The bird count conducted in the seven prominent biodiversity parks in the national Capital has revealed that less number of winged guests arrived in this season. Counting was done during the Big Bird Day ( BBD ) - 2020 in the seven diversity parks.

According to the data prepared by Dr Faiyaz Khudsar, a Delhi University professor, in the current season, 83 bird species were counted against 102 in 2017, 103 in 2018 and 98 in 2019 in Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP). Special species that have been seen in YBP are - Red Crested Pochard and Ferrogenous Pochard.

In Tilpath valley, Biodiversity Park, this year only 43 migratory species counted however in 2017, the number was 64, and 45 , 53 were in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

In Kamla Nehru Ridge, 59 migratory species marked their presence while in 2017, only 54 were their and in 2018, 2019 number was 45 and 59 respectively. Special species  that have been seen here are Verditer fly catcher and Northern Shoveler

In Tughlakabad Biodiversity Park, 53 migratory species have arrived and that included Black Rumed, Flamed Back and Common Woodsheike.  In 2017, the number of species in the biodiversity Park was 69 and in 2018, only 55 species were seen. The number further reduced to just 49 in 2019, Dr Khudsar said.

In Aravali Biodiversity Park, this year, 54 migratory species were counted while the number was 63 in 2018. In Neela Hauz biodiversity park, only 23 migratory species were seen while in South Delhi Biodiversity Park, total number of species were 40.

There are seven Biodiversity Parks in Delhi spread over an area of about 3000 acres in which Yamuna Biodiversity Park is the oldest (2002) and the South Biodiversity Park is just few months old .

According to environmentalists, Delhi Biodiversity Parks have assumed global importance as models for replication not only to conserve the vanishing natural heritage from urban centres but also render a wide range of ecosystem services.

Citing low visibility a crucial factor, Dr Khudasr said the number seems to be underestimated due to heavy smog which led to little poor visibility as well as sighting of birds. Probably we would have gone for the first week of February like other years for the count because we might have missed some of the passing migrants.