Kanwar Bir Singh (KB)

Time to celebrate 💐 facebook.com/share/uDsuQaAS… We're now highly engaged #Facebook community of half a MILLION passionate #birders, sharing 10s of thousands posts & pics/month from every parts of #India & countries of #IndianSubcontinent #IndiAves #BirdTwitter #birdphotography

Presenting "Hornbills of India"- the 9 magnificent Hornbill species that inhabit the hill and mountain forests across India.🌳 Hornbills are enduring symbols of loyalty- faithful to their partners and, in a broader sense, to the future of the forests they help sustain.

Reviewed the progress of Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB) in the 91st meeting of Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) today at CASFoS, Coimbatore. It is heartening to know that second ‘jump start’ attempt executed in Naliya, Gujarat has succeeded and the chick born on 21st of May 2026 has passed the critical stage of ~40 days of survival. Besides this, the total number of chicks born in captivity in Rajasthan at Sam and Ramdevra have reached to 98. The project will soon be entering into rewilding phase for which efforts are on. The team of @wii_india and State forest departments of Rajasthan and Gujarat are leaving no stone unturned to make the project successful.

U.S. farmers are intentionally flooding their fields to revive ancient "prairie potholes," creating temporary "pop-up" wetlands that deliver a huge boost to migratory birds while improving soil health. In regions like California's Central Valley and the Mississippi Delta, innovative programs—most notably BirdReturns (launched by The Nature Conservancy in 2014)—pay farmers to strategically flood low-lying or post-harvest fields at precise times during bird migrations. These short-term wetlands mimic the natural prairie potholes and seasonal marshes that once dotted the landscape but were largely drained for agriculture. By timing floods to align with peak migration periods (e.g., spring and fall for shorebirds, waterfowl, and sandhill cranes), farmers provide essential stopover habitat: shallow water, mudflats, and abundant food for millions of birds traveling along flyways like the Pacific Flyway. The approach has transformed tens of thousands of acres of working farmland into critical refueling stations, with studies showing dramatic increases in bird use and numbers—sometimes 3.5 times higher in these managed pop-up wetlands compared to standard fields. Farmers also gain practical benefits. Seasonal flooding enhances soil structure, boosts nutrient cycling (as bird activity and water help break down residues), recharges groundwater, reduces erosion, and supports long-term land productivity—often without hurting crop yields in subsequent seasons. This win-win model proves that modern agriculture and wildlife conservation can reinforce each other, turning productive farmland into flexible ecological assets that sustain both birds and resilient farming systems. [The Nature Conservancy. BirdReturns: Creating Dynamic Habitat for Migratory Birds. The Nature Conservancy California]

@krish_bohra Now I recall better. It was a passing mention in her accounts by Emily Eden, who accompanied her brother, Governor General Lord George Eden on his travels in Punjab, incl meeting Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Ferozpur. The year is 1838.

@KB1997_ Source please? I don't think I have ever heard of that. Neither of the only two papers compiling historical records of lions mention it. Though there's always the possibility of the authors having missed some things.

Yes, four specific records of lion-hunting in Haryana dating to 1815 emerge from the diaries of Lord Hastings, the then Governor General. None of those are from Hisar though.

@krish_bohra Historically, I recall another shikar account in 1831 that was a side diversion of then Governor General William Bentick, when he was enroute to meeting Maharaja Ranjit Singh at a camp near Ropar to celebrate their mutual friendship as per their treaty of Amritsar in 1809.

Source: The Last Hurrah of the ‘Hurrianah’ Lion Panthera leo persica – Part I: A Chronological Record of Hitherto Unknown References to Lion Hunting in Present-Day Haryana and Related Reports by Raza Kazmi (2021)

@krish_bohra I recall reading about the British Governor General hunting a lion in early 1800s near Hisar, present day Haryana.

Happy World Wildlife Day!! Once upon a time, lions were found in half of North India. Now they live in Gir alone. Knowing their history in 19th century helps us understand this decline. You can read my article here! 🦁🦁🦁 @krish_bohra/dwindling-prides-and-fading-roars-indian-lion-in-the-19th-century-2f417e8d5289" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">medium.com/@krish_bohra/d…

@krish_bohra Pink-headed Duck..last record.

You're a real one if you can immediately recall the special relevance of Darbhanga in Indian wildlife history without Googling. ;)

Amazing. Kudos to the research team.

Quietly read...

“Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that this Nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshiping.” -- Hubert Reeves (1932 - 2023)

Perfection 🤌🏼✨️

@SanjayJhaBihar Were there any Navy and AF cadets too in NDAs first batch of girls.

It’s heartening to learn that the first batch of nine women Officer Cadets has been commissioned as Army officers from the Indian Military Academy. Describing it as a historic milestone, Hon’ble President Smt Droupadi Murmu has aptly captured the significance of this moment. It reflects the confidence, capability and aspirations of India’s daughters, and the steady march of our nation towards greater empowerment and opportunity. I am reminded of the timeless words of Indeevar Sahab: “कोमल है, कमजोर नहीं तू, शक्ति का नाम ही नारी है” @adgpi @DefenceMinIndia @artrac_ia @IMA_IndianArmy

Heartiest congratulations to Purnima Devi Barman, distinguished wildlife biologist and conservationist, on being named a recipient of the prestigious 2026 Wayfinder Award presented by the National Geographic Society and Kia America. A celebrated conservation champion from Assam, she has earned global recognition for her remarkable efforts in protecting and restoring the population of the Greater Adjutant Stork (Hargila), inspiring communities and advancing wildlife conservation through her dedication and leadership. Wishing her continued success in her mission to safeguard biodiversity and bring pride to Assam and India. @StorkSister 🙏

What ho! ☀️ Here's a jolly good weekend poem for you! • John Masefield •

Surenavan is one of several Armenian villages where White Storks have adapted to nesting very close to humans.

@arealmofwonder Beautiful

Give yourself a moment, and read... • Christina Rossetti •

@ShivrattanDhil1 I had the same issue with my bmw. Stuck on the road with a fuel pump issue that wouldn't have occurred but for this blending shit.

Yesterday, I posted about my sibling’s petrol car getting stranded on the road due to a fuel pump failure. The company itself confirmed it was linked to a fuel blending issue related to ethanol. But unfortunately, I had to delete the post because of immense pressure from higher authorities. For the first time in my life, I was forced to take down something purely out of concern for family safety and precautions. The unfortunate truth is that whenever someone speaks up about ethanol-related issues, attempts are made to silence them. This may continue, but these problems won’t disappear and tomorrow it could be my own car stranded the same way. #ethanol @nitin_gadkari

@maaria_waseem Eid Mubarak ਮੁਬਾਰਕ..💕

Eid Mubarak to all from us

@IthassPunjyab Nau Nihal was married to a girl from Fatehgarh Churian, a grand wedding function over many days and attended even by the British invitees. Incidentally, my village is right there. In my childhood saw buildings from that period. Now all gone.

Haveli of Nau Nihal Singh Lahore, Punjab built by Sher-i-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh for his grandson Kunwar Nau Nihal Singh in mid 19th century.

🇮🇳 Delhi has the worst air quality in the world today! Source: IQAir