Why in news? West Bengal reported the highest number of species of birds, followed by Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh during the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2023 by  Bird Count India

Highlights

• While West Bengal reported 489 species, Uttarakhand recorded 426, Arunachal Pradesh 407, Assam 397 and Karnataka 371 species
• Kerala, recorded the highest number of checklists of birds followed by Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
• An increase in participation helped India upload the second-highest number of checklists after the United States and the third-highest species of any country.

About Bird Count India

• It is an informal partnership of organisations and groups working together to increase collective knowledge about bird distributions and populations.
• India was among 190 countries that participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count 2023, an annual event that brings bird enthusiasts, students and nature enthusiasts together for counting birds around their surroundings.
• The GBBC was launched in 1998. The Bird Count India organises the GBBC in the country.