5% of birds in India are endemic, says Zoological Survey of India publication

• A publication titled “75 Endemic Birds of India” was recently released by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).
• It points out that about 5% of the birds found in India are endemic and not reported in other parts of the world.

Bird Diversity in India

• India is home to 1,353 bird species, which represents approximately 12.4% of the global bird diversity.
• Of these, 78 (5%) bird diversity are endemic to the country.
• Three of the 78 species have not been recorded in the past few decades.
  • The Manipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis)
    • IUCN Status: Endangered
  • The Himalayan quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
    • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
  • The Jerdon’s courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
    • IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
• Endemic species are restrictive in nature, so it is important that their habitats are conserved so that they don’t dwindle out.

Many in Western Ghats

• The highest number of endemic species have been recorded in the Western Ghats, with 28 bird species.
• Some of the species recorded are
  • The Malabar grey hornbill (Ocyceros griseus)
  • The Malabar parakeet (Psittacula columboides)
  • Ashambu laughingthrush (Montecincla meridionalis)
  • The white-bellied sholakili (Sholicola albiventris)

Zoological Survey of India

• Established in 1916, it is a subordinate organization of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
• It is a national centre for faunistic survey and exploration of the resources leading to the advancement of knowledge on the exceptionally rich faunal diversity of the country.
• Headquarters: Kolkata