Himachal Sets National Example With Record 208 Bird Species Count During Himalayan Bird Count 2026
Shimla, May 10 — Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a shining example for other Indian states after recording a historic 208 bird species during the Himalayan Bird Count and Global Big Day 2026.
For the first time, all 12 districts of the state participated simultaneously in birdwatching and bird documentation activities, turning the campaign into one of the largest citizen-science conservation exercises in the Himalayan region.
The massive participation highlighted how community-driven biodiversity monitoring can become a powerful conservation movement rather than remaining confined to government departments and experts alone.
This year, birdwatchers, students, photographers, forest officials, researchers and local communities together submitted 146 eBird checklists across Himachal Pradesh.
More than 1,500 people actively joined the exercise. Kangra recorded the highest bird diversity with 126 species, while Mandi topped participation with 37 checklists, followed closely by Kinnaur with 31 checklists.
Even newly participating districts like Hamirpur and Una showed enthusiastic involvement, signaling that birdwatching culture is rapidly expanding beyond traditional wildlife hotspots in the state.
The numbers reflect a remarkable rise in public engagement over the past three years.
In 2024, Himachal had recorded 166 bird species with 78 eBird checklists from eight districts.
In 2025, the count rose to 183 species and 87 checklists. Now, in 2026, the state has reached a new milestone with 208 species and 146 checklists covering all 12 districts.
During the survey, bird enthusiasts also observed active breeding behavior among several bird species, which experts described as a positive indicator for the health of the Himalayan ecosystem.
Santosh Thakur, Regional Bird Count India coordinator, said the sharp rise in participation was made possible through continuous awareness campaigns involving local communities, educational institutions and birdwatching groups across the state.
He said the overwhelming response from every district showed growing public interest in biodiversity conservation.
According to him, initiatives like the Himalayan Bird Count help people understand the ecology around them while also generating long-term scientific data that can support future conservation planning in fragile Himalayan landscapes.
R. Lanun Sanga, PCCF Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden, congratulated all participants, district coordinators and volunteers for making the campaign successful.
He said such citizen-science initiatives would play a major role in strengthening biodiversity conservation efforts in Himachal Pradesh in the coming years.
Dr. Amit Sharma said bird festivals and bird counts are not merely about counting species, but also about promoting environmental awareness, eco-tourism, nature education and community participation in conservation.
Environmentalists believe Himachal Pradesh has now created a model that other Himalayan and biodiversity-rich states should replicate annually.
Experts say regular bird counts can help monitor ecological changes, track bird populations and build stronger public participation in conservation efforts across India.
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