Kaziranga Waterbird Count Records Over 1 Lakh Birds Including Rare Smew Sighting

The seventh Kaziranga Waterbird Count recorded 105,540 waterbirds across 107 species in January 2026, highlighting the Kaziranga-Laokhowa-Burhachapori floodplain as a key wintering site within the Central Asian Flyway. Notably, the rare Smew, a Eurasian diving duck, was sighted for the first time in the region, signaling potential climate-driven range shifts. The survey documented several endangered and vulnerable species, reaffirming the area's ecological importance and the need for continued wetland protection.