06/02/2026
Phansad Bird Count is a long-term bird monitoring initiative by Green Works Trust in partnership with SBI Foundation under their Conservation through Sustainable Engagements, Restoration and Wildlife Protection (CONSERW) program and in association with Maharashtra Forest Department's Thane Wildlife Division.
Dates: 30th Jan – 1st Feb, 2026
Phansad Bird Count was conducted using scientific methodologies on the field by 36 birders, 18 volunteers of GWT and 18 ground staff of Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary. This event was inaugurated and conducted with the support and able guidance of Shri Rahul Gawai sir, Deputy Conservation of Forest (Wildlife), Thane; Shri Manohar Divekar sir, Assistant Conservatior of Forest, Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary and Shri Nitin Dhage sir, Range Forest Officer, Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary.
About the participants:
We got 131 registrations from 13 different states and 1 from Netherlands, out of which we selected eligible 40 participants from Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Odisha and one from Netherlands
The Count was conducted by participants coming from diverse fields like IT, artist, teaching, government servants, Doctors, advocate and a good number of students. Who comes from across Maharashtra and also from other states respectively.
About the count:
13 teams, each comprising of 3 birders, 1 GWT volunteer and 1 Forest Guard visited 26 promising locations, covering various habitats in and around PWLS.
The teams walked through several kilometres of forests, plateaus and streams and conducted the bird count using the Line Transect method. In addition, the teams also documented other fauna like butterflies, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.
In preparation for the upcoming scientific bird count, participants and volunteers underwent comprehensive training led by Dr Nikhil Bhopale and Shri Sarvesh Abhyankar. The workshop also included a special session on distinguishing between confusing woodpecker species, conducted by Dr Bhopale.
The data collected by the teams was thoroughly checked by Biodiversity Expert-Dr Nikhil Bhopale and Shri Sarvesh Abhyankar. All the sightings were meticulously ratified; by cross-questioning participants and checking photographs/calls recorded by participants.
Results of the count:
After the 3-day event, the prima facie results recorded are as under:
Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary hosts 250+ species of birds. This includes all the seasons. For recent winter count following observations were made -
159 species from 55 families of birds.
41 species from 6 families of butterflies
21 species from 13 families of mammals
21 species from 9 families of reptiles (11 snakes and 10 lizards)
8 species from 5 families of amphibians
Some significant records and interesting observations were as under:
• 2 Near Threatened species e.g. Green Imperial-Pigeon and Malabar Pied Hornbill; 2 Vulnerable species e.g. Malabar Grey Hornbill and Nilgiri Wood-Pigeon were recorded
• 26 schedule-I species and 131 schedule-II species of birds were recorded
• 13 India Endemic bird species and 7 Western Ghats endemic species were also recorded.
• All 6 species of Drongos found in the region were recorded
• 3 species of Nightjar out of 4 found in Phansad
• All 3 species of Flowerpeckers from Phansad
• Special birds like Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike, Blue-throated Flycatcher, Mottled Wood-owl were recorded.
• Total of 2040 recordings were made during the entire event including birds, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and mammals.
The vision:
The GWT Bird Count is a Citizen Science initiative and a long-term bird monitoring programme which will collect data that will go a long way in contributing to the awareness and conservation of the important habitats of this Sanctuary.
