‘Grass Peacock’ of India, known for swayamvar dance, on brink of extinction, warns WII

Lesser Florican Numbers Plummet to Just 200, Warn Scientists (Image: Wikipedia)

India’s grasslands are falling silent. The population of the lesser florican, a rare bird known for its spectacular monsoon dance, has dropped to just 150 to 200 individuals worldwide, researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) have warned. The new estimate follows sightings of only 19 males in Gujarat and Rajasthan during the peak breeding season in August.

Why Is the Lesser Florican Vanishing So Rapidly?

The findings were presented by researcher Mohib Uddin on the second day of WII’s 36th Annual Research Seminar. Uddin, who has studied the species for a decade, said surveys in both states revealed an alarming decline. “We saw only 19 birds in six grids, which is very low for a critically endangered species,” he said.

Known locally as the “grass peacock”, the Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indicus) is famed for its leaping courtship display during the monsoon. But its traditional habitats are being lost to agriculture, mining, and overgrazing. Once found across India’s semi-arid grasslands, the bird now struggles to survive in croplands where machinery and fences destroy nests and eggs. “The species urgently needs focused conservation, including habitat restoration and captive breeding, before it meets the fate of the great Indian bustard,” Uddin said.

How Has the Population Changed Over the Years?

The decline has been sharp and steady. The population fell by more than 80% in 36 years, from 4,374 individuals in 1982 to around 800 in 2018. Past surveys recorded 1,672 birds in 1989, 2,206 in 1994, and 3,530 in 1999, before dropping to 2,200 in 2006. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) first listed the bird as “Critically Endangered” in 1994. After a brief improvement, it was reassessed as “Critically Endangered” again in 2021.

Low nest survival rates and mechanical farming have worsened the crisis. “These birds don’t flee from danger. They hide, and that’s why machinery cuts through males, females, and even chicks,” Uddin explained. Only 27 % of nests survive each season. Power lines, stray dogs, and agricultural fencing add to the growing list of threats.

Where Do the Birds Go After the Breeding Season?

Telemetry studies on 12 tagged birds, nine males and three females, revealed detailed movement patterns. “In mid-October, they travel about 1,500 kilometres from Ajmer to the Deccan,” Uddin said. The team found that the birds’ wintering sites include Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana, while they pass through Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh during migration. “They flew only at night, moving about 20 to 27 kilometres daily, and sometimes covering over 200 kilometres in one night,” he said.

Adult survival rates remain low, at just 53% annually. Female birds are especially hard to observe because they are shy and blend with the dry grass. The spread of Juliflora plants has also forced the species to shift from grasslands to farmlands, where threats are greater.

Can Conservation Efforts Reverse the Decline?

A conservation breeding centre in Ajmer offers a glimmer of hope. The facility houses ten birds, six females and four males, and includes incubation rooms and chick-rearing areas. “We are developing breeding protocols, and one male has already shown breeding behaviour,” Uddin said.

WII has also reached out to over 3,000 students and 2,500 villagers living near nesting areas to raise awareness. Uddin recommends restoring native grasslands and compensating farmers who protect nests. “Grassland restoration is not difficult. Around 20 species can grow within three months,” he said. Collecting eggs from the wild for hatching, managing predators, and protecting breeding sites could also help rebuild the population.

For now, the Lesser Florican’s dance continues, but with fewer partners and fading hope. Without swift action, one of India’s most striking monsoon performers could vanish from the skies forever.