Kerala Bird Race 2018

India Bird Races 2018 – 19 Kerala – Kochi 

on 30th December 2018 

to enjoy birds … and learn from their ways

It is time for another rendezvous with birds of and around urban India!

The 12th Kerala Bird Race will be held in Kochi on Sunday, 30th December 2018.

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC), along with Kerala’s enthusiastic birding community (Cochin Natural History Society,Centre For Wildlife Studies, Kerala Agricutural University, Kole Birders and many others), are organizing this unique programme in and around the city. The all-India coordinator for the India BirdRaces is The Yuhina Canopy, while UWM is the Facilitating Partner.

In an interesting development this year, we have eBird India as well as Bird Count India as the partners to share knowledge and help promote a love and appreciation for observing birds in an organized manner.

Also, this year, participants and/or teams have the option of doing a half day bird-watch up to about 1 pm or lunch break, and then come refreshed for the evening get-together.

In an increasingly urbanizing world, with more and more people residing in urban areas, these human-influenced landscapes of town and city and their immediately impacted surroundings have become another habitat. Birds are often the foremost attraction for anyone interested in exploring the natural world.

The India BirdRaces have been conceptualized to help look at the avifauna (bird life) of these urban areas and their surrounding wealth of habitats and serve to popularize bird-watching and help lead to a better understanding of other aspects of our biodiversity and environment.
Simple, enjoyable and interactive, these dawn to dusk events allow teams of birding enthusiasts spend a day birding in and around a city, up to 50 km or so around the urban perimeters.
This is followed by an exciting, interactive evening get-together where all participants, from children to rank beginners get an opportunity to interact with some of the finest and most experienced birders in that city, including special invitees. There is a Bird-of-the-Day team prize. . With nearly 3000 people collectively partaking across more than a dozen Indian cities between December and early-March, the India BirdRaces are possibly the greatest birding event.

In recent years, the India BirdRaces have become a Non-Competitive event, with no winning teams based on tallies, but yet the event has been retained as a Race to try spot as many birds and explore every site in and around a city. Invaluable data has been gathered and which reflects all that is good and bad about how our urban areas are impacting the natural scheme of things.
Despite its rules, there is a fun element to this exercise, as also the team spirit and participation that comes into focus here. A day well spent for the cause of birds and urban environment!

All people with interest in Nature are encouraged to participate.
There will be a briefing Session at 5pm on 28th December 2018 for the event at  Mangalavanam Bird Sanctuary for the participants.

A related Post is here on Kole Birders Community Page also

For participation please contact:-


Vishnupriyan Kartha. K
9446437410

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Wetlands for Kochi`s Sustainable Future-World Wetlands Day 2018- Panel Discussion -Invitation

Click Here for the Programme Details


All are cordially Invited for the programme

                                                    *WORLD WETLANDS DAY- 2018*

World Wetlands Day is celebrated on 2nd February each year. It marks the day of adoption of RAMSAR Convention for the conservation of Wetlands in the Iranian City of RAMSAR on this day.

It started in 1997 and is in the 22nd year running.

Wetlands defined as areas of land that are either temporarily or permanently covered by water exhibit enormous diversity according to their genesis, geographical location, water regime and chemistry. Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems and play crucial role in hydrological cycle. Utility wise, wetlands directly and indirectly support millions of people in providing services such as storm and flood control, clean water supply, food, fiber and raw materials, scenic beauty, educational and recreational benefits.(National Wetland Atlas Kerala 2010).

Under the text of the RAMSAR Convention (Article 1.1) wetlands are defined as: “areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six meters”. In addition, the Convention (Article 2.1) provides that wetlands: “may incorporate riparian and coastal zones adjacent to the wetlands, and islands or bodies of marine water deeper than six meters at low tide lying within the wetlands”.

In October 2018 in Dubai, during the 13th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, we will be recognizing the first cities to obtain Wetland City Accreditation under our Convention.

Reduce flooding Replenish drinking water. Filter waste and improve water quality. Improve urban air quality. Promote human well-being. Enable people to earn a living.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment estimates conservatively that wetlands cover seven percent of the earth’s surface and deliver 45% of the world’s natural productivity and ecosystem services of which the benefits are estimated at $20 trillion a year (Source: www.MAweb.org).

Around 64% of the earth’s wetlands are estimated to have disappeared worldwide over the last hundred years through conversion to industrial, agricultural and residential developments.

In Kerala 4354 Wetlands covering 1660590 Ha.

Ernakulam has Second largest area of Wetlands in Kerala after Aleppey district.

 Ernakulam has 25065 Ha wetlands. (10.41% of the geographical area of the district.).

That is 15.61% of the total wetland area.

Ernakulam Wetlands: - 354 nos.

To make the cities sustainable into the future:-

Include Wetlands in urban land use planning.

Preserve and restore urban wetlands.

Involve local residents in wetland planning.

Reduce water consumption and harmful runoff.