Tokhü Emong Bird Count concludes

DIMAPUR — On the final day of the second Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC), 19 birders contributed 74 checklists from seven territorial forest divisions, totaling more than 80 species.

According to a press release, 47 birders from Nagaland reported 210 species in 320 checklists during the four-day TEBC 2023, which concluded on Tuesday. This is more than double the participation from last year. The event concluded synchronously with the Lotha festival of Tokhü Emong.

This year, TEBC was conducted in the jurisdictions of all 11 territorial forest divisions in Nagaland, and Eco Warriors Nagaland identified a nodal person from each district and deployed field teams.

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Lansothung Lotha led a three-member team on a four-day excursion through Tuensang, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, and Wokha districts, meeting schoolchildren, local youths, and front-line forest staff and contributing 52 checklists with 90 species.

The team contributed the first eBird checklists for the Tuensang district, which was one of only two districts in the country with no checklists in the eBird database. The eBird database now lists 39 avian species from Tuensang district.

Manash Pratim covered Mon district, contributing 14 eBird checklists and 118 species.

Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) contributed checklists from Longleng, while scientists from the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) India contributed observations from Kohima district, in addition to local participants.

The Nagaland state database after TEBC 2023 records 282 species in Kohima district and 97 in Longleng district.

The Foundation of Ecological Security (FES) team covered the districts of Wokha, Phek, and Dimapur, while Thanamir researchers' team covered Kiphire district, contributing 17 checklists with a total of 82 species.

The district of Mokokchung had 75 checklists documenting 47 species. Dimapur had 71 checklists with 50 species. Tuensang had 51 checklists and 39 species. Wokha had 37 checklists and 40 species. Kiphire had 23 checklists and 82 species. Kohima had 17 checklists and 62 species. Zunheboto had 16 checklists with 23 species. Mon district had 15 checklists with 123 species. Phek district had 10 checklists with 37 species. Longleng had only 3 checklists but documented 29 species.

Several teams reported seeing flocks of Amur falcons flying overhead. The state bird, Blyth's Tragopan, was spotted in the Kohima district. The Naga Wren Babbler, which is endemic to the Naga Hills, was reported in the districts of Kohima and Zunheboto.

The State of India's Birds 2023 report, compiled by 13 partner organisations, lists four 'Highest Priority Species' for Nagaland: Blyth's Tragopan, Naga Wren Babbler, Dark-rumped Swift, and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush.

Furthermore, Manipur Fulvetta has been added to the state's list of ‘Species of Highest Conservation Priority’. There are even more sparrows in Nagaland than meet the eye, namely the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Russet Sparrow.

TEBC participants were also involved in various training programmes in all districts of Nagaland, with over 350 students, frontline forest staff, and members of the general public participating. Fourteen government schools participated in the event.

Also read: Second Tokhü Emong Bird Count begins