Birds in my neighborhood (Gujarat)

Gujarat (20° 01’ to 24° 44’ N, 68° 03’ to 74° 24’ E), situated in western India, has diverse habitats and a varied birdlife. The main regions of Gujarat are Kachchh, Saurashtra and mainland Gujarat (which includes South Gujarat, North Gujarat and the area in between, which can be referred to as Central Gujarat). These regions have varied habitats, with the moist, deciduous forests of South Gujarat to the deserts of Kachchh. Hence there is great diversity in the bird life seen here. The varied habitats, along with a culture of nonviolence towards wildlife, have made Gujarat a premier destination for bird watching in India. Gujarat has always been lucky to have ornithologists and dedicated bird watchers. Major surveys and specimen collections were done here before independence. A checklist of birds of Gujarat was published by Bird Conservation Society, Gujarat (henceforth BCSG) in 2004, which lists a total of 526 species (Parasharya et al. 2004). In the last 15 years, due to the advent of digital cameras and well illustrated field guides, there has been an explosion in bird watching activity in the state. Reports of birds on social media websites like Facebook, and other networking sites and internet groups, trip reports etc. have added to our knowledge of birds of Gujarat.