6th Campus Bird Count 2026 At Gurucharan University Records 29 Species

The Department of Zoology of Gurucharan University, Silchar, successfully conducted its sixth consecutive Campus Bird Count 2026, as part of the 29th edition of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), a global citizen-science initiative organised by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society in collaboration with BirdLife International.

The programme was organised on February 15 under the leadership of Dr Debipreeta Dutta, Head of the Department of Zoology. During the survey, students recorded a total of 29 different bird species within the university campus, highlighting its rich avifaunal diversity.

Students participated enthusiastically, using binoculars, field guides and mobile applications to document sightings during the designated counting period. The department was assisted by Debolina Chakraborty in ensuring the smooth conduct of the event. Participants included Pratik Bhattacharjee, Ratnadeep Deb, Sakshi Das, Purba Bardhan, Tisha Roy, Baishali Das, Sanjana Kar, Pronabananda Choudhury, Swarnamoyee Choudhury and Ananya Ghosh.

Among the notable species documented were the Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Yellow-footed Green Pigeon, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Asian Tit and a species of swift. Other commonly observed birds included the Spotted Dove, Common Myna, Black Kite, Blue-throated Barbet, Coppersmith Barbet, Black-rumped Flameback and Rufous Treepie.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Dutta emphasised that birdwatching contributes to mental and physical well-being by reducing stress and promoting mindfulness. She noted that birding enhances focus, observation skills and patience, while also fostering community bonding and conservation awareness among students.

The department stated that such initiatives encourage experiential learning beyond the classroom and contribute valuable data to global bird research and biodiversity conservation. The continued success of the Campus Bird Count reflects the university’s commitment to academic excellence, environmental awareness and holistic student development.