Assam’s State Bird Nears Extinction, Now Confined to Two Protected Areas

Overview

• Conservationists say the white-winged wood duck now survives only in Dihing-Patkai National Park and Nameri Tiger Reserve, with its population size unknown.
• The species has disappeared from former strongholds including Doomdooma, Dibru-Saikhowa and Tinsukia after a steep decline since the 1990s.
• Loss and disturbance of lowland forest–wetland habitats are cited as primary drivers, with oil exploration in the Dihing-Patkai landscape flagged as a threat.
• Remaining groups are reported as small and fragmented, with declines seen even where suitable habitat appears intact.
• Advocates call for urgent habitat protection, anti-poaching efforts and community participation, and they criticize the lack of a dedicated state survey while warning of tourism impacts.