Sarus crane: BNHS calls for all-India synchronised count on 10-11 October
Why in the news
The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) asked forest departments, researchers, farmers, students and citizen scientists to join an all-India synchronised Sarus crane count on 10-11 October 2026. India has had no standardised nationwide assessment of the species.
Key facts
- Timing: the count began on World Migratory Bird Day (10 October).
- Method: volunteers visit the nearest Sarus habitat, count birds and report their observations to BNHS.
- Goals: a national population baseline, mapping of breeding, feeding and roosting sites, and identifying risky power lines.
- Decline: the State of India’s Birds report shows a long-term fall of 76.84% and a current annual fall of 4.33%.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Antigone antigone |
| Height | About 1.5 m (tallest flying bird) |
| IUCN status | Vulnerable |
| CITES | Appendix II |
| WPA, 1972 | Schedule I |
| State bird of | Uttar Pradesh |
About the Sarus crane
- India’s only resident breeding crane; it pairs for life.
- Now mostly found in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, with scattered birds in Maharashtra.
- Uttar Pradesh counted 19,918 birds in 2024; Etawah Forest Division had the most.
- Threats: wetland loss, farm chemicals, power-line collisions, egg collection and stray dogs.
About World Migratory Bird Day 2026
Marked on 9 May and 10 October, its 2026 theme, ‘Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter!’, highlights citizen science. It is run by CMS, AEWA, EAAFP and Environment for the Americas.
Exam angle
- Tallest flying bird: Sarus crane (state bird of Uttar Pradesh).
- Status trio: IUCN Vulnerable, CITES II, WPA Schedule I.
- WMBD 2026 theme and its two dates.