Bird Species of Conservation Concern along the Brahmaputra River in Assam, Northeast India

The Brahmaputra is one of the significant river ecosystems of Assam. A brief avifaunal survey was conducted alongthe Brahmaputra River, Assam, during February and March 2012. A total of 220 species belonging to 47 families were recorded. Twentyspecies were globally threatened (4 Critically Endangered, 2 Endangered, 6 Vulnerable and 8 Near Threatened) including Slender-billed Vulture Gyps tenuirostris, Whitebacked Vulture Gyps bengalensis, White-winged Duck Asarcornis scutulata, Baer’s Pochard Aythy abaeri, Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus, Bengal Florican Houbaropsis bengalensis, Greater Adjutant- Stork Leptoptilos dubius, Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis, Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, Black-necked Stork Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus, Oriental Darter Anhinga melanogaster and Grey-headed Fish-Eagle Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus. All species of birds observed during the survey were recorded and some significant records are discussed. Nine of the 47 families were represented by more than seven species (8 to 30), 21 by three to six species and 17 by one or two species. Suggestionsare made forthe introduction of control measures to regulate the intensive fishing activities and agricultural practices of local people on islets in the river. Providing them withalternative sustainable livelihoods may help to sustain the river ecosystem.