Kaziranga records a high diversity of grassland birds

Guwahati

Researchers have found a wide variety of grassland birds in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

In the first study by Avians conducted between March 18 and May 25, a team of forest officials, bird experts, scientists and conservationists registered 43 grasslands in the three natural divisions of Kaziranga. The research report was released on Monday (July 14, 2025), which marked a milestone in the documentation and protection of grassland -dependent bird species in the floodplains of Brahmaputra.

They include the critically endangered Bengal Florican, the endangered Finn’s Weaver and the Swamp Grass Babbler. Among the remaining 40 species there were six in the vulnerable category-the black-breasted parrotbill, swampbabbel, swamp Francolin, Jerdon’s Babbler, slender babbler and brushed grassbird.

Grassland health

“A highlight of this survey is that the Wever of the Finn, known locally as Hard choraiSuccesses successfully. This remarkable bird, a master-nest builder on top of trees, is an essential indicator of the grassland health, ”said Assam’s Milieu Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, while releasing the report.

The 1,174 square kilometer Kaziranga is a mix of grasslands, forest countries and wetlands.

“The study is important because wet grasslands are not investigated very well in India. The diversity of Kaziranga grassland can therefore be compared in terms of species richness with the dry grasslands of Gujarat and Rajasthan,” said the director of the National Park, Sonali Ghosh.

An important highlight of the study was the use of passive acoustic recorders, which made non-invasive and continuous monitoring possible, even in inaccessible or risky areas. This approach improved the species detection considerably, especially of shy and cryptic birds, which improves the overall accuracy and depth of the findings.

The report identifies various critical grassland habitats in Kaziranga that support important populations of endangered and endemic species. Such a habitat is the Kohora assortment of the park, where a breeding colony of De Wever of the Finn was seen.