Water Birds of Purba Medinipur

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A compilation of around 120 Birds seen in the coastal areas and wetlands of the district of Purba Medinipur (East Midnapore). This is a result of our study for a period of five years along with literature review of published data from that region in various scientific journals, reports and also in social media platforms. Around 250 photographs were used to depict the diversity of wetland dependent avifauna of the district. This is a first of its kind publication highlighting a particular guild of birds from a district of West Bengal.

As Indians we have access to some of the most diverse natural environments in the world. The opportunities to enjoy our local birdlife are unique and varied. One such area offers opportunities is East Midnapore in West Bengal, has significant avifaunal diversity with the lowest proportion of protected areas. This is primarily due to the local people who are traditionally very sensitive about their environment and have protected their biodiversity without any official enforcement. Highlighting the diversity of areas under the peoples' protection through books like this, will not only encourage the common people of the area to take pride in their possession of biodiversity and make them aware of its importance but will also go a long way in the protection of such local biodiversity.

I always believe that a community that appreciates and understands its local birdlife is a community that is sensitive to the environment on which that birdlife depends.

Observing birds is one of the most popular pastimes that both professionals and amateurs engage in with equal passion. For years this has been going on and will keep on happening as long as we protect our species. This particular work is a documentation of wetland dependent avifauna of an area which is significantly important, geographically as well as ecologically, but surprisingly is not given the attention that is due to it.

Purba Medinipur District, which is a part of lower Indo- Gangetic Plain and Eastern Coastal plains, was formed on 1th January 2002 after the partition of Medinipur District. It has a long coastline of 65.5 km along its southern and south eastern boundary. Purba Medinipur Forest Division, which is formed by splitting and reorganizing some of the territorial jurisdiction of present Kharagpur Division on 10.11.2006, has its jurisdiction of this forest division extend from Kolaghat to Digha, covering Paskura, Haldia, Bajkul and Contai Forest Ranges. Total forest and tree cover of Purba Medinipur District is 1887.48ha (only 0.39% of the district area).

The southern zone of the District is a flat littoral tract with an altitude varying between 5mt. to 15mt. above mean sea level. The areas lies at the head of Bay of Bengal and is exposed to the full force of southern winds which are prevalent almost 8 months of the year. The sea face of the beach is hard and sandy followed by series of narrow and long sand dunes at some places. Thick deposits of saline mud occur in creeks along the sea face and on the banks of Rasulpur and Hooghly rivers. The river banks and sea beach are periodically inundated by tidal waves. Flow and ebb tides which occur at the vernal equinox (March-April) produce the maximum rise and fall. Near the sea coast the average rise and fall is about 2ft. A south wind prolongs the period of the flow whereas a north shortens the same.