• The white-winged wood duck, locally known as deo hanh, is one of Assam’s most distinctive wildlife species and has been the State Bird of Assam since 2003. 
• The bird is called Deo Hanh (the spirit duck) in Assamese, owing to its ghostly call. In India, this species can only be found in the northeast states.
• It is a large, rare, and endangered species of duck found in freshwater wetlands and dense tropical forests.
• This duck is instantly recognisable: black body, white head thickly spotted with black, conspicuous white wing patches, red or orange eyes, and an average length of about 81 cm.
• Both sexes look similar, although the male is larger, heavier and has glossier plumage. 
• The species is crepuscular, i.e. it is most active during dawn and dusk, and adults are largely omnivorous.
• Once widespread across South and Southeast Asia, its population has now shrunk drastically, placing it among the most threatened waterfowl in the world.
• The species is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2024) due to habitat loss and fragmentation.

Current Status

• Recent field surveys by the Wildlife Trust of India in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh indicate that barely 300 individuals survive in Northeast India. 
• Conservationist Anwaruddin Choudhury estimates the population in Assam may be less than 200, a steep decline from about 350 birds in 1990. 
• Today, its strongholds include:
  • Dihing Patkai National Park
  • Upper Dihing Reserve Forest in Tinsukia (the largest remaining population)
  • Nameri National Park, which shows slight improvement 
  • Small, scattered populations occur in Sonai-Rupai, Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Nambor, Doomdooma, and Torani, Dangori.
    

Why Is the Species Declining?

According to BirdLife International, multiple threats are driving its collapse:

• Destruction and degradation of forest wetlands
• Pollution and disturbance in breeding areas
• Deforestation and logging
• Hunting and egg collection
  

Conservation Measures

The current WTI project aims to bridge scientific information gaps and develop a long-term recovery plan with forest departments and local communities. India’s conservation framework — including the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the creation of protected areas — offers legal backing. The designation of deo hanh as the State Bird further emphasizes Assam’s commitment to saving this unique species.

Statement-based MCQ

Consider the following statements regarding the White-Winged Wood Duck (Deo Hanh):

1. It is listed as Critically Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
   
2. Its largest remaining population in India is found in Dihing Patkai National Park and Upper Dihing Reserve Forest.
   
3. The species naturally occurs in river systems around the Kalahi river in eastern Assam.
   
4. It is protected under Schedule III of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
   

Which of the above statements are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 3 and 4 only
D. 2 and 4 only

Answer: B

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