Chhattisgarh’s Bird Count Campaign is expanding citizen science participation, with bird sightings recorded on eBird to support biodiversity conservation.
RAIPUR (India CSR): Chhattisgarh’s Bird Count Campaign is gathering momentum as bird lovers, experts, students, young people, volunteers and local communities record bird sightings across the state. Led by the Forest and Climate Change Department under the guidance of Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap, the initiative seeks to strengthen bird conservation while creating a reliable scientific record of the state’s biodiversity.
Campaign Gains Momentum
The campaign began drawing public participation through the Hareli Bird Festival–2026 and is now continuing through regular birdwatching and Bird Count activities in different districts. By encouraging people to observe and document birds in their own surroundings, the initiative is extending conservation participation beyond organised events and bringing local communities closer to the natural habitats around them.
Science Beyond Counting
The Bird Count is designed not merely as an exercise in counting species, but as a citizen science effort to develop information on bird diversity, habitats and local ecology. Participants are observing birds in their respective areas and entering their sightings on scientific citizen science platforms, including eBird. Such records can help create a clearer picture of the birdlife found across Chhattisgarh.
Independent Observation Encouraged
A key feature of the initiative is that participants can conduct Bird Counts independently instead of waiting for organised birdwatching programmes. Observations are being recorded around ponds, wetlands, riverbanks, agricultural fields, forests, villages and urban areas. Participants are also sharing photographs, identifying species and documenting their sightings, helping them better understand the birds and habitats in their own localities.
Experts Strengthen Documentation
Bird experts and experienced birders are supporting participants in identifying species correctly and understanding bird behaviour, habitats and scientific observation methods. Their involvement is helping improve the quality of records generated through the campaign. It is also encouraging first-time birdwatchers, students and local volunteers to adopt a more organised and scientific approach to documenting bird diversity.
eBird Data Records
The observations collected through the Bird Count will be uploaded to eBird, a global scientific database for bird observations. Bringing records from different parts of Chhattisgarh onto a common platform will support future study of bird diversity, important habitats and the distribution of species across districts. The information can also provide a scientific base for bird and biodiversity conservation planning in the state.
Communities Join Effort
The campaign is receiving participation from local communities, students, young people, YUVAAN volunteers, self-help groups, Joint Forest Management Committees and bird lovers. Young people and students are showing particular interest in Bird Count activities. The initiative is also creating awareness about the role of birds in agriculture, forests and wider ecosystems, while helping citizens recognise the value of protecting natural habitats.
Festival Creates Baseline
The Hareli Bird Festival–2026, organised across all 33 districts of Chhattisgarh, gave the campaign a strong public start. During the three-day festival, participants recorded 211 bird species through 954 eBird checklists. The ongoing Bird Count campaign is building on this participation, with fresh observations and bird records continuing to be added from locations across the state.
Continuous Monitoring Planned
The Forest and Climate Change Department plans to take Bird Count and birdwatching forward as a continuing process. Proposed activities include regular Bird Walks, programmes in schools and colleges, birdwatching with local communities, and monitoring of important wetlands and bird habitats. The approach aims to combine expert knowledge with public participation for stronger and more informed conservation action.
Conservation Network Expands
Under Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap’s guidance, the department is working to build a bird and biodiversity conservation network through scientific inputs and citizen participation. The focus is on improved monitoring of bird habitats, systematic documentation and the development of an updated information base that can support future conservation decisions. Citizens, students, youth and bird enthusiasts have been encouraged to participate in larger numbers and record their observations scientifically.
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