A monthly bird census will be conducted across Chandigarh’s Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary to monitor avian diversity, identify habitat changes and assess the impact of human activity around the protected area, according to the Chandigarh forest and wildlife department.
The department will carry out the study in collaboration with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Officials said the data would help track changes in bird populations and habitat use, identify vulnerable zones and support future conservation strategies.
The monitoring programme is also expected to provide a scientific basis for land-use and development decisions in areas surrounding the sanctuary. The initiative comes as officials assess whether urban growth and increasing human activity are affecting bird movement and habitat conditions.
Department officials said changes in the sanctuary environment could influence migratory patterns, potentially pushing birds towards quieter water bodies in the vicinity. Regular monthly monitoring will help establish whether such shifts are taking place before the winter migration season.
The census will combine departmental field teams with local residents who volunteer to participate. WII experts will train the volunteers and officials in scientific monitoring methods, including line-transect and point-count surveys. These methods are designed to record birds systematically across defined locations rather than relying only on occasional sightings.
Training will cover bird identification through plumage, flight patterns and calls. Participants will also be instructed in the use of optical equipment and digital applications for documenting observations and recording coordinates. Volunteers will work alongside department teams during the counts.
The programme is intended to create a regular record of how birds use the sanctuary and whether those patterns change over time. Such a record can help distinguish seasonal movement from longer-term changes linked to habitat conditions or human pressure, although the supplied report does not specify the census schedule beyond its monthly frequency or the indicators that will trigger management action.
A wildlife census conducted by the department last year recorded more than 132 bird species within Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The new exercise will provide recurring observations rather than a single annual count, allowing the department and WII to compare bird presence, habitat use and vulnerable locations across different months.
The forest and wildlife department and WII will next undertake volunteer training and begin the regular field counts. The resulting observations are expected to inform conservation planning and future decisions concerning land use and development around the sanctuary.
