238 bird species sighted in annual Delhi bird race
238 bird species were sighted in the National Capital Region during the annual Delhi Bird Race, with rare sightings including Laggar falcon and ultramarine flycatcher.
At least 238 different bird species were sighted across the National Capital Region (NCR) on March 17 during the annual Delhi Bird Race, the result of which were released on Thursday.
The Delhi Bird Race is a one-day event where birders set out from dawn to dusk to make note of different bird species across NCR. This year, 10 different teams set out across the region to record avian diversity, with a team led by birder Arvind Yadav logging 184 different species, officials said.
“The rare and interesting sightings made during the count included the Laggar falcon at Chandu wetlands, the ultramarine flycatcher at Bhondsi, and the fire-capped tit, also at Bhondsi,” said birder Kanwar B Singh, one of the organisers of the event, whose team covered Bhondsi.
Singh said the extended winter appeared to have delayed the arrival of summer breeding migrants. “This includes birds like the golden oriole, blue-tailed and blue-cheeked bee-eaters, pheasant-tailed jacana, and the crested bunting, among others,” he said.
Yadav said the overall diversity and density of birds was low for this time of the year, adding more Aravalli forest birds were sighted, in comparison to water species and waders.
“We covered Najafgarh, Sultanpur, Chandu and Bhondsi, with the ultramarine flycatcher being a rare and interesting sighting. The bird has been sighted at Bhondsi for the last 10 days or so now,” he said. Other sightings made by the team included the eastern Orphean warbler, red-necked falcon, striated heron and white-bellied minivet.