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The seventh waterbird number astatine the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve successful Assam released connected Wednesday (February 25, 2026) has spotlighted a caller avian impermanent — a diving duck from the Eurasian taiga breeding grounds.
However, the cheer for ornithologists and wildlife officials has travel with immoderate interest related to clime change.
“The smew (Mergellus albellus) signals wetland wellness successful India, but its vagrant presumption flags climate-driven scope shifts and the request to support refuelling stops amid hunting and lipid contamination threats,” said ornithologist Nilutpal Mahanta, a portion of the waterbird census held from January 4 to 11.
A striking diving duck, the smew is simply a uncommon visitant to India. Male smews person a black-masked achromatic body, portion females person a mottled brownish body. Sightings are sporadic and localised, chiefly successful bluish oregon cardinal Indian wetlands, including Haiderpur successful Uttar Pradesh.
During the census, the smew was recorded astatine Rowmari-Donduwa beels successful Laokhowa, portion of the Kaziranga scenery covering 1,302 sq. km., and successful the halfway areas of the parkland that are amended known for its one-horned rhinoceroses.
The diving duck favours fish-rich, sheltered waters during winter, singly oregon successful a tiny flock. Globally, determination are an estimated 130,000 smews, but their fig has been declining owed to situation nonaccomplishment and quality activities.
Fewer waterfowls
The enumerators recorded 105,540 idiosyncratic waterbirds belonging to 107 species. The fig was 6,522 individuals and 17 taxon less than what the sixth waterbird number yielded successful 2025.
Officials downplayed the numerical dip. They said the accomplishment of the smew “underscores floodplain resilience for flyway migrants, guiding anti-encroachment efforts successful the 2 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) successful the Kaziranga scenery — the Kaziranga National Park and 2 wildlife sanctuaries, Laokhowa and Burhachapori, together.
‘Record-breaking census’
“The first-ever sighting of the smew has stolen the spotlight successful a record-breaking census of 105,540 birds. This spectacular debut reaffirms Assam’s wetlands and captious biodiversity hotspots,” Assam’s Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.
This year’s survey, conducted by 120 enumerators and 50 volunteers, spanned 166 wetlands crossed 10 ranges of the tiger reserve. The recorded taxon included ducks oregon geese, waders, herons oregon egrets, and marsh birds.
The apical abundant taxon were the bar-headed goose, bluish pintail, and lesser whistling duck. The census study highlighted targeted conservation needs with 18 critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and near-vulnerable taxon connected the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) watchlists.
The apical 5 wetlands by number were Laokhowa’s Rowmari Beel (15,661 birds), Donduwa Beel (14,469), Katakhal (4,979), Sohola (3,612), and Khalihamari (3,463). The apical 5 wetlands by diverseness were Rowmari (77 species), Donduwa (71), Sohola (69), Kawoimari-Bhoisamari-Diffulo (57), and Ververy (53).
