ENDANGERED BIRDS OF INDIA

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]Endangered birds of India. In this series, I'll talk about two birds every day.

[00:00:05]The Great Indian Bustard, Ardeotis nigriceps, also known simply as the Indian Bustard, is a large bird native to the Indian subcontinent.

[00:00:14]Characterized by its horizontal body, long bare legs, and impressive size, it ranks among the heaviest flying birds.

[00:00:22]Once widespread across India's dry grasslands and shrublands, its population has plummeted dramatically from about 250 individuals in 2011 to fewer than 150 by 2018.

[00:00:34]The species is now critically endangered, primarily due to hunting and extensive habitat loss. To safeguard its survival, it is protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

[00:00:47]The Yellow-breasted Bunting, Emberiza aureola, is a small, critically endangered migratory bird that visits India during the winter months. Once abundant across Eurasia, its global population has crashed by over 90% due to illegal trapping for food along its eastern migration routes. In India, it primarily inhabits the wetlands, grasslands, and agricultural fields of the northeast and West Bengal, with rare sightings occasionally reported in southern and western states. To help protect the surviving population, India participated in a landmark multi-country winter roost count in 2026 to better monitor and conserve this fragile species.