What is the News ?

The State of India’s Birds Report has been released recently.

Facts About:

• The State of India’s Birds (SoIB) report based on data collected from approximately 30,000 birdwatchers has unveiled concerning trends regarding India’s bird population.
• The study highlights a substantial decline in numerous bird species, attributing this decline to a range of factors.

About SoIB Report

• The SoIB report aims to evaluate the conservation status of a wide range of species regularly present in India.
• It is published by a partnership involving 13 governmental and non-governmental organizations, including SACON, WII, and ZSI.
• The report extensively employs data from over 30 million observations on eBird by more than 30,000 birdwatchers.
• The report assesses distribution range size, abundance trends over the long term and since 2015, and information from the IUCN Red List to categorize Indian species into Low, Moderate, and High Conservation Priority tiers.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Widespread Decline: Among the species analyzed, 60% of those assessed for long-term trends show decline, while 40% exhibit a decline in current annual trends.
• Raptors and Vultures: Birds consuming vertebrates and carrion, including raptors and vultures, have significantly declined, possibly due to pollutants or prey availability reduction.
• Endemics and Biodiversity Hotspots: Endemic species in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot have experienced rapid declines over the past decades.
• Positive Outlook: Certain generalist species, exemplified by the Indian peafowl, demonstrate remarkable increases in abundance, with a 150% rise observed over the past decades.
• Conservation Priority: The report classifies species into High, Moderate, and Low Conservation Priority, with 178 species as High Priority, 323 as Moderate, and 441 as Low Priority. Noteworthy species include the Ruddy shelduck, Indian courser, Narcondam hornbill, and Nicobar megapode.

Identified Threats to Bird Species

• The report underscores threats encompassing forest degradation, urbanization, energy infrastructure.
• Birds are highly impacted by environmental pollutants like Nimesulide affecting vulture populations, climate change’s impacts on migratory species, avian diseases, and illegal hunting and trade.

Actions and Research Implications

• Targeted Conservation: The report advocates for the conservation of specific groups, such as grassland specialists that have suffered a more than 50% decline, highlighting the importance of protecting and preserving grassland ecosystems.
• Long-Term Monitoring: The significance of continuous, systematic bird population monitoring is emphasized to comprehend subtle fluctuations in bird numbers.
• In-Depth Research: Further research is needed to understand the causes behind both declines and increases in bird populations.
• Synergy among Policies: The report calls for the harmonization of policies related to river, water, and wasteland development, recognizing the multifaceted role of abundant, widespread bird species.
• Citizen Participation: Citizen Engagement plays a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation, warranting an essential role in the action plan for bird population and habitat preservation.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/state-of-indias-birds-report-lists-20-species-of-highest-conservation-priority-for-kerala/article67241741.ece