Delhi Zoo Sunday bird watching walks record 41 species during July 5 session
The National Zoological Park in Delhi has introduced a weekly three-hour morning bird-watching walk every Sunday, aimed at encouraging public engagement with local wildlife. During the session held on July 5, which commenced at 6:30 AM, a group of approximately 25 participants successfully recorded 41 bird species and registered more than 100 individual sightings.
The program, which had been running for four consecutive Sundays by July 5, is free to the public, with participants only needing to pay the zoo's standard Rs 80 entry fee. Each week, the walk explores a different trail around the zoo, allowing visitors to observe free-ranging birds before they visit the captive animals.
The July 5 session was guided by wildlife writer Surya Prakash, who was accompanied by biologist Aarti Chavda and curator Manoj Kumar. The group observed several bird species, including a white-throated Kingfisher, resident pelicans, a black-crowned night heron, and an Indian grey hornbill. Priyanshu, a Zoology Master’s student volunteering at the zoo, helped guide the walkers by explaining the descriptive nature of bird names.
Among the participants was Ashwin Sachdev, who attended with his 18-year-old daughter, Brinda. Sachdev, a birding enthusiast for three decades, shared his passion for wildlife touring. Another attendee, government official Rahul Sharma, recalled his past family picnics at the site, while seven-year-old Zachory Lopez, the youngest participant, attended with his father, Jason, after they saw the event announcement on Instagram.
The walk concluded at the Zoo’s Education Centre with an interactive session led by the experts and Zoo Director Sandeep Kumar. The organizers discussed the species encountered and collected feedback from the participants. Kumar noted that while the summer walks have been successful, larger numbers of bird species are typically sighted during the winter season. Following the conclusion of these walks, the zoo plans to initiate a Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk on July 12 as the monsoon settles over the city.
