-Asian waterbird census was carried out in Okhla Okhla Bird Sanctuary on 6 January, 2017.
-During this exercise, there has been an increase in water bird species diversity. A total of 11,622 birds were spotted across 63 species. This is in comparison to 53 species and 6,183 total birds in 2017. In 2016, this was even less — 46 species and 3,113 birds.
-The Okhla Bird Sanctuary is a unique urban wetland, where water birds are found in the heart of Delhi-NCR.
-The 2018 Asian Waterbird census was carried out by the Wetlands International South Asia with the help of the Gautam Budh Nagar Forest department and volunteers from different universities.
-Of the 63 species spotted during the census, 27 were of resident water birds and 36 of winter migratory water birds such as the northern lapwing and the common shelduck.
-Among the resident water birds, the most common species were, the purple swamphen and the black-winged stilt duck.
The migratory birds like-the greylag geese, bar-headed geese, the common teal, northern shoveler, Eurasian wigeon and Eurasian coot were also spotted in the Sanctuary.
-Even some IUCN Red List of Threatened Species were also spotted, like; the oriental darter and local migratory species such as the painted stork, woolly-necked stork, river lapwing and black-headed ibis. IUCN Red list of Threatened migratory species such as the greater spotted eagle and ferruginous duck were also spotted.
