Today (23^rd January 2015), the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment (UWICE) in collaboration with various National Parks and Territorial Division has conducted the Second Nationwide Waterbirds count in Bhutan. A day-long survey by 33 bird enthusiasts covered the spectacular movements of migratory birds along the fourteen major rivers of the country.

The Institute has initiated this undertaking for the first time in 2014 with the aim to conduct annual waterbirds count in important waterbird areas, staging areas and flyway corridors to monitor the habitat change and species response to the climate change. It will also contribute in understanding the continental connectedness engaging in migration studies of the waterbirds.

The Annual Waterbirds count will remain as the long term study on waterbirds migration, habitual adaptation, population estimation and other avifaunal effects related to the ecosystem in Bhutan. The survey shall be the annual event before the birds migrate back to their summer habitats.

The data and its survey findings will be shared with the International wetlands to perform analysis to understand waterbirds movement in the Asian Flyway Migration Corridor.

This annual survey will also help in formulating the conservation strategies of the waterbirds in the country.