Bird Race was conceptualised by Mumbai-based naturalist and writer Sunjoy Monga. Each year the Race sees participants from all age groups and, over the years, it has helped in generating data about bird sighting.
This Valentine's Day, around 250-odd Mumbaikars will have a date with birds as part of the 12th Mumbai Bird Race – an annual event organised to popularise birdwatching and gather data on bird sightings.
Bird Race was conceptualised by Mumbai-based naturalist and writer Sunjoy Monga. Each year the Race sees participants from all age groups and, over the years, it has helped in generating data about bird sighting. In 2015, the total tally of birds sighted was 221 while in 2005 it was 277.
"This year we have a few dedicated teams like the Mangrove Cell team, which will explore birds spotted in Mumbai's mangroves, while another team will only look at birds on lakes. A team will just be walking in urban areas and a few will be using only public transport to move during the day," said Monga, adding that the organising team would be helping with suggestions on places to visit and other information, apart from participating teams making use of technology and social media.
The various teams will begin their birding from dawn to dusk in and around Mumbai's well-known birding spots like SGNP, Yeoor, Alibaug, Karnala, Tungareshwar, Bhandup, Airoli and others will try to record as many species of birds as possible. In the evening, they all will discuss about the sightings made by each team.
"With a large number of people residing in urban areas, these landscapes have become one more type of habitat and Bird Races are helping in looking at the birdlife of these areas and their surroundings. These Races also aim at creating a better understanding of other aspects of our biodiversity to ensure that support and awareness for the cause are increased," Monga said.
In fact, participants as well as organisers of the Bird Race have been highlighting that over a decade, several bird habitats like the Grass-Scrub-Agriculture, commonly known as Openlands, as well as freshwater and coastal wetlands have declined alarmingly across the region. They have also been underlining the fact that several wetland and freshwater sites have completely disappeared, and several others are choked with refuse.
BIRD RACE 2015
Some uncommonly sighted/reported species
Oriental Darter, also popularly known as Snake-bird, Knob-billed Duck (popular called Nakta) and the Cotton Pygmy-goose, White-bellied Sea-eagle, Black Eagle
Some species or bird groups not sighted/heard across the region
White Stork, Black Redstart, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Ruddy Turnstone, Ashy Woodswallow, No Quail species, No Harrier species except Marsh Harrier, No Lark species except Rufous-tailed Lark, No Vultures
Some species not sighted/heard in SGNP and its fringes
Large Cuckooshrike, Ashy Woodswallow, Verditer Flycatcher, Loten's Sunbird, Blue-capped Rock Thrush, Yellow-crowned (Mahratta) Woodpecker, White-naped Woodpecker, Heartspotted Woodpecker, Quail species
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