New Delhi: Eight more birds from India have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species for 2015 indicating increased threat to avian habitats like grasslands and wetlands.

With the additions in the latest Red List of birds released by the IUCN, an international environmental NGO, the total number of birds species whose population in India is threatened has reached 180 from 173 last year. One species was moved out of last year’s Red List while eight were added.

Worldwide 40 bird species have now been added in the Red List while 23 species were downlisted to lower threat categories. Among the eight Indian species added to the Red List, five have been uplisted (a sign of increased threat) from least concerned to near threatened category. These five are: the Northern Lapwing (a grassland bird) and four wetland birds—Red Knot, Curlew Sandpiper, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Bar-Tailed Godwit.

Two other wetland birds—Horned Grebe and Common Pochard—were uplisted from least concerned to vulnerable while the Steppe Eagle (a raptor from grasslands), which is a regular winter visitor to the Indian subcontinent, has been uplisted from least concerned to endangered category.

However, the list also had good news in that the passage migrant—European Roller—was downlisted (a sign of decreased threat) from near threatened to least concerned.

The additions to the list mean that bird habitats like grasslands and wetlands are under threat from destruction and unsustainable development. The additions to the Red list were based on studies conducted by organizations like BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) India and UK-based BirdLife International.

Condition of birds are often considered one of the most obvious indicators of the state of the natural environment. “The list of threatened species keeps on increasing with every assessment. That itself symbolizes that our efforts for conservation of species are not adequate. We need to logically rethink the developmental agenda, especially for the habitats and areas where these species exist. Some of the neglected habitats should therefore be a part of protected areas or marked as ecologically sensitive sites," said BNHS director Deepak Apte.

In 2014 too, eight new species were added to the Red List. They were the Woolly-necked Stork, Andaman Teal, Andaman Green Pigeon, Ashy-headed Green Pigeon, Red-headed Falcon, Himalayan Griffon, Bearded Vulture and Yunnan Nuthatch.

Worldwide 40 more bird species have now been included in the Red List. These include many wading shore birds, those from other habitats, six out of 11 vulture species in Africa and other iconic species like the Atlantic Puffin, European Turtle-dove and Helmeted Hornbill.

At the same time, 23 species were downlisted.

“As well as robbing the African skies of one of their most iconic and spectacular groups of birds, the rapid decline of the continent’s vultures has profound consequences for its people – as vultures help stop the spread of diseases by cleaning up rotting carcasses. However, now we are becoming aware of the sheer scale of the declines involved, there is still just enough time for conservationists to work with law-makers and local people, to make sure there is a future for these magnificent scavengers," said Julius Arinaitwe, BirdLife International’s Africa Programme Director.

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