The Painted Stork: Exploring Ecology and Conservation in India

by Abdul Jamil Urfi

Overview

A charismatic and arresting bird, the Painted Stork inhabits the plains and wetlands of India and Southeast Asia. This near-threatened species provides a good model through which to explore a variety of ecology and conservation issues. As a colonial nester, it is also useful for considering questions related to evolution and the development of avian coloniality. The Painted Stork sometimes nests opportunistically in the middle of large cities – the Delhi Zoo colony, for instance, has been active since 1960. This offers a splendid opportunity to study the species at close range, as attested by this book's lively photographic component.

The Painted Stork is an important indicator of its wetland habitats, which themselves are highly threatened. Since environmental toxins, particularly organochlorine pesticides, travel rapidly along aquatic food chains, the study of piscivorous birds like the Painted Stork assumes special significance. Equally vulnerable today are the nesting colonies, located in marshes, village reservoirs and the wider countryside, including in urban settings. Perhaps because their natural nesting areas are becoming scarce due to habitat loss, colonial waterbirds look for suitable sites in parks and gardens. Hence, the behaviour of this species reflects changes occurring in its environment.

Birds also help us monitor the effects of global climate change, and one of the most significant dimensions of the Painted Stork is its dependence upon the monsoon. How exactly do these seasonal rains govern the food cycles in wetlands? And what happens when the monsoon fails? Covering all aspects of Painted Stork ecology, behaviour, conservation and its relationship with humans, this accessible monograph contains a wealth of new insights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784274405
Publisher:	Pelagic Publishing
Publication date:	01/16/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	77 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Abdul Jamil Urfi has been researching the ecology and conservation of Painted Stork in India for more than 35 years. A senior professor of environmental studies, and currently head of department at the University of Delhi, he has published three previous books on birds, including Birds: Beyond Watching and Birds of India: A Literary Anthology. He was a European Commission Marie Curie Fellow in the UK and a Fulbright Fellow in the USA. He is a member of IUCN’s stork, ibis and spoonbill species survival commission. His interests include field ecology, conservation biology, biology education and birdwatching trends in India.

Abdul Jamil Urfi has been researching the ecology and conservation of Painted Stork in India for more than 35 years, with a special focus on the colony at Delhi Zoo. A professor of environmental studies at the University of Delhi, he has published three previous books, including Birds of India: A Literary Anthology (2011). He is a member of IUCN’s stork, ibis and spoonbill species survival commission.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Bill Sutherland
Prologue by Raghavendra Gadagkar
Preface
Acknowledgements

Introduction: A Bird of Great Charisma
1. The Painted Stork in Context
2. Avian Coloniality
3. Painted Stork Colonies in India
4. Nesting
5. Sexual Size Dimorphism and Mating Patterns
6. Foraging Ecology
7. Painted Storks in an Urban Context
8. Painted Storks and People
9. Conservation

Appendices
References
Index