CITIZEN SCIENCE Citizen science is a form of research where scientists and members of the public work together towards addressing scientific questions. These kinds of efforts are being used increasingly to answer pressing questions about the world, including in the fields of astronomy, biochemistry, history and meteorology. But perhaps nowhere is the power of citizen science more apparent than in studies of ecology and biodiversity. Almost all large-scale assessments of the status and trends of biodiversity rely on hundreds of thousands of hours of effort contributed by citizen scientists. Looking through State of Birds reports from other countries and regions of the world makes it evident that these assessments would not be possible without the generous contribution (in terms of effort and information) of birdwatchers in the field. By surveying wetlands, walking transects, conducting point counts, or simply making bird lists, birdwatchers make it possible to document and monitor the world we live in. New technological advances, including the internet and mobile devices, have further accelerated the information contributed by volunteers in this way. The future of biodiversity monitoring in India (as in other countries) will depend on the degree to which researchers and enthusiasts work in collaboration.
rounak patra
The pages that follow highlight some bird-related citizen science efforts in India that have contributed substantially to the data used for this report.
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