India’s first coastal and wader bird census in Jamnagar, Gujarat

India’s first coastal and wader bird census will  be conducted in the  Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary in Jamnagar ,Gujarat from 3 -5 January 2025. Wader birds are those birds which has long legs, long necks, and long bills, that are adapted for wading in shallow waters and live on fish, frogs, etc. Crane, stork, shoebill, ibis, heron, flamingo etc are some of the examples of wader bird.

Who is conducting the census?

The three day census is being carried out by the Gujarat government’s Forest Department in collaboration with a non governmental oragnisation (NGO) Bird Conservation Society Gujarat (BCSG).

The first day of the census will feature speeches by experts in forest and wildlife. On the second day the bird counting will begin and on the third day, knowledge sharing and a closing ceremony will be held.

About the Marine National Park and Marine Sanctuary

India’s first Marine Sanctuary was set up in 1980 and in 1982 the first Marine National Park was set up in the Gulf of Kutch,Jamnagar. 

It is an archipelago of 42 tropical islands situated along the northern coast of Jamnagar district and the southern coast of Kutch.

The total area of the Marine National Park is 163 sq km and Marine Sanctuary is 458 sq.km.

Geographical feature 

The sanctuary lies in the intertidal zone. Intertidal zone refers to the area where the sea meets the land during high and low tides. The land area is submerged during the high tides and exposed during the low tide.

The area is also rich in coral reef fringes and 52 coral species are found here especially at Pirotan, Narala, Ajad and Positara.

Bird Species in the area

The area is rich in mangrove forest which provides nesting places to the warder birds in the area. Some of the major warder birds found in the area are Painted Stork, Darter and Black-necked Ibis,Avocets and Phalaropes.

The Park also is home to the fish catching birds like  Gulls, Terns, Kingfishers, Osprey, Marsh Harrier, Palla’s Fish Eagle.

The area is geographically part of the Central Asian Migratory Birds Flyway.

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