Two-hour Dorabeel birding event documents 59 avian species

Guwahati, Oct 16: A birding event was conducted recently at Dorabeel near Bijoynagar in Kamrup district.

During the two-hour observation session, conducted from 6:30 am to 8:30 am, a total of 59 avian species, both resident and migratory, were recorded.

Notably, a substantial flock of oriental pratincoles, a species seldom encountered in most other regions of Assam but known to frequent the grassland stretches of Dorabeel annually, was documented.

Dorabeel is known for its wide-ranging biodiversity and livelihood services.

The programme was jointly organized by the Assam Bird Monitoring Network and Bonyobondhu, and was attended by 25 nature enthusiasts from various parts of the State.

In addition, a flock of ruffs, a species hitherto unrecorded from Dorabeel, was also observed.

The Dorabeel wetland ecosystem and its adjoining pastoral grasslands provide ideal habitats for numerous resident and migratory birds. To date, 230 avian species have been catalogued from this region.

At the conclusion of the event, Prasanna Kalita from Bonyobondhu delivered a speech on the history, geographical extent, and the nature-dependent livelihoods of the local community, as well as the rich biodiversity of Dorabeel and the imperative for its conservation. He urged everyone to come forward and contribute towards safeguarding the invaluable ecosystem.

Representing the Assam Bird Monitoring Network, Dr Leons Mathew Abraham elaborated on initiatives such as the Bihu Bird Count and Online Talks, accentuating how birdwatchers and nature lovers from across Assam have been contributing to avian documentation through the ABMN platform, and how such collective endeavours can play a pivotal role in advancing nature conservation.

By

Staff Reporter