GURUGRAM: Children in Grades 5 and 6 took part in a guided bird walk at Bhondsi Forest on Friday, November 6, 2026, with Green Pencil Foundation, Ataavi Bird Foundation and Early Bird organising the activity under Young Birders' Month. The session introduced the participating 12 and 13 year olds to bird identification, habitats and migration through observations in the forest.

The organiser's account describes a morning led by nature educators and bird guides, with children looking at colours, listening to calls and watching movement and behaviour. The separate national campaign listing confirms Bhondsi Forest, Gurugram, as the venue and names Sandy Khanda as the bird guide. It identifies the activity as a closed group event.

What children studied in the forest

Identification was only one part of the session. According to the organiser's November 6 account, children also discussed why birds occupy different environments and how those surroundings provide food and nesting opportunities. The lesson connected a bird's behaviour with the habitat around it, rather than treating each sighting as an isolated name to remember.

Migration provided another subject for discussion. Educators introduced the journeys birds make between places where they breed and places offering suitable food and climatic conditions. The children were encouraged to consider how changing surroundings affect those journeys and the survival of birds.

The group examined naturally shed feathers, looking at differences in shape, texture and structure. The organiser says the discussion covered the roles feathers play in flight, temperature regulation, camouflage and communication. This gave participants a physical object to study alongside the birds they were watching.

The account also records a discussion of bird evolution, including the scientific understanding that modern birds descended from feathered theropod dinosaurs. Habitat loss, urbanisation, pollution, climate change and human disturbance were among the conservation pressures introduced during the walk. These were teaching topics reported by the organiser, rather than findings from a new scientific survey of Bhondsi.

  • Event date: November 6, 2026.
  • Location: Bhondsi Forest, Gurugram.
  • Audience: children aged 12 and 13 in Grades 5 and 6.
  • Organising partners: Green Pencil Foundation, Ataavi Bird Foundation and Early Bird.
  • Format: a guided outdoor activity for a closed group.

The sources do not provide a participant total, identify the participating school or publish a list of species recorded on November 6. The activity therefore supports an account of what the children were taught, without establishing how many birds or species they saw. Photographs accompany the organiser's report.

A local activity within a national November programme

The official campaign event listing places the Bhondsi walk within Young Birders' Month. The campaign describes itself as an annual November programme connecting environmental organisations, educators, schools and local groups through bird themed activities for children across India.

Its national programme includes field trips, nature journaling, art and craft, competitions and expert sessions. That wider programme explains the setting for the Gurugram walk; it does not mean every listed activity was offered at Bhondsi. The local event page now says registration has closed, so it should not be treated as an invitation to attend another session.

Green Pencil Foundation says its nature education work aims to create more opportunities for children to observe and question their surroundings. Its account points to bird walks, butterfly observations, biodiversity mapping and exploration as possible ways of connecting environmental lessons with direct experience. It does not announce a new Gurugram school timetable or a compulsory programme.

Guidance for families planning similar activities

The campaign's participation guidelines, last updated August 21, set out responsibilities for future events. Parents and teachers are asked to review timings, age suitability and outdoor terrain, supervise children and prepare water, caps, insect repellent and any required permission slips. These are general campaign requirements, rather than a claim about supplies provided at the Bhondsi walk.

Organisers are responsible for first aid, local permissions and emergency contact arrangements. The guidelines say an organiser, volunteer or staff member should never be alone with a minor out of sight of parents, teachers or guardians. They also require documented parental or guardian consent before sharing children's photographs or videos.

For participants, the wildlife guidance is specific: keep a respectful distance from birds, avoid disturbing nests and roosting areas, stay on designated paths and leave no litter. Families can read the campaign guidelines before choosing a separately announced activity.

The campaign's Learning Zone also lists beginner resources, including Early Bird's course The Wonder of Birds in English, Hindi and Kannada, and a free introductory birdwatching course from WWF. For local background, readers can consult earlier reports on Sultanpur birdwatching, Aravali Biodiversity Park and child safety sessions in Gurugram schools.