Campus bird census at city school records 35 species

Drongo
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Stonehill International School in the city held its first-ever campus bird census recently as part of the annual World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) campus census. The bird census aimed to document the diversity of bird species on the city school’s campus, track population trends, and contribute valuable data to ongoing conservation efforts.

“This initiative engaged students and faculty in an exciting bird-watching experience, promoting biodiversity monitoring and conservation awareness within the campus,” said a release by the school.

Parakeet
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Participants used a bird treasure hunt slideshow to help identify species and recorded their sightings using a Google form and checklist sheet. Participants were encouraged to listen for bird calls, spot movements, and use binoculars to get a closer look at the birds.

Pond Heron
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A total of 35 bird species were identified and recorded. The most commonly spotted species included Bulbuls, Bee-eaters, Mynas, Kites, Barbets and Drongos. Several migratory and rare species, such as Kingfishers, Orioles, Hoopoes and Small Minivet, were also observed, highlighting the ecological significance of the campus.

Egret
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

This initiative reinforced the importance of biodiversity monitoring, as birds serve as indicators of environmental health. “The census promoted ecosystem awareness among students, emphasizing the role of birds in pollination, pest control, and seed dispersal. The collected data will contribute to conservation planning and further environmental initiatives within the school,” the release from school further said.

Green bee-eater
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

To encourage active participation, awards were announced for best bird sighting list, best photograph of a bird and best bird drawing.