As part of the Asian Waterbird Count-2019, the water bird count at the Kole Wetlands – a Ramsar site and an Important Bird Area, was held on 6 January 2019. This is the 29th year of organised bird count at Kole Wetlands. The whole data on the AWC 2019 has been uploaded into the eBird under the account “awckerala” and the summary below is generated from the eBird (www.eBird.org).
A total of 29082 birds in 77wetland depended species were counted this year. In 2018 the figures were 29,805 birds in 77 species. So the total bird population remain more or less the same as the previous year. The species wise count on the birds of the Kole Wetlands, during the present survey is given in Table 1. This year the count was done in 13 base camps in Kole Wetlands such as Adat, Aranattukara, Alappad-Pullu, Enamav, Palakkal, Puzhakkal, Thommana, Mulloorkayal, Manakodi, Pullazhi, Uppungal I &UppungalII and Marancherry.
About 130 birdwatchers participated in the count, and the teams were led by some of the ace birders in the State such as Dilip K G, Raju S, Shino Jacob, Vishnu Kartha, Ginu George, Manoj Karingamadathil, Anith Anilkumar, Vivek Chandran, Praveen ES, Raveendran KC, Mukundan Kizhakkemadham, Lathish R Nath Krishnakumar Iyer, Sreekumar Govindankutty, Greeshma Paleri, Nishad Pm, Riju P Nair, Arun Bhaskaran, Nesrudheen, Prasanth Sachindranath, Arun George, Anisha Tomy, Anuraj R, Subin KS, Adil Nafar A, Sumesh CG, Aparna Devi, Joseph Chittilappilly, Sujeesh Puthanvetil, Santhosh Kallingal, Mohammed Sayeer PK, Ashokraj VM, Nidheesh KB, Cicy Ann, Siji PK, Rajana PR, Akshay Kumar, Mathew Thekkethala, Sreekumar ER, Syamlil MS et al.
The survey was jointly organized by the Kerala State Forest Department, Kerala Agricultural University, Kole Birders & Kole Karshaka Sangham, with excellent support from NGOs across the State such as Chilla Nature Club KAU, Cochin Natural History Society(CNHS), Malappuram Birders, Indian Bird Conservation Network, Bird Count India, ACCER and the Centre for Wildlife Studies, College of Forestry, Kerala Agricultural University (KAU).
The survey was flagged off by the Mr. Rajesh Raveendran IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests, Central Circle, Thrissur, in the presence of the Divisional Forest Officer, Thrissur
P.O. NAMEER
AWC State coordinator
Table 1. Count of the birds from Kole Wetlands on 6 Jan 2019
| Sl. No. | Species Name | Species Count | Sample Size |
| 1. | Lesser Whistling-Duck – Dendrocygnajavanica | 427 | 7 |
| 2. | Cotton Pygmy-Goose (Cotton Teal) – Nettapuscoromandelianus | 657 | 7 |
| 3. | Garganey – Spatula querquedula | 2,926 | 5 |
| 4. | Northern Shoveler – Spatula clypeata | 4 | 1 |
| 5. | Indian Spot-billed Duck – Anaspoecilorhyncha | 47 | 3 |
| 6. | Northern Pintail – Anasacuta | 1,108 | 7 |
| 7. | Green-winged Teal (Common Teal) – Anascrecca | 15 | 1 |
| duck sp. – Anatinae sp. | 2,050 | 2 | |
| 8. | Indian Peafowl – Pavocristatus | 2 | 1 |
| 9. | Little Grebe – Tachybaptusruficollis | 8 | 5 |
| 10. | Rock Pigeon (Blue Rock Pigeon) – Columba livia | 38 | 7 |
| 11. | Spotted Dove – Streptopeliachinensis | 32 | 8 |
| 12. | Greater Coucal – Centropussinensis | 17 | 9 |
| 13. | Asian Koel – Eudynamysscolopaceus | 45 | 11 |
| 14. | Common Hawk-Cuckoo – Hierococcyxvarius | 2 | 2 |
| 15. | Little Swift (Indian House Swift) – Apusaffinis | 37 | 6 |
| 16. | Asian Palm-Swift – Cypsiurusbalasiensis | 18 | 4 |
| 17. | Eurasian Moorhen – Gallinulachloropus | 1 | 1 |
| 18. | Eurasian Coot – Fulicaatra | 38 | 3 |
| 19. | Grey-headed Swamphen (Purple Swamphen) – Porphyriopoliocephalus | 1,307 | 7 |
| 20. | Watercock – Gallicrexcinerea | 2 | 2 |
| 21. | White-breasted Waterhen – Amaurornisphoenicurus | 51 | 11 |
| 22. | Black-winged Stilt – Himantopushimantopus | 217 | 5 |
| 23. | Black-bellied Plover (Grey Plover) – Pluvialissquatarola | 5 | 1 |
| 24. | Pacific Golden-Plover – Pluvialisfulva | 100 | 1 |
| 25. | Grey-headed Lapwing – Vanelluscinereus | 2 | 1 |
| 26. | Red-wattled Lapwing – Vanellusindicus | 179 | 12 |
| 27. | Lesser Sand-Plover – Charadriusmongolus | 152 | 2 |
| 28. | Kentish Plover – Charadriusalexandrinus | 19 | 2 |
| 29. | Little Ringed Plover – Charadriusdubius | 216 | 5 |
| plover sp. – Charadriidae sp. | 8 | 1 | |
| 30. | Pheasant-tailed Jacana – Hydrophasianuschirurgus | 183 | 6 |
| 31. | Bronze-winged Jacana – Metopidiusindicus | 93 | 9 |
| 32. | Eurasian Curlew – Numeniusarquata | 1 | 1 |
| 33. | Black-tailed Godwit – Limosalimosa | 1,035 | 3 |
| 34. | Ruff – Calidrispugnax | 4 | 1 |
| 35. | Curlew Sandpiper – Calidrisferruginea | 28 | 3 |
| 36. | Temminck’s Stint – Calidristemminckii | 28 | 4 |
| 37. | Little Stint – Calidrisminuta | 498 | 5 |
| Stint sp. (Calidris sp.) – Calidris sp. (peep sp.) | 70 | 1 | |
| 38. | Common Snipe – Gallinagogallinago | 11 | 1 |
| 39. | Pin-tailed Snipe – Gallinagostenura | 6 | 2 |
| snipe sp. – Gallinago sp. | 4 | 2 | |
| 40. | Common Sandpiper – Actitishypoleucos | 57 | 11 |
| 41. | Green Sandpiper – Tringaochropus | 17 | 6 |
| 42. | Spotted Redshank – Tringaerythropus | 1 | 1 |
| 43. | Common Greenshank – Tringanebularia | 49 | 4 |
| 44. | Marsh Sandpiper – Tringastagnatilis | 43 | 5 |
| 45. | Wood Sandpiper – Tringaglareola | 1,384 | 10 |
| 46. | Common Redshank – Tringatotanus | 16 | 1 |
| 47. | Collared/Oriental Pratincole – Glareolapratincola/maldivarum | 1 | 1 |
| 48. | Small Pratincole – Glareolalactea | 454 | 3 |
| pratincole sp. – Glareola sp. | 25 | 1 | |
| 49. | Black-headed Gull – Chroicocephalusridibundus | 1 | 1 |
| 50. | Little Tern – Sternulaalbifrons | 13 | 3 |
| 51. | Gull-billed Tern – Gelochelidonnilotica | 2 | 2 |
| 52. | Whiskered Tern – Chlidoniashybrida | 710 | 13 |
| 53. | River Tern – Sterna aurantia | 27 | 5 |
| 54. | Asian Openbill – Anastomusoscitans | 217 | 13 |
| 55. | Woolly-necked Stork – Ciconiaepiscopus | 57 | 11 |
| 56. | White Stork – Ciconiaciconia | 23 | 3 |
| 57. | Painted Stork – Mycterialeucocephala | 349 | 9 |
| stork sp. – Ciconiidae sp. | 8 | 1 | |
| 58. | Oriental Darter – Anhinga melanogaster | 77 | 11 |
| 59. | Little Cormorant – Microcarboniger | 1,835 | 13 |
| 60. | Indian Cormorant (Indian Shag) – Phalacrocoraxfuscicollis | 792 | 11 |
| 61. | Little/Indian Cormorant – Microcarboniger/Phalacrocoraxfuscicollis | 182 | 5 |
| cormorant sp. – Phalacrocoracidae sp. | 1,365 | 3 | |
| 62. | Spot-billed Pelican – Pelecanusphilippensis | 1 | 1 |
| 63. | Yellow Bittern – Ixobrychussinensis | 1 | 1 |
| 64. | Cinnamon Bittern – Ixobrychuscinnamomeus | 1 | 1 |
| 65. | Grey Heron – Ardeacinerea | 132 | 9 |
| 66. | Purple Heron – Ardeapurpurea | 166 | 13 |
| 67. | Great Egret – Ardea alba | 65 | 11 |
| 68. | Intermediate Egret – Ardeaintermedia | 1,133 | 13 |
| 69. | Great/Intermediate Egret – Ardea alba/intermedia | 11 | 3 |
| 70. | Little Egret – Egrettagarzetta | 1,690 | 12 |
| 71. | Western Reef-Heron (Western Reef-Egret) – Egrettagularis | 5 | 3 |
| 72. | Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis | 529 | 12 |
| 73. | white egret sp. – Ardea/Egretta/Bubulcus sp. | 916 | 8 |
| 74. | Indian Pond-Heron – Ardeolagrayii | 880 | 13 |
| 75. | Striated Heron (Little Heron) – Butoridesstriata | 2 | 1 |
| 76. | Black-crowned Night-Heron – Nycticoraxnycticorax | 52 | 8 |
| heron sp. – Ardeidae sp. | 1 | 1 | |
| 77. | Glossy Ibis – Plegadisfalcinellus | 605 | 9 |
| 78. | Black-headed Ibis – Threskiornismelanocephalus | 238 | 12 |
| 79. | Eurasian Spoonbill – Platalealeucorodia | 13 | 1 |
| 80. | Osprey – Pandionhaliaetus | 3 | 3 |
| 81. | Oriental Honey-buzzard (Crested Honey Buzzard) – Pernisptilorhynchus | 2 | 2 |
| 82. | Crested Serpent-Eagle – Spilornischeela | 1 | 1 |
| 83. | Greater Spotted Eagle – Clangaclanga | 8 | 5 |
| 84. | Booted Eagle – Hieraaetuspennatus | 7 | 4 |
| Aquila sp. – Aquila sp. | 1 | 1 | |
| 85. | Eurasian Marsh-Harrier – Circus aeruginosus | 46 | 12 |
| 86. | Shikra – Accipiter badius | 1 | 1 |
| 87. | Black Kite – Milvusmigrans | 3 | 3 |
| 88. | Brahminy Kite – Haliasturindus | 73 | 13 |
| 89. | Jungle Owlet – Glaucidiumradiatum | 4 | 2 |
| 90. | Eurasian Hoopoe – Upupaepops | 4 | 4 |
| 91. | Common Kingfisher (Small Blue Kingfisher) – Alcedoatthis | 34 | 10 |
| 92. | Stork-billed Kingfisher – Pelargopsiscapensis | 33 | 11 |
| 93. | White-throated Kingfisher – Halcyon smyrnensis | 137 | 12 |
| 94. | Pied Kingfisher – Cerylerudis | 10 | 4 |
| kingfisher sp. – Alcedinidae sp. | 1 | 1 | |
| 95. | Green Bee-eater – Meropsorientalis | 30 | 9 |
| 96. | Blue-tailed Bee-eater – Meropsphilippinus | 270 | 12 |
| 97. | Indian Roller – Coraciasbenghalensis | 6 | 2 |
| 98. | White-cheeked Barbet (Small Green Barbet) – Psilopogonviridis | 12 | 6 |
| 99. | Black-rumpedFlameback (Lesser Goldenbacked Woodpecker) – Dinopiumbenghalense | 6 | 5 |
| 100. | Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus | 1 | 1 |
| 101. | Rose-ringed Parakeet – Psittaculakrameri | 5 | 4 |
| 102. | Ashy Woodswallow – Artamusfuscus | 38 | 5 |
| 103. | Brown Shrike – Laniuscristatus | 12 | 5 |
| shrike sp. – Lanius sp. | 1 | 1 | |
| 104. | Indian Golden Oriole – Orioluskundoo | 30 | 9 |
| 105. | Black-hooded Oriole – Oriolusxanthornus | 5 | 4 |
| 106. | Black Drongo – Dicrurusmacrocercus | 115 | 12 |
| 107. | Bronzed Drongo – Dicrurusaeneus | 1 | 1 |
| drongo sp. – Dicrurus sp. | 2 | 1 | |
| 108. | RufousTreepie – Dendrocittavagabunda | 17 | 7 |
| 109. | House Crow – Corvussplendens | 239 | 13 |
| 110. | Large-billed Crow – Corvusmacrorhynchos | 53 | 10 |
| crow sp. – Corvus sp. (crow sp.) | 36 | 2 | |
| 111. | Sykes’s Short-toed Lark (Eastern Short-toed Lark) – Calandrelladukhunensis | 1 | 1 |
| 112. | Barn Swallow – Hirundorustica | 587 | 12 |
| 113. | Red-rumped Swallow – Cecropisdaurica | 8 | 3 |
| 114. | martin/swallow sp. – Hirundinidae sp. | 8 | 1 |
| 115. | Red-vented Bulbul – Pycnonotuscafer | 15 | 6 |
| 116. | Red-whiskered Bulbul – Pycnonotusjocosus | 1 | 1 |
| 117. | Green Warbler – Phylloscopusnitidus | 1 | 1 |
| 118. | Green/Greenish Warbler – Phylloscopusnitidus/trochiloides | 1 | 1 |
| 119. | Booted Warbler – Idunacaligata | 1 | 1 |
| 120. | Sykes’s Warbler – Idunarama | 1 | 1 |
| 121. | Paddyfield Warbler – Acrocephalusagricola | 1 | 1 |
| 122. | Blyth’s Reed Warbler – Acrocephalusdumetorum | 36 | 9 |
| 123. | Clamorous Reed Warbler (Indian Great Reed Warbler) – Acrocephalusstentoreus | 36 | 9 |
| Acrocephalus sp. – Acrocephalus sp. | 9 | 2 | |
| 124. | Pallas’s Grasshopper-Warbler – Locustellacerthiola | 1 | 1 |
| 125. | Common Tailorbird – Orthotomussutorius | 7 | 5 |
| 126. | Ashy Prinia – Priniasocialis | 25 | 9 |
| 127. | Plain Prinia – Priniainornata | 62 | 12 |
| prinia sp. – Prinia sp. | 4 | 1 | |
| 128. | ZittingCisticola – Cisticolajuncidis | 23 | 7 |
| 129. | Yellow-billed Babbler – Turdoidesaffinis | 6 | 1 |
| 130. | Oriental Magpie-Robin – Copsychussaularis | 5 | 2 |
| 131. | Common/Stejneger’s Stonechat (Siberian/Stejneger’s Stonechat) – Saxicolamaurus | 5 | 4 |
| 132. | Pied Bushchat – Saxicolacaprata | 8 | 3 |
| 133. | Rosy Starling – Pastor roseus | 351 | 9 |
| 134. | Chestnut-tailed Starling – Sturniamalabarica | 9 | 2 |
| 135. | Malabar Starling (Blyth’s Starling) – Sturniablythii | 2 | 1 |
| 136. | Common Myna – Acridotherestristis | 85 | 10 |
| 137. | Jungle Myna – Acridotheresfuscus | 10 | 3 |
| 138. | Pale-billed Flowerpecker – Dicaeumerythrorhynchos | 3 | 2 |
| 139. | Purple-rumped Sunbird – Leptocomazeylonica | 7 | 4 |
| 140. | Long-billed Sunbird (Loten’s Sunbird) – Cinnyrislotenius | 1 | 1 |
| sunbird sp. – Nectariniidae sp. (sunbird sp.) | 3 | 2 | |
| 141. | Grey Wagtail – Motacillacinerea | 9 | 2 |
| 142. | Western Yellow Wagtail – Motacillaflava | 265 | 9 |
| 143. | White-browed Wagtail (Large Pied Wagtail) – Motacillamaderaspatensis | 8 | 4 |
| 144. | White Wagtail – Motacilla alba | 5 | 1 |
| wagtail sp. – Motacilla sp. | 58 | 2 | |
| 145. | Paddyfield Pipit – Anthusrufulus | 17 | 7 |
| pipit sp. – Anthus sp. | 4 | 2 | |
| 146. | Streaked Weaver – Ploceusmanyar | 50 | 2 |
| 147. | Baya Weaver – Ploceusphilippinus | 68 | 3 |
| 148. | Red Avadavat – Amandavaamandava | 3 | 1 |
| 149. | White-rumpedMunia – Lonchurastriata | 2 | 2 |
| 150. | Scaly-breasted Munia (Spotted Munia) – Lonchurapunctulata | 46 | 5 |
| 151. | Tricolored Munia (Black-headed Munia) – Lonchuramalacca | 140 | 3 |
Total taxa: 169, Total species: 151 sp. Wetland dependent species: 77 sp.