Survey shows uptick in 4 of 7 DDA biodiversity parks: ‘Increase in sightings of rare migratory birds in Capital defies national trend’

The bird count showed an uptick in four of seven DDA biodiversity parks compared to last year, as per the survey. Kalindi Biodiversity Park registered the highest count with 97 sightings, up from 70 in 2024. At Yamuna Biodiversity Park and Tilpath Valley Biodiversity Park, a marginal surge was reported — from 87 to 88 and from 46 to 48, respectively. Special sightings at Yamuna Biodiversity Park included the Common Rosefinch, Eurasian Wigeon, Ferruginous Pochard, Pallas’s Gull, Black Rumped Flameback, and Red-Crested Pochard. In Tilpath Valley, the Crested Serpent Eagle and Honey Buzzard Eagle were spotted.

Sirkeer Malkoha, a rare migratory species, was spotted in the Tughlaqabad Biodiversity Park. The count here also showed an improvement over the past five years with 71 migratory bird species spotted, up from 46 last year. This year marks a change, as the number has been declining since 2021.

Talking about the importance of Delhi’s landscapes, Dr Faiyaz Khudsar, a DDA Biodiversity Parks Programme expert, said, “Delhi has two life-supporting landscapes: River Yamuna Basin and the last spur of the Aravalli Hill Ranges, both of which have lost their life-supporting characteristics. Restoring these riverscapes and landscapes is crucial for providing environmental sustenance to a mega-city like Delhi. During winter, we receive about 30 species of migratory birds from Europe, Siberia, Central Asia, and China in Yamuna Biodiversity Park.”

Referring to the restoration of the landscapes under the DDA Biodiversity Parks Programme in Delhi, which is a collection of parks that aim to conserve the city’s natural heritage, he said, “Delhi Gazetteers 1834 and 1912 had shown the presence of hog deer in Yamuna Biodiversity Park area. The species had been missing from its natural habitat… It was only after reviving these ecosystems that we found the birds and animals reclaiming the historical-geographical ranges. The area which was later developed as the Aravali Biodiversity Park had suffered from a serious weed invasion. So, we surveyed the entire Yamuna and Aravalis and identified paleochannels, initiated biophysical processes… enriched soil, ensured nutrient cycling and so on… as part of the conservation efforts, and engineered the restoration of the ecosystems’ historical characteristics. The model is unique to Delhi.”

“This time, we spotted several rare species. Nationwide, the number of winter migratory birds has been reported as very low. The presence of species like the Sirkeer Malkoha indicates that these restored ecosystems, which were developed from degraded conditions, demonstrate resilience,” said Khudsar.

Of the seven parks, Neela Hauz Biodiversity Park fared the worst and showed a decline, recording only 19 sightings, down from 33 last year. Both Aravalli Biodiversity Park and Northern Ridge Biodiversity Park also showed a dip in bird count, with 53 and 48 sightings, respectively, compared to 58 and 57 last year.

While Aravalli’s figures remained consistent over the past five years, Northern Ridge recorded its lowest count to date, with 67 as the highest figure in 2023. The Collared Scops Owl and Booted Eagle were rare sightings in these parks.

However, Dr Khudsar underlined that the number of sightings alone does not fully reflect the health of ecosystems. “Since it’s a two-hour exercise, the numbers themselves are not indicative of the ecosystems’ health. It’s the species spotted that play a major role,” he said.