,336. There was also a 5 pc increase in district coverage, while species diversity saw a modest rise of 0.6 pc. These gains reflect a steady expansion of India’s birdwatching community and its contribution to global biodiversity monitoring.
According to Bird Count India, that coordinates the exercise in the country, the birding initiative also played a key role in outreach and awareness. Around 1,474 birding events were organised nationwide, introducing over 10,000 new participants to birdwatching and nature appreciation. The public bird walks and awareness programmes also helped expand the reach of birding beyond experienced enthusiasts, engaging communities across regions.