Habitat clean-up by volunteers from Delhi Bird Photographers group

The Birds & Habitats Conservation Alliance (BHCA) is a nationwide coalition of non-governmental organizations, birdwatching communities, bird photography clubs, academic and technical institutions, foundations, corporations, firms, conservation experts and volunteers working together to conserve birds and the habitats they depend on.

BHCA focuses on the protection, restoration, and long-term stewardship of critical bird habitats—including wetlands, woodlands, scrub-shrub landscapes, and open grasslands—through its partners and an extensive network of volunteers. The Alliance works in close partnership with governments, local administrations, research and technical institutions, and conservation experts to advance science-based conservation, habitat management, biodiversity education, and citizen science.

At the heart of BHCA’s approach is the recognition that healthy habitats require empowered communities. The Alliance works with human communities living in and around bird habitats to enable them to become the primary custodians of these ecosystems. This is achieved by strengthening community agency and resilience—beginning with the fulfilment of critical needs such as education, health, nutrition, access to clean water and sanitation, and, most importantly, sustainable income and livelihood opportunities. BHCA acknowledges that communities facing poverty and marginalization cannot be expected to prioritize conservation when daily survival remains their overriding concern.

By deliberately integrating ecological conservation with community development, BHCA creates pathways for durable, inclusive, and scalable climate action. This integrated approach:

• Conserves birds and their habitats through informed, science-led action
• Mobilizes bird enthusiasts, photographers, and citizen scientists for voluntary conservation action
• Enables nature-based and ecotourism-linked livelihoods
• Prevents and mitigates human–wildlife conflict
• Improves the quality of life of people living in/near the habitats through advancement in education, health, nutrition, clean water and sanitation, skills and access to livelihoods
• Fosters a generation of healthy, educated children with an appreciation for birds and nature
• Empowers youth and women as empathetic leaders for conservation and climate resilience

BHCA operates through a decentralized alliance model. Its secretariat and technical units are hosted by member organizations that implement bird and habitat conservation in parallel with rural development initiatives in villages located in and around priority habitats. This structure ensures local ownership, contextual relevance, and long-term sustainability of conservation outcomes. The Alliance is poised to expand its reach across 100+ bird hotspots across India.

Empower Trust hosts the Secretariat of BHCA
For partnerships, collaboration, and engagement:
Mathew Joseph, Hon. Convenor, Birds & Habitats Conservation Alliance
mathew@empower-trust.org