On the Wing, on the Brink: Assessment of Breeding Raptors in Assam, India

Aniket Anksuh Pawar

Other project team members: Aneena Lakshmanan, Aditya Prasad and Banjyoti Nath

Eagles hunt and vultures soar across Assam’s skies, a sight now rare across much of India. Yet, despite this visible presence, basic information on breeding population size, nest distribution, and nesting success remains lacking. In neighbouring regions such as Bangladesh and Nepal, systematic surveys have already mapped raptor populations and breeding sites. Assam, despite being a critical stronghold, remains a major gap in our understanding of breeding raptors in the Brahmaputra floodplains. This project will close this gap by documenting breeding populations, nest distribution, and nesting success across Assam’s protected areas and surrounding landscapes. Breeding-season surveys within national parks will record breeding pairs and locate active nests during the critical November-April period, monitoring them throughout the season. Grid-based community surveys will extend coverage beyond protected boundaries, capturing detailed nest locations and threats from people who live and work across this region. Frontline forest staff and park-approved gypsy drivers will be trained to form a structured nest-reporting network, integrating their daily presence and local knowledge into formal monitoring. Outputs will include population estimates, nest distribution maps, and a practical, standardised monitoring framework that forest staff can easily continue beyond the project period.

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