23-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu records 7.8 lakh birds, 798 species during synchronised survey
CHENNAI: The state forest department has recorded a healthy number of 7.8 lakh wetland and terrestrial birds spread across 798 diverse species, as per the Synchronised Bird Estimate 2025 report released by Forest Minister RS Raja Kannappan as part of World Biodiversity Day celebrations on Thursday.
The survey was conducted in two phases. Phase 1, held on March 8-9, focused on wetland birds across 934 wetlands in all 38 districts. The survey recorded 397 bird species with a total count of 5,52,349 birds, including 1,13,606 migratory birds from 136 species.
Migratory species such as the greater flamingo, greylag goose, Eurasian curlew, and pied avocet were spotted, indicating Tamil Nadu's role as a critical stopover along the Central Asian Flyway.
Among the resident wetland birds, the most populous included, little egret, little cormorant, Asian openbill, black-headed ibis, and Indian pond heron. The estimate also revealed that nearly 49% of birds were sighted in coastal districts, reflecting the ecological richness of these regions.
