Guwahati: A rare winter visitor from the Eurasian taiga and one of Asia’s most critically endangered ducks drew attention during the 7th Kaziranga Waterbird Count, as the striking Smew (Mergellus albellus) was recorded for the first time in the Kaziranga landscape while six individuals of the Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri) were documented during a record census of 1,05,540 waterbirds across 166 wetlands.
The Smew’s debut generated excitement among birders and researchers. Typically wintering in northern and central India in very small numbers, the black-and-white diving duck prefers sheltered, fish-rich waters.
Its appearance in the Brahmaputra floodplain has prompted interest among ornithologists, who view it both as an indicator of wetland health and as a possible sign of shifting migratory patterns under changing climatic conditions.
If the Smew symbolised novelty, the continued presence of the Critically Endangered Baer’s Pochard carried deeper conservation significance.
Once widespread across East and Southeast Asia, the species has suffered steep declines due to habitat degradation and hunting. Its persistence in Kaziranga underscores the importance of maintaining deep, undisturbed wetlands — habitats that are increasingly threatened elsewhere in its range.
The survey also recorded 61 individuals of the Endangered Pallas’s Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus), a top piscivorous raptor and a High-priority Species of Indian Birds (SoIB). Its continued presence suggests stable fish populations and relatively undisturbed riparian stretches within Kaziranga’s interconnected river–beel system.
Among Vulnerable species, 381 individuals of the Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) were recorded, reflecting the ecological value of deeper wetland systems. The count further documented 20 Greater Spotted Eagles (Clanga clanga), which depend on intact wetland–grassland mosaics that characterise the Kaziranga landscape.
The Near Threatened category was strongly represented. The Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca), classified as a Moderate-priority species, was recorded in significant numbers, with 5,594 individuals counted, indicating favourable deep-water conditions across several wetlands. Other notable Near Threatened species included the Great Thick-knee, Swamp Francolin, Eurasian Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit, species closely associated with exposed mudflats and seasonal flood recession zones.
The concurrent presence of globally threatened taxa, multiple Wildlife Protection Act Schedule I species, and a substantial proportion of High and Moderate SoIB priority birds indicates that Kaziranga’s wetlands remain ecologically robust.
The synchronised survey, conducted from 4 to 11 January 2026, covered wetlands across the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Biswanath Wildlife Division and Nagaon Wildlife Division, documenting 107 species in total.
Large perennial beels hosted major congregations, while smaller and seasonal wetlands added to overall diversity, reinforcing Kaziranga’s identity as a dynamic river–beel mosaic shaped by the Brahmaputra’s annual flood pulse.
Rowmari Beel in Laokhowa recorded the highest abundance with 15,661 birds, followed by Donduwa Beel with 14,469. Katakhal recorded 4,979 birds, Sohola Combined 3,612, and Khalihamari 3,463.
In terms of species diversity, Rowmari led with 77 species, followed by Donduwa with 71 and Sohola with 69. The Kawoimari–Bhoisamari–Diffolu complex recorded 57 species, while Ververy documented 53.
Numerically dominant species included the Bar-headed Goose, Northern Pintail and Lesser Whistling Duck, reaffirming Kaziranga’s crucial role along the Central Asian Flyway for migrants arriving from Siberia and Central Asia.
The exercise involved more than 120 enumerators and 50 volunteers, making it one of the largest coordinated bird-monitoring initiatives in the region. Conducted using standardised two-hour wetland counts across 166 sites, the survey has evolved into a significant citizen-science conservation effort.
Beyond the headline figures, the 7th Kaziranga Waterbird Count provides a scientific baseline for assessing wetland health, habitat use and seasonal population dynamics. It also points to emerging pressures — including altered flood regimes, siltation, invasive vegetation and climate variability — that could reshape the floodplain ecosystem in the years ahead.
While the Smew’s appearance attracted public interest, the continued survival of Baer’s Pochard and the strong representation of other globally threatened species underline the broader ecological importance of Kaziranga’s wetlands.
The findings indicate that Kaziranga is not merely hosting large flocks but continues to sustain species facing severe global declines.
As river dynamics shift and climate pressures intensify, sustained protection of deep-water wetlands, mudflats and riparian corridors will remain central to safeguarding one of Asia’s most significant waterbird refuges.
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