New Digital Archive Tracks Assam’s Bird Species

Guwahati: Assam just got a new digital archive called Pokkhi. It tracks the state's birds. Wildlife photographer Chirantanu Saikia and researcher Abhilash Gayan built the platform to serve as a hub for local avian data. The site hosts profiles for 372 different species.

Users can view high-quality photos, identification guides, and official IUCN conservation status reports. The tool lists both English and Assamese names to help people identify what they see in the wild. The duo started the project because they struggled to find reliable regional names for birds during their own field trips.

Local names for the same bird often change depending on the region. This platform captures those variations in one spot. The team wants birdwatchers to send in more data to help the site grow. They hope the project helps clear up confusion about local nomenclature. “The idea grew out of the duo’s own field experiences, where they often struggled to find reliable Assamese names for several bird species.” Educators and conservationists now have a new way to study biodiversity in this massive hotspot.