Contents:  Introduction.  Foreword. Preface. 1. Birds Structure. 2. How to use the book. 3. Glossary. Index.

From the introduction: There are over 10, 000 species of birds in the world. The Indian Subcontinent is richly endowed with birds, having over 1200 species of birds over 80 families. This region incorporates for the world's largest variety of birds-both vegetarian and non-hunters. Goa has an enchanting bird life. A diversity of 450 plus species reported from this tiny state of India, makes it one of the most exciting birding destinations. Goa being a coastal state enjoys a unique combination of nature's endowment, a diversity of its coastal habitat characterized by a variety of landforms like beaches, estuaries, islands and lagoons. The most remarkable feature of Goa that attracts several bird watchers is that it provides the right opportunity to observe coastal migratory bird life long with the resident birds. This allows the birdwatchers to observe a large variety of species within a small radius. Western Ghats and the Himalays, these both regions are rich in biodiversity compared to the other parts of the country. In this book 85 species of more common and photogenic birds of Goa are illustratively described. (jacket)