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Campus Bird Count 2022



"Birds are indicators of the environment. If they are in trouble, we know we'll soon be in trouble" - Roger Tory Peterson


On 18 February 2022, 'Campus Bird Count' was organised in the Miranda House Campus under the 'Great Backyard Bird Count', for the students to experience and appreciate the diversity of birds in the campus. The event was organised by MH Vatavaran (The Environment Society of Miranda House) in collaboration with Synapse (The Zoology Department of Miranda House) under the supervision of Dr. Deepak Yadav, Dr. Yasha Yadav (Faculty members of Zoology Department) and Dr. Saba Zulfiquar (Faculty member of MH Vatavaran and Zoology Department). Mr. Chandra Bhushan Maurya, a Delhi-based birder, was the event's special guest. He led the students through the event and guided everyone in identifying birds. Over 40 students participated in this event.





The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is an annual global bird count in which thousands of birdwatchers from around the world look for birds over the course of four days in February. The exercise provides a "snapshot" of the bird population and sheds light on the ecology that supports it, as well as whether the population is shrinking or the bird distribution pattern is shifting as a result of human involvement and its impact on habitat. This year, the GBBC is celebrating 25 years enjoying birdwatching. GBBC has been observed in India since 2013, this year GBBC will take place from the 18th to the 21st of February.

The event was scheduled to start at 8:30 AM for which all the participants gathered near the science shed. Mr. Chandra Bhushan began by describing his previous visit to Miranda House in 2019, during which 25 bird species were identified. He also told students about some of Delhi's resident birds and how to identify them. In addition, he informed students about the eBird App (for details visit - https://ebird.org/home). Following that, students walked around the campus identifying different birds, under the guidance of Mr. Chandra Bhushan and faculty members.




Also, this event was recognized and reported by Times of India on 19 February, 2022.


Source : Times of India


The 18 species spotted during the campus tour are as follows:


Black Kite

Source : eBird

  • Unmistakable forked tail

  • Common raptor, found in large number in Delhi

  • Call - shrill call resembling ewe-wir-wir-wir


Blue Rock Pigeon

Source : eBird

  • Dull grey bird with dash of green, purple and magenta sheen on neck and upper breast.

  • Most widely seen pigeons

  • Adapted to human habitations

  • Call - deep throated gootr-goo


Rose-ringed Parakeet


Source : eBird

  • Narrow prominent pink and black band around neck of male

  • Most commonly seen parakeet in Delhi

  • Often seen in groups

  • Call - kee-awk


House Crow

Source : eBird

  • Most commonly recognized

  • Glossy greyish bird

  • True omnivores

  • Call - ka-aa


Laughing Dove

Source : eBird

  • Slender dove with greyish upper parts and brown lower parts

  • Chessboard pattern on sides of neck

  • Call - laugh like cook-took-took-oo-roo


Eurasian Collared Dove

Source : eBird

  • Grey-buff to pinkish-grey

  • Little darker above than below, with a blue-grey underwing patch

  • Black half-collar edged with white on its nape

  • Call - goo-GOO-goo


Common Myna

Source : eBird

  • Most common bird in human habitations

  • Dark brown body, glossy black head nad yellow beak, legs and eye patch

  • Has huge repertoire of calls


Brown-headed Barbet

Source : eBird

  • Stocky, green colored

  • Brown head, neck, upper breast

  • Back interspersed with wide white streaks

  • Orange patch around eye

  • Call - kutrook-kutrook


Black Drongo

Source : eBird

  • Common glossy black bird

  • Deeply forked tail

  • Call - cheece-cheese-chiuk, with chatter-like quality


Asian Koel

Source : eBird

  • Most popular song bird

  • Male - shiny black with crimson eyes

  • Female - white spotted on brown

  • Call - kuoo-kuoo


Purple Sunbird

Source : eBird

  • Male - glossy dark blue and purple color

  • Female - olive brown and uniformly yellow below

  • Slender curved beak meant for sucking nectar

  • Call - chew-it, chew-it


Red-vented Bulbul

Source : eBird

  • Small brownish bird

  • Black head with crest and crimson red vent

  • Call - peep-peep-peep


Red-whiskered Bulbul

Source : eBird

  • Familiar garden bird

  • Red whiskers behind eyes

  • Black crest, brown back, white underparts and red vent

  • One of it remarkable call sounds like 'Pleased to meet you'


Hume's Warblar

Source : eBird

  • Small bird with greenish upperparts and off-white underparts

  • Crown stripe, and conspicuous white tips to the innermost flight feathers

  • Call - chew-wee


Jungle Babbler


  • Greyish head, long tail and lemon yellow eyes

  • Has short rounded wings and a weak flight

  • Call - monotonous kay-kay-kay


Rufous Treepie

Source : eBird

  • Blackish head and long greyish tail with black tip

  • Call - ability to chatter noisily and sing melodiously


Yellow-Footed Green Pigeon

Source : eBird

  • Stocky pigeon with grey head and rump

  • Golden green collar and yellow feet

  • Call - low pitch whistle


House Sparrow


  • Most easily recognized bird

  • Strong decline in their numbers

  • Call - cheer-cheer-cheer

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