The program began in the winter of the year 2005 in Mumbai. More than 120 bird-watching enthusiasts – from absolute beginners to experienced birders – came together, marking the start of a unique event in the annals of Indian bird-watching and data documentation.
Looking at the initial response and the promise that an activity such as this holds, it was decided to make the program into an annual event. As an interesting aside, during the first event, in approximately 12 hours, 277 species of birds were sighted in and around Mumbai. This was almost a quarter of the avifaunal diversity of India. Naturally, it surprised everyone that so much birdlife could be seen in and around one of the most populous cities in the world, when so many pairs of enthusiastic human eyes and ears were on the look-out on one day across varied landscapes!
The following year, the second such program, held in January 2006, saw an even greater participation and then on, the number of participants only increased as the program was slowly introduced to several cities across the country.
Over the years, the program, besides being a coming together of many experienced bird-watchers, has continued to attract armies of beginners to bird-watching as well as great numbers of children, school and college students.