MigrantWatch

MigrantWatch is a citizen science non-governmental organisation project in India for collection of information about bird migration. The organisation was conceived in July 2007 and is coordinated by the Science Programme of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, in association with Indian Birds journal.^[1]

The goal of the MigrantWatch programme is to collect information on the arrival, presence and departure of migrant birds that spend the winter in India and to assess any changes that occur in the timing of migration.^[2] The MigrantWatch program provides a website where registered members can upload observations of migratory bird species, and access all the sighting records and maps with data plotted.

In the first year, the program targeted nine species of migratory birds:^[2]

Northern shoveller Anas clypeata
Marsh harrier,\ Circus aeruginosus
Wood sandpiper Tringa glareola
Common (or barn) swallow Hirundo rustica
Grey wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Brown shrike Lanius cristatus
Black redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
Greenish warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides
Rosy starling Sturnus roseus

Subsequently, the list was increased to 30 migratory species.

References

^ NCBS and Indian Birds Journal. "Migrant Watch home page". Retrieved 30 November 2010.
^ ^a ^b Quader, S.; Raza, R. H. (2008). "MigrantWatch: A citizen science programme for the study of bird migration". Indian Birds. 3 (6). New Ornis Foundation: 202–209.