New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- A total of 247 bird species were recorded across Delhi-NCR on the Big Bird Day 2026, logging the highest count in three years. The rare sightings included the baikal teal, savanna nightjar, white-tailed eagle, west Himalayan bush warbler, the yellow-browed warbler, and smoky warbler. Across the Delhi-NCR, over 40 teams fanned out through wetlands, scrub and floodplains, recording 247 species - marginally higher than 243 in 2025, 234 in 2024, and 253 in 2023. The annual exercise, which began in the Capital in 2000, was carried out across 28 states and Union Territories on February 1 this year, logging a cumulative 665 species nationwide. "The day was marked with some rare sightings. Baikal teal is a beautiful visitor fro...