State of India’s Birds 2020

Published: 24th Feb, 2020

Recently, a new scientific report, ‘State of India’s Birds 2020 was jointly released by 10 organisations.

Context

Recently, a new scientific report, ‘State of India’s Birds 2020 was jointly released by 10 organisations.

About

State of India’s Birds 2020 (SoIB) was produced using a base of 867 species.
It is analysed with the help of data uploaded by birdwatchers to the online platform, eBird.
Adequate data on how birds fared over a period of over 25 years (long-term trend) are available only for 261 species.
Current annual trends are calculated over a five-year period.
The assessment says that
- Over a fifth of India’s bird diversity has suffered strong long-term declines over a 25-year period.
- More recent annual trends point to a drastic 80% loss among several common birds.

Key findings:

The State of India’s Birds 2020 (SoIB) assessment raises the alarm that several spectacular birds, many of them endemic to the sub-continent, face a growing threat from loss of habitat due to:
- Human activity.
- The widespread presence of toxins, including pesticides.
- Hunting and trapping for the pet trade.
It is highlighted that, for every bird species that were found to be increasing in numbers over the long term, 11 have suffered losses, some catastrophically.
101 species have been categorised as being of High Conservation Concern.
- 59 are based on range and abundance.
- Rest are included from high-risk birds on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List.
Endemics such as the Rufous-fronted Prinia, Nilgiri Thrush, Nilgiri Pipit and Indian vulture have been confirmed as suffering a current decline.
All except 13 had a restricted or highly restricted range, indicating greater vulnerability to man-made threats.
Among widely known species, the common sparrow, long seen as declining in urban spaces, has a stable population overall.
The analysis concludes that raptors overall are in decline, with ‘open country’ species such as the Pallid and Montagu Harriers, White-bellied Sea Eagle and Red-necked Falcon suffering the most.
The severe long-term decline of vultures is underscored by the report.
Migratory shorebirds, along with gulls and terns, seem to have declined the most among waterbirds.

Suggestions by the report:

An update to the Red List of endangered species published by IUCN using the SoIB.
Collaborative research by scientists and citizens. Targeted research to pinpoint causes of decline.
Urgent emphasis on habitats of species of high concern, notably grasslands, scrublands, wetlands and the Western Ghats.

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