Himalayan Bird Count on May 14

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 13: Birdwatchers in the Himalayan regions of Nepal, India and Bhutan will come together to document as many birds in the mountain range as possible on May 14.

This is the first edition of the Himalayan Bird Count (HBC) which aims to celebrate the incredible bird diversity and bring attention to the threatened habitats of the Himalayas.

In the event organised by Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN), Bird Count India and the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature, Bhutan, are working together to bring the Himalayan birding fraternity together for the common good. 

The organisations have collectively decided to conduct this event on Endemic Bird Day to spread awareness about Himalaya’s bird biodiversity, said a press statement issued by the BCN.

“The rich and diverse biodiversity of the Himalayan region is home to several species of birds. 

We are hopeful that the “Himalayan Bird Count”, initiated by three countries, is one of the many events for the birds and biodiversity conservation of the Himalayan region,” said Ishana Thapa, Chief Executive Officer of the BCN. 

“Himalayan Bird Count can provide consistent, snapshot information of bird diversity in a region that is increasingly threatened by climate change. 

This kind of information, across the years, can help us understand what is happening to our country’s birds,” said Dr. Ghazala Shahabuddin, Senior Fellow, Centre for Ecology, Development and Research (CEDAR) working in Kumaon Hills, Uttarakhand. 

The biological diversity of the Himalayas is also under unprecedented threat due to large-scale infrastructure development, the statement reads.

The basic activity is to view and count birds from anywhere in the listed Himalayan region on Saturday for at least 15 minutes and upload bird lists to the bird recording platform eBird (www.ebird.org). The day is also going to be celebrated as World Migratory Bird Day 2022.