What's on in April
April signals the start of the hot season and as temperatures soar across the country, the numbers of winter migrants melt away fast. This is a good season to catch some of the passage migrants on their way back, especially in the north and north-west regions, although the birds may only stop over for a short time. But it isn’t quite over yet! While some species may have left the region by now, some – such as the Blyth’s Reed Warbler – only begin their journeys towards the end of the month.
April, however, is a fantastic time to view our resident birds in action. Most species aim to finish with nesting activities before the rains hit the subcontinent. Thus, several species can be seen at this time of the year hitting their sweetest notes, displaying for mates, marking territories and in some cases – building, or even tending to, nests! Please do report any such activity you notice using the breeding/behaviour codes on either the eBird app or website.
Several species, such as the Blue-tailed Bee-eater, migrate to the northern parts of the country to find suitable sites for breeding.
Take part in the India eBirding Challenges for April, which include watching and counting birds consistently from a single location as well as this month’s Gap-filling Challenge. You can also take part in the global eBirder of the Month challenge.
The results of the Great Backyard Bird Count and the Campus Bird Count have now been published – do take a look!
The Endemic Bird Day is scheduled to take place on 13 May 2016, the same date as the Global Big Day. This month would be a great time to strategise and prepare for the big events next month!