Avian diversity shines at Sundarban Bird Festival 2025 with 154 species spotted

Brown-winged kingfisher (Image: Canva)

Birdwatchers and conservationists rejoiced as the third Sundarban Bird Festival 2025 recorded an impressive 154 bird species. Held from 22 to 26 January, the event celebrated the region’s rich avifauna and highlighted its vital role in biodiversity conservation.

During the festival, 40 birdwatchers in six teams counted 31,926 birds. The survey revealed 51 migratory and 103 resident bird species. In the Sundarban Tiger Reserve, 100 species were recorded in the core area, 90 in the buffer zone, and 129 outside the protected regions.

Specific locations like Matla forests tallied 108 species, while Kalas recorded 95 and Sajnekhali had 64 species—the lowest count. Other zones included 81 species in National Park West, 70 in National Park East, and 73 in Basirhat.

The exercise identified 12 threatened bird species, including the Eurasian curlew, brown-winged kingfisher, and black-capped kingfisher. Other notable birds spotted were the grey plover, terek sandpiper, and common redshank.

Officials reported sightings of 45 wader and shore bird species, eight raptor species, 91 forest birds, three waterfowl species, and seven other bird types.

This year marked the third Sundarban Bird Festival, showing a rise in species diversity since its inception. In 2023, the first event recorded 145 species and 5,065 birds. The following year saw 135 species but an increase to 8,886 birds.

The Indian Sundarban, spanning 4,000 square kilometres, remains a unique mangrove ecosystem, also home to approximately 100 Bengal tigers. Forest officials aim to align festival findings with global bird databases to enhance research on the region’s avian population.

The Sundarban Bird Festival continues to inspire efforts in conserving this extraordinary natural habitat.