‘Citizen science is shedding more light into conservation of avifauna’

Citizen science in bird monitoring aids conservation efforts, as highlighted by Dr. Suhel Quader at a memorial lecture.

Consistent monitoring and documentation of birds by the non-scientific, including amateur birders, is playing a key role in understanding the status, new trends and challenges with regard to the conservation of the avifauna, according to Suhel Quader, scientist, Nature Conservation Foundation.

Documentation of birds on internet-based platforms like the eBird across the globe is helping ornithologists understand population, distribution and other trends of a wide category of birds, ranging from generalist birds to habitat specialists to those that are facing threat of extinction, observed Dr. Quader, while delivering Sálim Ali Memorial Lecture as part of the 128th birth anniversary celebration of noted ornithologist Sálim Ali at the Central Academy for State Forest Service in Coimbatore on Friday.

Digital bird monitoring platforms; birding events such as the Great Backyard Bird Count, Pongal Bird Count, Onam Bird Count and Bihu Bird Count; and bird atlases like the Mysore City Bird Atlas, Kerala Bird Atlas, Coimbatore City Bird Atlas and Pune Bird Atlas proved that citizen science has a key role in the conservation of birds, said Dr. Quader, while delivering the memorial lecture on the topic ‘Beyond Birding: The remarkable power of Citizen Science’.

He highlighted that periodical monitoring and documentation by birders have shed greater insights into population trends and changes in distribution patterns of resident and migratory bird species in the country. Citing that 186 species of birds have been recorded in Ukkadam big tank in Coimbatore, Dr. Quader stressed the need for the protection of such habitats and to keep them free from developmental activities.

Organised by the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), which is the south India centre of Wildlife Institute of India, the memorial lecture was attended by biologists, birders, nature enthusiasts and students.

S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore; P. Pramod, Senior Principal Scientist SACON, Rajah Jayapal, Senior Principal Scientist SACON, Aditi Mukherjee, Scientist and Extension Officer, SACON, spoke. Prizes were distributed to winners of various competitions organised by SACON for school students, schools and faculty.