Around 47 birders from across the State reported sightings of 210 species of birds in 320 checklists, more than double the participation from last year, during the 2nd Tokhü Emong Bird Count (TEBC) which concluded synchronously with the Tokhü Emong festival.
In the spirit of celebration, fellowship, and reconciliation, TEBC 2023 helped reconnect communities with birds around them and foster renewed understanding.
On the last day, 19 birders contributed 74 checklists across 7 territorial forest divisions- counting over 80 species.
This year, TEBC was undertaken in the jurisdictions of all 11 territorial Forest divisions in Nagaland. Eco Warriors Nagaland identified a nodal person from every district and deployed field teams.
Through the directorate of School Education, 14 Govt schools took part in their respective districts—GPS Fakim, GMS Pungro Town, GMS Okotso, GHS Tizit, Govt School Satakha, GMS Sangphur B, GMS Jalukie, GPS Khenyu, Thetsumi GHS, GMS Sanglao, GHS Zhadima, GHSS Singrijan, GMS Tuensang and GMS Sector-A Wokha. Bethesda School Okotso, Baptist Thangyen Hr. Sec. School, Unity Christian Hr. Sec. School Chümoukedima, R.C. Chiten Memorial GHS Changtongya Town, Loyola Hr. Sec. School Kiphire and St. Xavier’s College Jalukie also participated.
Manash Pratim covered Mon district, contributing 14 eBird checklists and 118 species. Lansothung Lotha led a 3-member team that covered Tuensang, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, and Wokha over a 4-day long excursion, meeting school children, local youths, and front-line forest staff and contributed 52 checklists with 90 species.
The team contributed the first eBird checklists ever for the Tuensang district- one of the only 2 districts in the entire country that did not have a single checklist in the eBird database. With this, the eBird database notes 39 avian species from Tuensang district.
After TEBC, Nagaland state database records 282 species in Kohima and 97 in Longleng districts.
Several teams reported flocks of Amur Falcons flying over the skies. Blyth’s Tragopan, the state bird, was recorded in Kohima district. Naga Wren Babbler, endemic to the Naga hills, was reported in Kohima and Zunheboto districts. The State of India’s Birds 2023 report compiled by 13 partner organisations records 4 ‘Highest Priority Species’ for Nagaland: Blyth’s Tragopan, Naga Wren Babbler, Dark-rumped Swift, and Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush.
In addition, Manipur Fulvetta was added to list of ‘Species of Highest Conservation Priority’ for the state. There are even more sparrows in Nagaland than meet the eye, namely the Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Russet Sparrow. This year, scientists from Wildlife Institute of India (WII) contributed checklists from Longleng while scientists from Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and WWF-India contributed observations from Kohima in addition to local participants.
The team from Foundation of Ecological Security (FES) covered the districts of Wokha, Phek, and Dimapur. Thanamir Researchers’ Team covered Kiphire district contributed 17 checklists with a total of 82 species.
The Practicing Food Sovereignty research team from University of Melbourne, Stockholm University, and North Eastern Social Research Centre also joined as research partners. TEBC 2023 campaign was earlier launched by Union Minister of Environment, Forests, & Climate Change, and Labour & Employment, Bhupender Yadav.