Mumbai: White-bellied Sea-Eagle sighted at SGNP

BNHS volunteers at the Nagla Block participate in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park bird count exercise

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) recorded a new bird species - the White-bellied Sea-Eagle - during the monthly bird count at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). The May count, which took place on Sunday with the participation of over 42 BNHS members and volunteers, documented a total of 83 species, raising the park's avian diversity to 233 recorded species.

On May 26, 2024, over 42 dedicated volunteers showcased their citizen science prowess during a bird count at Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The day concluded with the team recording an impressive 83 bird species, highlighting the rich biodiversity of these areas. A new addition to the SGNP Bird checklist was the White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Icthyophaga leucogaster) bringing the total number of recorded avian species in the region to 233, further enriching SGNP's ecological heritage.

White-bellied sea-eagle spotted over Tulsi Lake by BNHS member Rahul Pereira

"The White-bellied Sea-Eagles are commonly observed in inshore seas, islands, coastal regions, estuaries, and terrestrial wetlands. They nest in forested areas, woodlands and rocky terrain, and there is a possibility that they are nesting in SGNP," said Asif Khan from the BNHS Programmes Team. The bird count is conducted monthly by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) in collaboration with SGNP, and nature enthusiasts are welcome to participate. For more details, please visit www.bnhs.org.

The bird monitoring programme is supported by the staff of SGNP and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary Forest Department, led by the Director, G. Mallikarjuna (IFS - chief conservator of forests) and Sudhir Sonawale (assistant conservator of forests, SGNP). With support from the BNHS Director Kishor Rithe, the count is coordinated by the Conservation Education Centre - Mumbai Team, Sumit Dothre, Shardul Bajikar, Kiran Thumma, Priyadarshani Supekar and Asif N. Khan from BNHS Programmes department.

A cheetal stag photographed by BNHS Member Rahul Pereira during the SGNP bird count

"The active involvement and careful work of our dedicated volunteers significantly contribute to our knowledge of avian biodiversity in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The recent discovery of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle underscores the significance of these bird counts and the valuable data they yield for conservation efforts," said Kishor Rithe, director of BNHS.

BNHS's SGNP Bird Monitoring Programme

BNHS, began monitoring the birds in Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in February 2021, through a citizen science programme called the "SGNP Bird Monitoring Programme or SGNP Bird Count" for short. Under this programme, BNHS conducts a Bird Count every month at various locations of the national park and Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. The count takes place every month with the help of BNHS Members, bird watchers and other volunteers.