This publication is an enormous achievement befitting such a huge and biologically rich country. The power of this book is that the 465 Important Bird Areas it details are a signal that, often against the odds, birds and other biodiversity continue to flourish in wonderful places throughout India. The majority of these IBAs are within exclusively managed Protected Areas but nearly 200 are unprotected areas where wildlife survives alongside local people. This book reflects the cultural affinity that all Indian people have for nature. This empathy and India’s rich natural heritage are a source of pride for the whole nation. `Important Bird Areas in India’ covers so much ground and provides information on so many sites and species that it required the creation of a new national network of bird conservationists, the Indian Bird Conservation Network, to tackle it. The Bombay Natural History Society has not only produced a wonderful inventory but also has galvanized a new force for conservation in India. The IBCN members should take most of the credit for the quality of the site accounts because it is their local knowledge that has provided the depth of information.
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