Waterbird Survey Identifies 14 Threatened Species on Meghna Chars

Between November 2025 and April 2026, a detailed waterbird and migratory bird survey was conducted across the Meghna estuary and its surrounding chars in Noakhali. The extensive conservation effort was carried out by the Forest Department and Nature Conservation Management (Nekom), with financial backing from the World Bank. Experts from the Department of Zoology at the University of Dhaka, alongside individuals such as Abdur Rob Molla, Shoeb Ali, and Naim Khandaker, contributed to the broader framework of documenting the region's rich avian biodiversity during this monitoring period.

According to the findings released from the initiative, a total of 52 waterbird species were officially recorded across the surveyed wetland habitats. Among these documented animals, 46 distinct species were identified as migratory birds that travel vast distances to winter in the estuary. Most notably, the monitoring teams confirmed the presence of 14 globally threatened bird species residing within the coastal ecosystem, underscoring the vital ecological significance of the Meghna chars for international conservation efforts and vulnerable wildlife populations.

The surveys yielded remarkable population counts for several rare and protected migratory species utilizing the mudflats and coastal marshlands. Field observations in January 2026 recorded more than 32,000 birds across seven specific chars in the Meghna region. Furthermore, individual wetland chars supported massive concentrations of wildlife, including over 12,000 birds found inhabiting a single marshy char. Researchers also documented specific flocks, such as a gathering of 1,388 common shelducks—a species with a fragile global population estimated between 2,450 and 2,900 individuals worldwide.

Additional counts during the monitoring phase revealed significant congregations of other migratory waterbirds relying on the estuary's mudflats for feeding and resting. Enumerators logged 9,000 black-tailed godwits and discovered 1,507 Eurasian curlews utilizing the coastal habitat. Perhaps most critically for global biodiversity, the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper was located specifically on Ganguiras char. Scientists note that the global population of spoon-billed sandpipers stands at only 280 to 620 surviving birds, dropping significantly from the 48 individuals recorded specifically in the area during the 2015-2016 monitoring season.

Building directly upon the extensive data gathered during this multi-month field assessment, project stakeholders have developed a comprehensive 10-year conservation action plan. This long-term strategic framework aims to protect the fragile habitats and the numerous vulnerable species identified throughout the Meghna river system. By combining institutional oversight from the Forest Department with dedicated field research, the initiative seeks to safeguard the critical staging grounds for endangered migratory birds traversing the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.