Big bird day 2025 records 243 species across Delhi-NCR

As the sun rose over Delhi-NCR on February 16, birders armed with binoculars and cameras fanned out across parks, wetlands, and forests, eager to document the rich avian life of the region. By the end of the day, they amassed an impressive tally — 243 species, nine more than the 234 last year.

The 25th edition of Big Bird Day (BBD) was deemed a success.

The annual citizen-led birding event, held on February each year, saw over 500 experts covering 40 locations, from the lush expanse of Sultanpur to the wetlands of Dhanauri and the urban greens of Asita East.

Veteran and amateur birders alike celebrated the diverse sightings, which included Oriental pied hornbills, Dusky eagle owls, Short-eared owls, and Indian spotted eagles.

The BBD report, released on Friday, highlighted the rich diversity of birdlife across the region.

“While there were no particularly unexpected species, several important birds were recorded, including Oriental pied hornbill, Oriental scops owl, golden plover, water rail, short-eared owl, Indian spotted eagle, black-hooded oriole, moustached warbler, and dusky eagle owl,” said Nikhil Devasar, birder and one of the organisers of the event.

Urban conservation efforts in Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Asola, and Asita East are showing positive results, Devasar added.

“It is inspiring to see such enthusiastic participation, especially from young birders. Despite the early summer and visible return migration, the strong species count reaffirms the richness of our region’s avian life,” he said.

“This year’s BBD has once again showcased the remarkable diversity of birdlife across the NCR,” Devasar said.

Organisers said that year-on-year bird count data showed 253 species logged in 2023, 214 in 2022, 244 in 2021, and 253 in 2020.

Veteran birder Surya Prakash, who covered the Dhanauri wetlands, said, “As soon as we started, we were greeted by a pair of barred buttonquails. As the morning rolled on, we observed several bird species. Munias, prinias, bushchats, larks, and pipits were particularly cooperative.”

Prakash added: “By 2pm, only two of us remained, venturing deeper into the landscape, where we saw a lone Coppersmith barbet, yellow-wattled lapwings, thick-knees, and a delightful array of passerine birds.”

Organisers noted that Sultanpur, Chandu, Mandhoti, and Dhanauri were key locations covered. Yamuna Biodiversity Park recorded Red-crested pochards, indicating thriving habitat restoration.

Devasar said Asita East recorded 82 species, proving its potential as a birding hotspot. He noted that early summer affected the total count, particularly of migratory birds, which numbered around 100 species this year.

“The results, however, highlight the incredible diversity of birdlife across the region, with the outskirts of Delhi continuing to support a number of species due to their varied ecosystems,” Devasar concluded.