Status of Waterbirds in Asia

This report summarises the results of the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) from 1987 to 2007, comprising counts at 6,705 sites in 27 countries. A total of 1,387 sites met at least one of two criteria of internationally important sites according to the Ramsar Convention. Of these, 312 sites were reported to support more than 20,000 waterbirds, and 1,382 sites recorded more than 1% of the biogeographic population of at least one species of waterbird. The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), conducted each year in January, is a waterbird and wetland-monitoring programme initiated in 1987 within the framework of the International Waterbird Census.