Srinagar, Feb. 13 -- The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC)-2026 was conducted across 27 wetlands of the Kashmir Valley to estimate the number of migratory and resident birds in the Himalayan region, officials said on Thursday.

A major field-based biodiversity monitoring exercise, the census involved the services of over 350 participants including academics, experts and students who were actively involved in the field-level census, making it one of the largest participatory conservation exercises conducted in Kashmir in recent years, they said.

"The Asian Waterbird Census is not merely an exercise in counting birds, but a scientifically structured estimation process focused on population trends. These trends help assess the suitability of wet...