Home / Environment / Assam's Birds Get Digital Home: 'Pokkhi' Launched
Assam's Birds Get Digital Home: 'Pokkhi' Launched
1 Jul
Summary
- Assam's first digital avian repository, 'Pokkhi,' features 372 bird species.
- The platform provides local Assamese and English bird names and IUCN status.
- Users can contribute local names to enrich the freely accessible online resource.
Assam has unveiled its inaugural digital avian repository, named 'Pokkhi,' a significant initiative by birdlife enthusiasts Chirantanu Saikia and Abhilash Gayan. This online platform currently showcases 372 resident and migratory bird species found in the state, providing their common names in both Assamese and English, along with their respective IUCN conservation statuses.
The repository aims to bridge the accessibility gap for local bird names and promote awareness of Assam's diverse avifauna. Species are categorized by their conservation status, ranging from 'least concern' to 'critically endangered,' highlighting the varied ecological importance of Assam's birds. The platform is freely accessible at https://www.pokkhi.in.
'Pokkhi' was conceived due to the founders' own challenges in sourcing reliable Assamese bird names during field expeditions. They are actively seeking to document these names in all indigenous Assamese languages. The website also includes a bird identification guide and a 'bird of the day' feature, currently highlighting the Green-billed Malkoha.
This digital repository serves as a valuable resource for birdwatchers, photographers, educators, and researchers interested in Assam's avian diversity. It encourages community participation by allowing users to input local bird names, thereby enriching the platform's comprehensiveness and local relevance.
