Contents: Foreword. How to use this book. 1. Introduction: i. Biogeography of India. ii. Wetland birds and their values. iii. Habitats. iv. Heronries. v. Migration. vi. Major waterbird flyways. vii. Watching wetland birds. 2. Bionomics of wetland birds: i. Checklist. ii. Waterbirds. iii. Wetland dependent and associated birds. 3. Status of wetland birds: i. Residential. ii. Abundance. iii. Conservation. 4. Socio-economics of wetlands: i. Values. ii. Threats. iii. Conservation. 5. Protected area network: i. Wetland Sanctuaries and National Parks. ii. Ramsar Sites. iii. Montreux Sites. iv. World heritage Sites. v. Important Bird Areas (IBAs). vi. Sacred wetlands. 6. Framework for conservation: i. National policies and laws. ii. International conventions, agreements and policies. iii. Co-ordination of action in the Asian region. iv. A Strategy for threatened wetland birds in India. v. Government and Non-Government Organisations. 7. References. Appendices: i. Accession to international conventions directly relevant to the conservation of waterbirds in the Asia-Pacific region. ii. Migratory waterbird species of special conservation interest in the Asia-pacific region. iii. Convention on Wetlands, recommendation VI. 4. iv. Convention on Wetlands, recommendation VII. 3. v. Convention on Wetlands, resolution VIII. 38. vi. Convention on Wetlands, resolution VII. 3. vii. Convention on Wetlands, resolution VII. 21. viii. Assessment and monitoring of waterfowl habitat using remote sensing techniques - a case study. Index of scientific names. Index of common names.
"First comprehensive handbook on Indian Wetland birds, which provides information on 310 wetland bird species from India. Each species description comprises brief diagnostics, at least a photograph, a painting and its geographical distribution depicted in a colour map.
The population, residential and conservation status of Indian wetland birds has been analysed. Globally threatened species from India have been listed along with descriptions of their critical habitats. Socio-economic of wetlands have been discussed along with their direct and indirect values. A chapter has been devoted to wetland Sanctuaries, National Parks, Ramsar and Montreux Sites, and Sacred Wetlands in India. National policies, legislation, and international conventions/agreements, including Indo-Russian bilateral agreement on conservation of wetlands and wetland birds have been discussed under a chapter on frame work for conservation.
Strategies for conservation of threatened Indian wetland birds and their critical habitats have been discussed. List and mandate of various GO's and NGO's involved in wetland bird conservation have been provided."
