Great Backyard Bird Count 2026: North Coastal Andhra posts strong species tally

The mid-February ritual of observing birds from balconies, campuses, wetlands and colony tanks has steadily grown into 1 of the country’s astir reliable national subject exercises. The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), coordinated globally by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and partners, has seen Indian information since it expanded worldwide successful 2013.

The 2026 variation documented 1087 species, with India finishing 2nd globally. Within the nationalist canvas, Andhra Pradesh offered a revealing cross-section of habitats, from the adust tracts of Rayalaseema to the estuaries of northbound coastal districts. The State ranked 12th successful wide taxon number with 319 species. West Bengal led the nationalist tally with 519 species, reflecting its mosaic of Himalayan foothills, Gangetic plains and coastal wetlands.

District-wise information underscores however geography shapes the checklist. Chittoor topped the State with 203 species, followed by Anantapur with 165. In northbound Andhra, Vizianagaram secured sixth presumption with 141 species, portion Visakhapatnam, with 133 species, ranked ninth. Srikakulam, though little connected the ceremonial leaderboard this year, remains ecologically important fixed its web of estuaries and coastal wetlands.

The numbers correspond 4 days of disciplined observation, uploaded by amateurs and experienced birders alike and verified done the eBird platform. For researchers, the dataset provides a seasonal snapshot of wintertime migrants earlier their northward departure.

Campuses arsenic municipality refuges

In Visakhapatnam, GITAM (Deemed to beryllium University) stood retired arsenic an progressive microhabitat. Members of the Green Poet Society, a field Nature club, documented 43 taxon wrong the assemblage grounds. Among the sightings were the orange-headed thrush, black-naped oriole and Indian grey hornbill.

Harish Prakash from the Department of Life Sciences, who mentors the club, observes, “Birds relation arsenic dependable ecological markers. A number specified arsenic the GBBC offers a credible representation of however municipality greenish pockets are sustaining avian diversity. Educational campuses often clasp much histrion screen than commercialized neighbourhoods and that structural complexity supports a wider scope of species.”

He besides notes an lack that amazed the group. “The red-vented bulbul, usually commonplace successful the city, was scarcely recorded connected campus. We encountered lone 1 idiosyncratic during the 4 days,” helium says, suggesting that adjacent acquainted taxon necessitate attraction erstwhile their beingness declines.

Across the district, much than 100 hotspots were covered. The Visakhapatnam airdrome wetland emerged arsenic the starring tract with 85 species. Vivek Rathod of Wildlife Conservation Through Research and Education, 1 of the apical observers from the region, pointed to the wetland’s seasonal value. “The airdrome wetland continues to big wintertime migrants successful important numbers. We recorded Northern pintail, communal pochard, red-crested pochard and gadwall on with nonmigratory species,” helium says, adding that specified peri-urban wetlands softly enarthrosis sizeable ecological responsibility.

Vizianagaram’s wetland web

Vizianagaram’s tally of 141 taxon drew from 23 wetlands. Durgasi Chandra Sekhar, a Zoology lecturer astatine SSSS Degree College and subordinate of the East Coast Conservation Team, attributed the summation to broader participation. “This year, much sites were surveyed and much checklists were submitted. The emergence successful section engagement has strengthened the district’s information sum compared to erstwhile editions,” helium says.

The checklist featured wintertime visitors specified arsenic common, greenish and wood sandpipers, achromatic and grey wagtails, citrine wagtail, small ringed plover, whimbrel and communal snipe. Raptors and passerines, including Eurasian kestrel, verditer flycatcher, achromatic redstart, rosy starling and hair-crested drongo, added to the seasonal profile.

Srikakulam’s surviving corridor

In Srikakulam, birders person been documenting a broader migratory corridor extending from the Vamsadhara estuary to the Nagavali stream rima adjacent PD Palem and Kalingapatnam. While the district’s GBBC checklist was humble this year, fieldwork implicit caller months indicates sizeable potential.

Balaga Naveen, a birder from the district, describes the ecological range: “Srikakulam contains inland freshwater bodies specified arsenic Sylada and Vemulada lakes, alongside brackish estuaries astatine Naupada, PD Palem, Nagavali and Vamsadhara. Each situation attracts a chiseled assembly of migrants, from Siberian ducks to coastal waders and pelagic terns.”

Species specified arsenic pied avocet, black-bellied tern, falcated duck and pied harrier person been recorded successful the broader landscape. Naveen emphasises the request for integrated thinking. “These wetlands and estuaries should beryllium understood arsenic an interconnected strategy alternatively than isolated birding spots. Recognition arsenic ‘Important Bird Areas’ would connection a applicable model for safeguarding them,” helium says, adding that determination is antagonistic interaction from soil mining and coastal development.

Reading the numbers

At a nationalist scale, India’s 1,086 taxon during the four-day workout illustrates the country’s bonzer avian wealth. West Bengal’s starring number of 519 taxon highlights however situation diverseness translates into higher tallies. Andhra Pradesh’s 319 species, though little successful comparison, is simply a reflection of its varied terrain and expanding national involvement.

For northbound Andhra, the GBBC is gradually evolving from a recreational listing workout into a civic ledger of ecological change. The information assembled each February does not resoluteness situation nonaccomplishment oregon regulatory gaps. It does, however, supply a cumulative grounds against which aboriginal shifts tin beryllium measured. In districts specified arsenic Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, that grounds is steadily becoming much detailed.