409 Species of birds over different landmass of habitats in Coimbatore: ‘Birds of Coimbatore’ book comes as a handy guide to bird watchers
Coimbatore: Birds of Coimbatore 2nd edition is authored by Pavendhan A, Balaji P B and Prakash G. They say that Coimbatore Nature Society has recorded as many as 409 species of bird across Coimbatore district since 2010 to September 2020.
They added saying that four different types of hornbills are sighted in Coimbatore and are visual treat for the bird watchers. Indian Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied hornbill, Great Hornbill, and the Malabar Grey hornbill are the hornbills sighted here. The book also mentions the Great Crested Grebe, a rare winter vistor, was spotted in Coimbatore a few years back and nowhere else in South India.
This book has been jointly released by Coimbatore Nature Society (CNS) and CII Young Indians, Coimbatore Chapter. Coimbatore Nature Society has been organising bird walks on every Sunday without break since 2012 onwards. Authors also said this book would help in developing ecotourism in the region.
The book features all the birds seen in the district with attractive Photographs. The names of the birds are given in both English and Tamil for easy understanding. The Book also features introductions about Birds and Ecology, Western ghats, Coimbatore and Coimbatore Nature Society. The layout and text have also been revised and made simpler for the benefit of beginners. Authors who penned this book also talked about migratory birds that flock together to wetlands, forestland and grassland during winter seasons. There are both resident and migratory birds. Migratory birds from Himalayas, Europe, Central Asian countries also visit Coimbatore wetlands.
Greater flamingos have been seen over the wetlands of Coimbatore in winters in the last few years, authors told. The Section on Birdwatching hotspots mentions about 40 birding hotspots in Coimbatore district with photos and GPS coordinates. This will serve as a handy guide to bird watchers. Another interesting aspect of the book is its use of QR codes. By scanning the QR code next to each bird profile, one can listen to the call/song of the bird.
Launched on January 8, 2021, this book, priced at 1,000 rupees, can be purchased through phone order in which the customer will get it through courier. For queries contact: 9840092602, 9842261279. The book is also available for purchase through Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) office in Coimbatore.