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New Ganga Project Aims to Protect Sandbar Nesting Sites for Indian Skimmers and Six Other River Birds

Two Indian skimmers flying low over the Chambal River in India
Conservation · Habitat protection

On 13 January 2026, the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) and India’s National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) launched a conservation project for the endangered Indian skimmer (Rynchops albicollis) and other river birds that breed on exposed sandbars. The project, part of the Namami Gange programme, will combine breeding surveys, community-based nest protection and coordination with river-management authorities across several parts of the Ganga Basin.

This is a conservation intervention rather than evidence that breeding success has already improved. The project is intended to establish stronger monitoring, protect vulnerable colonies and test whether a community-based approach developed along the Chambal can be applied more widely.

Seven sandbar-nesting species are central to the project

NMCG lists seven focal or associated birds: Indian skimmer, black-bellied tern (Sterna acuticauda), river tern (Sterna aurantia), river lapwing (Vanellus duvaucelii), little tern (Sternula albifrons), small pratincole (Glareola lactea) and great thick-knee (Esacus recurvirostris). Indian skimmer is the flagship species, and NMCG states that more than 90% of its global breeding population occurs in India.

All seven depend on exposed riverine sand or gravel for breeding. The official project description identifies human disturbance, sand mining, livestock movement, predation and sudden changes in water level as important pressures on nests and chicks.

The project spans several major river stretches

Priority areas include the Chambal River, the Upper Ganga around Bijnor and Narora, the Ganga–Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj and the lower Ganga around Vikramshila. BNHS is building on conservation work in the Chambal, where local people have already been involved in guarding nesting colonies and supporting monitoring.

The project will extend this approach to new river stretches while monitoring breeding populations and nest survival and developing site-specific conservation strategies.

Nest protection will be combined with scientific monitoring

NMCG’s objectives combine systematic surveys with direct protection of vulnerable sandbars. Trained local participants, described as Nest Guardians, will help monitor colonies and reduce disturbance, trampling and predation around nesting sites. Scientific monitoring will continue alongside this community work to produce baseline and annual data on breeding populations and nest survival.

Coordination with irrigation and water-resource authorities is another central part of the project. Sudden releases or changes in river level can inundate breeding sandbars, so the programme aims to improve communication around water management as well as address threats occurring directly at the colonies.

The project will produce baseline and annual data on breeding populations and nest survival alongside site-specific conservation plans. It combines protection of exposed sandbars, systematic bird monitoring, local participation and coordination over river flows. Although Indian skimmer is the flagship, the same measures are intended to protect six other river birds that depend on the same vulnerable breeding habitat.

Sources and image credit

  1. Press Information Bureau. (2026, January 14). Jal Shakti Minister Shri C.R. Paatil Inaugurates Landmark Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives under Namami Gange Mission.Primary Government of India release confirming the formal launch of the BNHS Indian Skimmer conservation project under the Namami Gange Mission at the Wildlife Institute of India.
  2. National Mission for Clean Ganga. Safeguarding Breeding Habitats of Indian Skimmer and Sympatric Sandbar-Nesting Birds in the Ganga Basin.Official project description listing the seven focal/associated sandbar-nesting birds, priority river stretches, threats, four project objectives and planned outputs. It describes monitoring, Nest Guardians, stakeholder coordination and conservation planning as project aims rather than completed outcomes.
  3. Bombay Natural History Society. (2026, January). BNHS join hands with Ministry of Jalshakti to protect Indian Skimmer and their Sandbar Habitats.Primary implementing-organisation update stating that the project was launched on 13 January 2026 at the Wildlife Institute of India and describing the Chambal-derived community model, including Nest Guardians and River Guardians.

Image: Kandukuru Nagarjun / Wikimedia Commons — two wild Indian skimmers flying over the Chambal riverine ecosystem near Dholpur, Rajasthan, India, 27 February 2022; representative image from one of the project’s priority river systems · CC BY 2.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

Habitat protection

SPECIES IN THIS STORY

Species in this story

Great Thick-knee Esacus recurvirostris Explore species River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii Explore species Little Tern Sternula albifrons Explore species Small Pratincole Glareola lactea Explore species River Tern Sterna aurantia Explore species Black-bellied Tern Sterna acuticauda Explore species

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