For the third year in a row, West Bengal has recorded the highest number of bird species during the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2024. The event, held in February, saw Bengal leading among 37 states and union territories, with a total of 543 species recorded out of 1,068 species spotted across India.
Key Highlights
- West Bengal retained its top position in species count, recording 543 species.
- Darjeeling recorded the most species in Bengal (252), although lower than last year’s 308 species.
- South 24 Parganas topped the state in terms of bird checklists (513 checklists), overtaking Darjeeling, which led last year.
- India recorded 1,068 species, up from 1,036 in 2023, with a total of 44,300 checklists uploaded.
- Kerala led in checklist submissions with 9,856 entries, followed by West Bengal with 1,909 checklists.
- With Bengal continuing its leadership in bird species count, GBBC has become a crucial event for Indian birdwatchers, contributing to avian research and conservation efforts.
Top States by Bird Species Count
- West Bengal – 543 species
- Uttarakhand – 446 species
- Assam – 414 species
- Maharashtra – 414 species
- Karnataka – 380 species
Notable Bird Sightings in Bengal
- Ibisbill – North Bengal’s Jhalong
- Common Starling – Malda
- Spotted Crake – Baruipur
Challenges & Participation
- GBBC 2024 saw fewer participants than 2023 due to exam schedule conflicts.
- Despite lower participation, Bengal maintained its dominance in both species diversity and active birdwatchers.
What is the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)?
- GBBC is one of the largest global birding events, where birdwatchers worldwide count and record bird species.
- It was launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.
- India joined in 2013, when 200 participants took part.
- In 2023, over 5,300 participants from India joined, including 344 from Bengal.
- The collected data is uploaded to eBird, a global bird observation database, helping in bird conservation and biodiversity research.