Assam’s avian diversity showcased in new digital repository with conservation data

Guwahati: Two wildlife enthusiasts from Assam have launched Pokkhi, a digital bird repository and avian identification guide aimed at showcasing the state’s bird diversity while preserving indigenous knowledge.

The platform documents Assam’s bird species along with their conservation status and features their names in all languages spoken by the state’s indigenous communities. The goal is to create a single resource that bridges scientific data with traditional linguistic heritage.

Assam is home to more than 900 recorded bird species, including several globally threatened ones, due to its location across multiple biogeographic zones and wetlands. However, many local names for these birds remain undocumented and risk being lost as language use shifts.

The founders of Pokkhi said the project began as an effort to make bird identification accessible to both researchers and the public, while also recording how different communities identify and relate to the same species. Entries include photographs, habitat details, IUCN status, and local names collected through fieldwork with community elders.

Conservationists say the repository could aid education and citizen science efforts in the region by giving students, birders, and forest staff a tool that reflects both ecological and cultural data. The duo plans to expand Pokkhi through crowd-sourced inputs and collaboration with local ornithologists.

The digital guide is now live and will be updated regularly as new species records and indigenous names are verified.