A special bird-count drive was held at Masimpur Military Station on May 9 to mark Endemic Bird Day, bringing together military personnel, local birders, nature enthusiasts and volunteers to document the area’s avian biodiversity. The event, organised under the global Endemic Bird Day initiative through Bird Count India, aimed to record range-restricted and forest-dependent species and to raise awareness about habitat conservation in the Barak Valley.
Participants surveyed multiple ecological pockets within the cantonment and its surrounding forested areas, submitting sightings to citizen-science platforms such as eBird to build a public record of local birdlife. Officials said the Masimpur campus and adjoining tracts still retain stretches of relatively undisturbed evergreen forest, which provide critical habitat for several species dependent on mature forest ecosystems.
During the count, observers recorded notable species that underscore the region’s importance for northeast Indian forest birds, including Blue-bearded Bee-eater, Ruby-cheeked Sunbird and Green-billed Malkoha. Other species logged during the exercise included Puff-throated Babbler, Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker, Plain Flowerpecker, Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker and Bengal Bush Lark.
Organisers noted that, while the Barak Valley may not host many strictly endemic species, it remains ecologically significant for documenting Indo–Myanmar lowland forest birds and other habitat specialists that are uncommon in much of mainland India. The drive concluded with an interactive awareness session stressing habitat protection, ecological balance and sustainable environmental practices.
Organisers said the successful exercise reaffirmed Masimpur Military Station’s commitment to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection across Cachar and the wider Barak Valley.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/environment/story/masimpur-military-station-marks-endemic-bird-day-with-bird-count-drive-in-barak-valley-1389400-2026-05-09?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-05-09 18:26:00
