Endangered and Critically Endangered Bird Species of Pakistan

Birds are an extremely important part of any healthy ecosystem and Pakistan is lucky to have a huge diversity of native as well as migratory birds. Pakistan is a country rich in flora and fauna, as well as natural topography and weather which is suitable for native and migratory birds alike. No season of Pakistan is devoid of the chirps and songs of birds – be it summers when native birds are out in the skies in their full glory, or winters when thousands and thousands of migratory birds come to stay in our beautiful country from colder regions of Siberia and Russia. But unfortunately, Rachel Carson’s silent spring can be a reality for us if the rate at which birds are getting endangered or some even going extinct continues.

There are a lot of different causes for birds going endangered or extinct, including but not limited to, chemical/pesticide poisoning, over-hunting and habitat destruction etc. Below is a list of 13 bird species of Pakistan which are currently declared endangered or critically endangered by IUCN.

Also check out:

Vulnerable and Endangered Animal Species of Pakistan

Endangered and Critically Endangered Animal Species of Pakistan

 

HOUBARA BUSTARD

Common English Name: Houbara bustard

Scientific names: Chlamydotis undulata

Local Name: Tilor

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Thar desert, Sindh.

INDIAN SKIMMER

Common English Name: Indian skimmer; Indian scissors-bill

Scientific names: Rynchops albicollis

IUCN Status: Endangered

Location: Along Indus river.

INDIAN SPOTTED EAGLE

Common English Name: Indian spotted eagle

Scientific names: Clanga hastata

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Vagrant

KASHMIR FLYCATCHER

Common English Name: Kashmir flycatcher

Scientific names: Ficedula subrubra

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Kashmir region.

Also read: 10 Critically Endangered Animals That Can Go Extinct By 2050

BLACK-BELLIED TERN

Common English Name: Tern

Scientific names: Sterna acuticauda

IUCN Status: Endangered

Location: Along river Indus.

ASIAN WHITE BACKED VULTURE

Common English Name: White-rumped vulture; Oriental white-backed vulture.

Scientific names: Gyps bengalensis

Local Name: Gidh

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Location: Punjab.

CHEER PHEASANT

Common English Name: Cheer pheasant; Chir pheasant; Wallich’s pheasant

Scientific names: Catreus wallichii

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: Kashmir, Himalayan region.

YELLOW-EYED PIGEON

Common English Name: Yellow-eyed pigeon; Pale-backed pigeon

Scientific names: Columba eversmanni

Local Name: Kabootar

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: North-east Pakistan, Kashmir region.

SAKER FALCON

Common English Name: Saker falcon

Scientific names: Falco cherrug

IUCN Status: Endangered

Location: Northern Pakistan

SARUS CRANE

Common English Name: Sarus crane

Scientific names: Antigone antigone

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location:  Tharparkar District (thought to be extinct in Pakistan.)

SOCIABLE LAPWING

Common English Name: Sociable lapwing/plover

Scientific names: Vanellus gregarius

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Location: –

WESTERN TRAGOPAN

Common English Name: Western tragopan; Western horned tragopan

Scientific names: Tragopan melanocephalus

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Location: KPK; Himalayan region.

INDIAN VULTURE

Common English Name: Indian Vulture

Scientific names: Gyps indicus

Local Name: Gidh

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Location: Southern Punjab; South-western Balochistan; Thar desert, Sindh; Azad Kashmir.

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