Why Assam Must Act Now to Save the White-Winged Wood Duck

The White-winged Wood Duck, known lovingly in Assam as the Deo Hanh or “spirit duck,” is more than just a rare bird. It is a living part of the state’s cultural identity, a symbol of its deep connection with nature, and now, a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile our environment has become. Once found across several pockets of Northeast India and Southeast Asia, this shy and beautiful bird has seen its population fall sharply over the years. With its recent classification as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, the Deo Hanh stands on the edge of extinction. Unless we act quickly and effectively, we may soon lose one of Assam’s most treasured species forever.

The decline of the White-winged Wood Duck is not a sudden event. It is the result of decades of shrinking wetlands, loss of forest cover, rising human disturbance, and climate-related changes that have steadily eaten away at the bird’s last remaining habitats. The duck prefers isolated, undisturbed forest pools and wetlands—a type of habitat that has become extremely rare today. Large-scale land conversion for agriculture, tea cultivation, settlement expansion, and infrastructure development has left the bird with fewer places to hide, feed, and breed. Logging and forest fragmentation have broken the continuity of its natural home, pushing it into even smaller patches where survival becomes harder each year.

What makes the situation even more worrying is that the White-winged Wood Duck has always been a species with particular needs. It nests in tree hollows, requires dense forest canopy, and avoids areas disturbed by human activity. This means even small disturbances—occasional tree felling, changes in water flow, noise, or the presence of livestock—can drive the bird away. Unfortunately, in many parts of Assam, such disturbances are now constant. Wetlands are drained or polluted, forests are encroached upon, and quiet spaces are becoming rare. The bird’s low population growth rate only worsens the crisis. Even if the threats stopped today, the species would take many years to recover.

Assam is one of the last strongholds of the White-winged Wood Duck, particularly in landscapes such as Nameri, Dibru-Saikhowa, and Dehing Patkai. But even here, sightings have become infrequent. Forest guards and researchers often report long days of monitoring without a single encounter—a worrying sign for a state that once proudly celebrated the Deo Hanh as its own. When a species becomes this rare, it is not only a blow to biodiversity but also a loss to cultural memory. Children still grow up hearing about the “spirit duck” in stories, yet many may never see it in the wild.

The responsibility of saving this species does not lie only with forest departments or wildlife organisations, though their role is critical. Conservation must become a shared responsibility—of communities, policymakers, and the public. One of the biggest challenges today is the lack of awareness. Many people living near the duck’s habitats do not realise how rare it has become or how important it is to protect the wetlands and forests around them. Community-based conservation, which has shown success in other parts of India, could be a powerful tool here. Engaging local people as guardians of their natural heritage, offering incentives, and involving them in monitoring efforts can create a sense of ownership and pride.

At the same time, the government must recognise that saving the White-winged Wood Duck requires long-term planning, not short-term projects. Protecting wetlands from encroachment, improving forest connectivity, and enforcing anti-logging measures are essential steps. Restoration of degraded habitats should be prioritised, especially since the duck prefers secluded forest pools that can be recreated with careful planning. Ecotourism, if managed responsibly, could also help bring global attention and resources to the duck’s conservation while providing livelihoods to local communities without harming the bird.

Scientific research is another area that needs urgent strengthening. Very little is known about the species’ exact population size, movement patterns, or breeding behaviour in Assam. Without accurate data, conservation planning becomes guesswork. More field surveys, tracking efforts, and habitat studies are essential. Collaboration with international wildlife organisations experienced in saving critically endangered waterfowl could greatly benefit local efforts.

But beyond all policies, research, and programmes lies something even more important: the will to act. Conservation in India often suffers from delays, lack of coordination, and limited funding. If a species like the White-winged Wood Duck is to be saved, these gaps must be addressed with urgency. Declaring it critically endangered is not enough. The label is a warning, not a solution. What matters is what we do next.

Assam has shown in the past that it can protect its wildlife when it chooses to. The success story of the one-horned rhino stands as a proud example of what political will and community involvement can achieve. A similar spirit is needed today for the Deo Hanh. This bird may be small and elusive, but it represents something big—Assam’s ecological identity and the delicate balance of the region’s forested wetlands.

We are at a turning point. If we act now, the White-winged Wood Duck may still have a future in the wild forests of Assam. If we wait even a few more years, the “spirit duck” may vanish into silence, remembered only in museum collections and old stories. The loss would not just be of a species but of a part of Assam’s soul. Saving the Deo Hanh is not just a conservation effort; it is a duty to protect the natural heritage that defines us.