The Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve came alive with colour and birdsong this Kati Bihu, as conservationists, forest staff, and bird enthusiasts documented an impressive 146 bird species during the Kati Bihu Bird Count 2025 held on October 18.
The event, organised by the Assam Bird Monitoring Network (ABMN) in collaboration with the Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve Authority, aimed to promote bird monitoring and raise awareness about habitat conservation. A special effort was made to include women forest staff and younger participants, a first for the annual count.
A total of 63 participants, including students, researchers, and forest officials, were spread across five major sites: Panbari Range, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, Panpur, Gamiri Range, and Agoratoli Range. Each site was supervised by senior coordinators such as Rofikul Islam, Samarjit Ojah, Neeraj Borah, Dr. Ranjit Kakati, Rahul Sarmah, and Dadul Gogoi.
Kaziranga’s skies reveal their rich secrets
The survey recorded 1,919 individual birds, with Agoratoli Range showing the highest diversity with 89 species, followed by Gamiri and Panbari (59 each), Panpur (55), and Laokhowa (37). Among them were two endangered species, the Swamp Grass Babbler and Pallas’s Fish Eagle. Six species, including the River Tern, Greater Spotted Eagle, Slender-billed Babbler, Lesser Adjutant, Great Hornbill, and Swamp Francolin, were listed as vulnerable.
Other near-threatened species documented included the Woolly-necked Stork, Northern Lapwing, Blossom-headed Parakeet, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Spot-billed Pelican, and River Lapwing. Common but vital residents like the Great Hornbill, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird, and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo were also sighted.
According to Kaziranga NP Director Sonali Ghosh, IFS, “This collaborative initiative not only deepens our understanding of Kaziranga’s birdlife but also builds a sense of ownership among local communities.”
Community and conservation hand in hand
Organisers said the participation of women forest personnel from Laokhowa and Panbari marked a turning point in local conservation engagement. “Their involvement added new energy to the count and inspired younger volunteers,” noted an ABMN coordinator.
Experts said the data collected will support long-term monitoring and help assess Kaziranga’s habitat health and species distribution in the years ahead.
The Assam Bird Monitoring Network expressed gratitude to all participants and the Kaziranga management for their support, acknowledging the event’s success as a testament to community-led conservation.
As the sun set over the floodplains, one truth was clear that Kaziranga remains not just a tiger’s land, but a paradise for wings and voices that make the skies sing.
