The annual bird count at Sultanpur National Park has delivered encouraging news for biodiversity, revealing the highest diversity of waterbird species recorded at the site in four years. The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) for 2026, carried out on January 6, documented a significant increase in the variety of avian visitors to this crucial wetland.
A Surge in Species Amidst Climate Shifts
The census teams counted 69 distinct species and a total of 3,955 individual waterbirds. This marks a notable jump from the 48 species observed in 2025, 43 in 2024, and 51 in 2023. However, the overall population count tells a more complex story. While species diversity is up, the total number of birds remains substantially lower than pre-2024 levels. The count of 3,955 is less than half of the 9,026 birds tallied in 2023.
Forest and wildlife officials attribute this pattern of greater diversity but thinner flocks to climate variability affecting the Central Asian Flyway. A prolonged monsoon that lasted until mid-October helped improve water levels in the wetland, creating better habitat. However, the late onset of winter delayed the arrival of many migratory species and caused birds to disperse across a wider range of habitats than usual.
Experts Cite Staggered Migration and Human Pressure
TK Roy, the Delhi state coordinator for AWC who supervised the count with Haryana Forest Department teams and local birders, provided critical insight. "Migration was clearly staggered this year," Roy stated. "We saw more species but fewer individuals, barring a few duck species."
Ecologists involved in the census raised a red flag about a growing threat: human disturbance. They noted increasing pressure from visitors and photographers who venture too close to the wetland's edge. Roy emphasized the lack of restricted fencing near sensitive zones, which forces birds to repeatedly take flight and abandon their feeding areas. This unchecked tourism and proximity, experts warn, could lead to further declines in bird populations in the coming years if not managed.
Conservation Implications and the Path Forward
The data from Sultanpur's census is not just a local statistic. It feeds directly into the Union Environment Ministry's National Action Plan for Conservation of Migratory Birds and their Habitats along the Central Asian Flyway. This makes the trends observed at Sultanpur critically important for broader, subcontinental conservation planning.
The key takeaway for authorities is clear. While celebrating the rise in species diversity, they must address the concurrent challenge of declining overall numbers. Officials concluded that tighter visitor regulation and enhanced habitat protection will be essential. The goal is to ensure that the welcome increase in variety does not come at the long-term cost of shrinking populations in one of Haryana's most vital Ramsar wetlands.
