60% hen species in India have declined over 30 years: Report

Of the 338 hen species studied in India for adjustments in numbers over the past 30 years, 60 per cent have skilled a decline, says a brand new report primarily based on information from about 30,000 birdwatchers throughout the nation.

Also, 40 per cent (142) of the 359 species evaluated for change over the past seven years have declined, in response to the report titled ‘State of India’s Birds’.

The assessments depend on three indices: two are associated to the change in abundance — long-term pattern (change over 30 years) and present annual pattern (change over the previous seven years) — and the third is a measure of distribution vary dimension inside India.

Of the entire of 942 species evaluated, long-term traits might be decided for 338 species. Of these, 204 species have declined, 98 are secure and 36 have elevated, says the report printed by a gaggle of 13 authorities and non-government establishments, together with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

Current annual traits might be decided for 359 species, of which 142 have declined (64 quickly), 189 are secure, and 28 have elevated.

The report classifies 178 species, together with Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Tufted Duck, Greater Flamingo, Sarus Crane, Indian Courser and Andaman Serpent Eagle, as ‘excessive conservation precedence’.

Fourteen species, together with Indian Roller, Common Teal, Northern Shoveler and Common Sandpiper, have dropped by 30 per cent or extra and have been advisable for IUCN Red List reassessment, the report says.

Generalist species like feral Rock Pigeon, Ashy Prinia, Asian Koel and Indian Peafowl are doing very effectively. Other widespread species just like the Baya Weaver and Pied Bushchat are comparatively secure, in response to the report ready utilizing the info uploaded to the net platform eBird.

Habitat specialists — notably birds of grasslands and different open habitats, wetlands, and woodlands — are declining quickly.

In phrases of eating regimen, carnivores, insectivores, and granivores are declining extra quickly than omnivores or fruit-and-nectar eaters, the report exhibits.

Also, migratory species look like beneath higher risk than non-migrants whereas species endemic to the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka area are faring worse than others.

Certain teams of birds are faring notably poorly, together with open habitat species like bustards and coursers, riverine sandbar-nesting birds like skimmers and a few terns, coastal shorebirds, open-country raptors, and a lot of geese.

“The discovering that endemic species are faring poorly is worrying, since their existence rests completely in our arms,” M Ananda Kumar, Executive Director, Nature Conservation Foundation, mentioned in response to the report.

Ritesh Kumar, Director, Wetlands International-South Asia, mentioned the standing of many wetland birds, together with geese and shorebirds, is worrying, and factors to the conservation wants of their habitats and ecological corridors.