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The word ‘extinct’ means ‘disappeared for ever or no more to be found’, while the term ‘critically endangered’ means ‘the utmost danger to the life’. When these terms are used for the animals and birds, they mean respectively ‘the animals or birds are no more’ and ‘the animals and birds have the utmost danger of being killed and deprived of their habitat.’ There are several extinct animals and birds in India as a result of which many of those animals and birds that existed during the last decades and centuries, are no more seen in India. Some of them include-Indian aurochs, also known as the Bosprimigeniusnamadicus, the Indian cheetah, also known as the Acinonyxjubatusvenaticus, the Indian crocodile, also known as the Gavialisgangeticus, the Javan rhinoceros etc.These are just a few examples of extinct animals in India, and it is important to note that many other species are also at risk of extinction due to human activities such as habitat loss and hunting. It is not only the Wild animals but also the birds that are either extinct now or going to extinct because of the unfavouring environment and loss of habitat. Many of the people are fond of hunting birds in particular for the sake of eating them, using their skin for various purposes, taking substance from their bodies for the medicinal purposes, and depriving them of their habitat because of the use of the land for agriculture, irrigation, industries, buildings, roads, railways line etc. The paper is an interpretative study of those rare species of birds in India that have been tagged as ‘critically endangered’ and that might be extinct soon in future. For the purpose, the secondary data collected from the various research studies were used that eventually enabled the authors to draw fruitful and meaningful conclusion.

1. To reflect the past of the wildlife in India

2. To comment on the extinction of the animals and birds

3. To enlist the critically endangered species of the birds

4. To bring forth the causes of their extinction or being endangered

5. To extend suggestions to check the extinction of the rare species of birds that fall in the category of the critically endangered species of the birds.

Anwaruddin Choudhury (2006), in his work on ‘The status of endangered species in northeast India’, shares that ‘Northeast India is part of a global biodiversity hotspot and also two Endemic Bird Areas. The region has the highest faunal diversity in India. Many among these are threatened. The categories included here are ‘Critically Endangered’, ‘Endangered’ and ‘Vulnerable’. Of the 11 ‘Critically Endangered’ species of mammals listed for India, seven have been recorded in this region. Of the 57 ‘Vulnerable’ species of birds in India, 42 have been recorded in the Northeast. Among reptiles, 10 species in India are included in the ‘Vulnerable’ category of which eight are found in this region. Overall, 54% of threatened mammals, 68% of birds and 63% of reptiles in the country have been recorded in the Northeast. Many species have become endangered because of habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching, small original range, habitat alteration, pollution, disturbance in specialised habitat and diseases’.

Govindasamy Agoramoorthy (2012), in‘India’s Vanishing Birds’, writes that‘India is one among the 34 global hotspots with highly endangered eco-regions. Nature conservation has been given significance, but the scientific base of knowledge on India’s biological diversity and ways of adding values to it are unfortunately weak. Whether or not people realize the bird extinction scenario and feel that such an extinction must be checked and the species of birds should be conserved’.

Rochelle Steven & Guy Castley (2013), in their joint-study ‘Tourism as a threat to critically endangered and endangered birds: Global patterns and trends in conservation hotspots’, report that ‘more than 12 % of bird species are threatened with extinction. Numerous anthropogenic activities and processes are considered responsible for such declines, including tourism related activities. These activities often occur in global biodiversity hotspots but few studies consider the potential risks associated with tourism. The relative importance of tourism as a threat to birds was quantified using a global analysis of the threats facing critically endangered and endangered birds in the hotspots. Sixty-three critically endangered and endangered bird species are reportedly threatened by tourism. Among those 63 species, marine, coastal and aquatic birds are threatened more by tourism than was expected. Hotspots with the most species threatened by tourism are Polynesia–Micronesia and the Mediterranean Basin’.

Samidurai Jayakumar (August 2018), in his study on the threatened birds‘Endangered birds in India’, found out that, along with DDT, pesticides and oilspills, even herbicide spraying on leads to death of the birds; even indirect pollution of the atmosphere is having an effect on the population of birds; things like acid rain have been discovered to affect the population of forest birds; it washes away the calcium of the soil and decreases the amountof calcium-rich prey of the birds, affecting their diet and thus, their population, the nesting, feeding, and roosting areas of birds have faced a lotof disturbance from the human beings, affecting theirpopulation.

Min Seock Do, Green Choi, Jae-Woong Hwang, Ji-Yeon Lee, Wee-HaengHur, Yu-Seong Choi, Seok-Jun Son, In-Ki Kwon, Sung-YeonYoo, Hyung-Kyu Nam (2020), in their research paper ‘Research topics and trends of endangered species using text mining in Korea’, find out that ‘continuous development due to human activities has extinctionized many floral and faunal species on earth and seriously threatened the ecosystem’.

Pedro F. Develey& Benjamin T. Phalan (2021), in their study ‘Bird Extinctions in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and How They Can Be Prevented’, in light of updates to the global Red List, conclude that between five and seven bird species have likely been driven to extinction in the wild in this biome in recent decades, plus a further two species that occurred elsewhere in Brazil. These extinctions were the result of habitat loss in combination with other threats. A further nine Atlantic Forest bird species are Critically Endangered, plus six from elsewhere in Brazil’.

RichaMalhotra (2022), in her informative research article entitled ‘Habitat loss pushing more bird species to near extinction-Larger number of species under threat in the tropics than in the temperate regions’ informs that ‘While 48% of the world’s 11,000 bird species are in decline, 39% have stable populations and the populations of only 6% of the bird species are increasing. Trends for the remaining 7% could not be ascertained from the data available.Since 1988, more bird species (391) have moved closer to extinction than species whose threat ratings improved as a result of conservation (70)’.

Ajay Kumar Ranaand Nishant Kumar (2023), in their research on wild life ‘Current wildlife crime (Indian scenario): major challenges and prevention approaches’, report that ‘the constant depletion of wild flora and fauna in India due to uncontrolled human activities, natural habitat destruction and covert poaching activities is threatening the ecological balance. The poaching and trafficking of wild species in the lure of money as well as fashion has wiped out a range of wildlife species that call for critical attention to tackle this menace. There are many transit routes through the states of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam, which are major hubs for wildlife trafficking in India, in both domestic and international markets. The poaching of wild animals and plants slowly erases biodiversity, which in turn affects the survival of humans and other living species. Therefore, there is an urgent need to check ongoing wildlife crimes, raise the number of endangered species, rehabilitate exotic/extinct species and restore natural ecosystems’.

The study is all qualitative based on the secondary data available in the books, research studies and journals available on the various sites of internet. For the sake of the scientific spirit of the work, all the features of scientific method and all the steps of research suggested by eminent scientists were strictly observed and abided by. For the purpose of writing the research paper, out of the love and sympathy for the rare species of birds or critically endangered or extinct birds in India, a wide netsurfing was made that enabled the authors to be familiar with the ill fate of many of the rare species of the birds that have been tagged ‘critically endangered’. A detailed and thorough study of the selected research studies and their review supplied the details about the critically endangered birds in India. The conclusion was drawn on the basis of the enhanced knowledge of such birds. Throughout the study, the objectives were kept in mind. Hypotheses were formulated that were later found to be true and proved.

The wildlife scenario is that sanctuaries are without birds; the forests are with few wild animals who are struggling for their life. Though all the types of wild animals and birds are insecure despite the implementation of several laws in India, there are the wildlife lovers who keep raising their voice for the protection and conservation of the wild animals and birds.

In India, the worst condition is of a variety of birds whose beauty, plumes, voice, twittering, cooing becomes their own enemy when the hunters in all the parts of India mercilessly hunt them for their own pleasure. The birds can be placed in the categories like-extinct and critically endangered. Extinct birds are those that are not seen any more and that are alive only through the pictures and portraits. The Critically endangered species of birds are those that are on the verge of extinct, that is, only very few of them are left in number or percentage.

Scenario of Critically Endangered Species of Birds in India

The International Union for Conversation of Nature (IUCN) for 2015putsthe following ten (10) species of birds in the category of critically endangered birds-

Great Indian Bustard

The Great Indian Bustard, the state bird of Rajasthan, which is known for its flight, heavy weight of around 15 kg and height of about 1m, is probably the most endangered species of bird found only in India and adjoining territorial regions. The Great Indian Bustard is seen in Rajasthan mainly. It is critically endangered because of being heavily hunted by the people and because of habitat loss. There is Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary at Solapur, Maharashtra to conserve and protect it.

Red Headed Vulture

The Red-headed Vulture or the Indian Black Vulture or King Vulture is a critically endangered species of vultures found in the Indian Subcontinent. Diclofenac, which is used in veterinary medicines is taken out of it, and so it is left mercilessly on its ill fate which does not allow it to fly freely with its fierce eyes.

Forest Owlet

In all the families of the typical owls in India, the Forest Owlet, found chiefly in the

forests of central India, is highly endangered.It had not been seen for years, so it was believed to have been extinct. However, much later it was rediscovered and only very few owls of this family survive in India. Melghat Tiger Reserve, Taloda Forest Range and forest area of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are best place to found this small jungle owl. Forest Owlet is the state bird of Maharashtra. It reveals that the Forest Owlet is on the verge of extinction. Mightbe tens of years later the owls of this family are no more seen in India.

Jerdon’s Courser

Jerdon’s Courser, the nocturnal bird, once found in Andhra Pradesh, is most threatened and enigmatic birds of India. Jerdon’s Courser is listed as a critically endangered bird due to habitat loss. Godaveri river valley and Sri Lankamalleshwara Sanctuary and Eastern Ghats forest range were its abode.

Bengal Florican

The Bengal Floricanoriginates from the bustard family, and is a native to Indian Subcontinent only. The main reason of its extinction or its being endangered include poaching, land conversion for agriculture and irrigation and habitat loss.

White Bellied Heron or The Great White-bellied Heron or Imperial Heron

The White Bellied Heron is a large heron found in the foothills of Great Himalaya to the eastern Himalayas ranges which fell prey to its own physical features, height and beauty. The tall dark and grey heron is large species with longest neck and no black stripes on the neck.

Himalayan Quail

The saying ‘Beauty is its own enemy’ applies to the Himalayan Quail that belongs to pheasant family and located only at western Himalayas of Uttarakhand and north-west region of India. Once echoed with the twittering of the Himalayan Quail, the Himalayan Valley is rarely echoed with this critically endangered species of birds.

Sociable Lapwing

Sociable Lapwing, a migratory bird from Kazakhstan, is seen only in the north-west region of India. The moderate sized lapwing is able to attract anyone with its longish black legs,dark belly and a short black bill which impart the bird a gracious look.

Siberian Crane

The Siberian White Crane is stunning in its beauty and flight. It is a migratory bird which visits India every year during the winter. Its attraction can be realized in the fact that thousands of the bird lovers from all the four corners of the world visit India, particularly, Jodhpur and Bharatpur in order to enjoy the glimpses of the Siberian Crane. 

Red List of Threatened Species

IUCN, the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species, reports that at present, there are more than 150,300 species on The IUCN Red List, with more than 42,100 species threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 37% of sharks and rays, 36% of reef building corals, 34% of conifers, 27% of mammals and 13% of birds.

As per the report of IUCN, red list in 2022, 15 species of birds, 10 species of mammals, 5 species of reptiles, and 5 species of fish have been found endangered on the list. There are several reasons that cause their extinction or keep them on the verge of extinction. Some of them are- loss of habitat as in the case of dinosaurs; housing, industries and use of habitat for agriculture;  killing through pesticides, hunting and road accidents; lack of genetic variation in the wild animals due to their being few in number, as it is in case of lions and cheetahs. The climate change is also threatening wild varieties. That means domesticated plants may lose an important source of traits that help them overcome new threats.

The floral and faunal history of India is so rich and reflects the safety of the rare species of animals and birds. It was simply because then the environment for the wildlife and birds was quite good and the wild animals and birds would find themselves safe and secure. The contemporary scenario of wildlife and birds is just opposite to what it would be in the past. The result is that many of the rare species of animals and birds are critically endangered and on the verge of extinction.

There are several reasons for the merciless killing of animals and birds, but behind each and every reason there lies man’s own greed which forces him to kill and hunt them, use their organs for his own use, use the substance found in them for various uses, and to force them to be away from the crowd. It will not be an exaggeration to deduce that most of the rare species of birds are either extinct or critically endangered which means that they can disappear never to be found again anytime.

The authors hope that through a planned strategy and under certain rigid government policies, the critically endangered species of birds can still be protected. It can turn into reality with the saying-‘Live and let others live’. 

In flora and fauna, India can be acclaimed to be a bio diverse country where there are foundabout 6.5% of the world’s known wildlife species, 7.6% of the world’s mammals and 12.6% of the world’s birds. In the past decades and centuries, India had much more than of these species because of a favorable environment. However, with the passage of time, the animals and birds started falling prey to man’s greed which allowed him to kill them for satisfying his own interests.

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3. GovindasamyAgoramoorthy. ‘India’s Vanishing Birds’, Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 6, 3056–3057

4. Min Seock Do, Green Choi, Jae-Woong Hwang, Ji-Yeon Lee, Wee-HaengHur, Yu-Seong Choi, Seok-Jun Son, In-Ki Kwon, Sung-YeonYoo, Hyung-Kyu Nam. ‘Research topics and trends of endangered species using text mining in Korea’, Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity, Volume 13, Issue 4, 1 December 2020, Pages 518-523

5. Pedro F. Develey& Benjamin T. Phalan.‘Bird Extinctions in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and How They Can Be Prevented’, Front. Ecol. Evol., 13 May 2021, Sec. Conservation and Restoration Ecology, Volume 9 - 2021

6. RichaMalhotra. ‘Habitat loss pushing more bird species to near extinction-Larger number of species under threat in the tropics than in the temperate regions’, nature India, 18 May, 2022

7. Rochelle Steven & Guy Castley. ‘Tourism as a threat to critically endangered and endangered birds: Global patterns and trends in conservation hotspots’, Biodiversity and Conservation, April 2013, 22(4)

8. SamiduraiJayakumar. ‘Endangered birds in India’, Endangered Birds in India and Their Conservation, ResearchGate, 2018.