221 Bird Species Mapped in Delhi in Year-Long Citizen Science Effort

Finding fulfillment in Project FeederWatch and other citizen-scientist efforts

The wild side comes naturally to Jim Hantak."I was always a nature nut," he said. "I grew up in North Riverside on a dead-end street."The street ended at a forest preserve. There's good reason he says, "I grew up with nature all around me."That may also help explain why for 31 years he has participated in Project FeederWatch."I just love the outdoors, hiking, fishing, golfing, camping and, recently, geocaching," he said. Jim Hantak enjoys the sp…

India's Birds Face Significant Declines, Highlighting Urgent Conservation Needs

Research Matters Staff Writer(s) Bengaluru 21 Jul 2025 India is a land with rich biodiversity, being one of the 17 megadiverse countries and home to 7-8% of the world's recorded species. It also houses four of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats, and Sundaland. India is also home to a vast array of plant and animal life, with over 47,000 plant species and 96,000 animal species. However, unchecked develo…

221 bird species mapped in Delhi in year-long citizen science effort

New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) A total of 221 bird species were recorded across the national capital's wetlands, ridge forests, urban villages and high-rise colonies in the first year of the Delhi Bird Atlas.According to an official statement, a citizen-led initiative that brought together more than 200 volunteers and created 1,150 bird checklists.The Atlas completed its first year this week with an event held at the World Wide Fund (WWF) Auditorium, L…