Common Chiffchaff to Peregrine Falcon: Hyderabad home to 200 bird species including foreign breeds

Hyderabad: Do you know Hyderabad is home to nearly 200 bird species, including foreign breeds?

Hyderabad Birding Atlas, a large-scale citizen science project, recently concluded its first winter survey from February 3 to February 23, 2025.

The initiative, jointly conducted by WWF-India, Hyderabad Birding Pals (HBP), and Deccan Birders (DB), aims to monitor bird populations across Hyderabad over three years.

“The Hyderabad Birding Atlas is the first of its kind in the country. It will help us understand how bird populations change with seasons and urban development,” said Farida Tampal, State Director, WWF-India.

What Did the Survey Reveal?

Winter 2025 Survey recorded 195 bird species, including 53 foreign breeds. Over 67,000 individual birds were counted during the survey. The survey covered 180 randomly selected 1 sq km grid cells spanning urban parks, wetlands, scrublands, and wooded areas.

Some uncommon species spotted during the survey include:

• Common Grasshopper Warbler

• Common Chiffchaff

• Eastern Orphean Warbler

• Baillon’s Crake

• Common Cuckoo

• Osprey

• Peregrine Falcon

“The documentation of species like the Common Grasshopper Warbler and Eastern Orphean Warbler is exciting because they are rarely recorded in Hyderabad,” noted Sriram Reddy, Coordinator, Hyderabad Birding Pals, speaking to Newsmeter.

Indian Roller Spotted in 22 Locations

The Indian Roller, Telangana’s state bird, was recorded 26 times across 22 locations, mostly within the Outer Ring Road (ORR) limits. This highlights the importance of urban green spaces for bird populations.

“The Indian Roller sightings show that Hyderabad still has pockets of habitat supporting native bird species, but we must ensure these habitats are protected,” said Sudhir Moorthi, Member, Deccan Birders.

700 Volunteers, 209 Field Participants

The survey saw an overwhelming response, with over 700 volunteers registering and undergoing training on bird identification, survey protocols, and data collection methods. During the winter survey, 209 trained volunteers actively participated in fieldwork.

Why This Survey Matters

The Hyderabad Birding Atlas is not just about counting birds—it aims to track habitat changes, migration trends, and seasonal diversity. With rapid urbanization, such long-term data is crucial for conservation efforts.

Next Survey: Summer 2025

The next phase, the Summer 2025 Survey, is scheduled for later this year. Volunteers of all experience levels are encouraged to participate.

For details and participation:

Visit https://hydbirdatlas.com or write to hyderabadbirdatlas@gmail.com.