The latest Kaziranga bird survey has revealed why the famed Assam landscape is becoming increasingly important for the survival of some of South Asia’s rarest birds of prey and wetland species.
Conducted by the Kaziranga Tiger Reserve authority along with researchers from universities in Assam, the first-of-its-kind survey documented an impressive diversity of threatened raptors and storks across the protected area and nearby wildlife divisions. The findings were officially released on World Environment Day.
Fieldwork carried out between February and March recorded 30 species of raptors and six species of storks across the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Biswanath Wildlife Division, and Nagaon Wildlife Division.
Researchers counted 217 individual raptors and 266 individual storks during the survey, further highlighting the ecological importance of the greater Kaziranga landscape.
Kaziranga Bird Survey Records Threatened Species
Among the species documented during the Kaziranga bird survey were several globally threatened birds, including the Critically Endangered Slender-billed Vulture and Greater Adjutant.
Researchers also recorded the Endangered Red-headed Vulture and Pallas’s Fish Eagle, alongside species such as the Greater Spotted Eagle, Lesser Adjutant and Black-necked Stork.
According to the survey findings, the Kaziranga landscape supports nearly half of India’s known raptor diversity.
India has 112 recorded species of birds of prey, and around 50 of them have now been documented in the greater Kaziranga region. The landscape is also home to six of the eight stork species found in the country.
Kaziranga National Park emerged as the richest area for bird diversity in the study, with 21 raptor species and five stork species recorded.
Biswanath Wildlife Division followed with 20 raptor species and six stork species, while Nagaon Wildlife Division recorded 14 raptor species and five stork species.
Pallas’s Fish Eagle Shows Remarkable Migration Link
One of the standout findings from the survey involved the endangered Pallas’s Fish Eagle, a species facing rapid population declines across its range.
Previous studies by the Wildlife Institute of India had already identified 10 active nests in Kaziranga, making the protected landscape one of the species’ most important breeding grounds.
Researchers also highlighted an extraordinary migratory connection between Assam and Central Asia.
A male Pallas’s Fish Eagle tagged in Mongolia in 2020 has reportedly returned to Kaziranga every year for breeding, travelling thousands of kilometres between Mongolia and Assam.
The finding offers another glimpse into the international ecological importance of the region.
Asian Openbill Most Commonly Sighted Stork
Among the stork species documented, the Asian Openbill emerged as the most frequently sighted bird, with 92 recorded encounters during the survey.
The Greater Adjutant, however, was the rarest stork species documented, with only three sightings recorded.
For raptors, the Himalayan Griffon was the most abundant species observed by researchers. In contrast, both the Booted Eagle and White-tailed Eagle were recorded only once during the fieldwork.
Conservation Challenges Still Remain
Officials involved in the survey said the findings would play a key role in future conservation planning across the Kaziranga landscape.
The study stressed the importance of protecting wetlands, nesting habitats and floodplains that continue to support these vulnerable bird populations.
Researchers also identified major threats affecting the species, including powerline collisions and electrocution.
The findings have highlighted the need for stronger habitat protection measures and targeted mitigation efforts to reduce risks to birds across the region.
While Kaziranga is globally recognised for iconic wildlife such as the one-horned rhinoceros, tiger and wild buffalo, the latest survey has brought fresh attention to another critical aspect of its biodiversity — its growing role as a sanctuary for threatened raptors and wetland birds across South Asia.
