V. Santharam PhD.

(Born:1961)

Education:
B.Com. (University of Madras, Tamil Nadu), M.Sc. (Ecology) (Pondicherry University); Ph.D. (Ecology of woodpeckers) (Pondicherry University).

Honorary Positions:

• Director: Institute of Bird Studies & Natural History, Rishi Valley, Andhra Pradesh.
• Secretary: Madras Naturalists’ Society, Chennai (1997-1998).
• Member: Editorial Board of Blackbuck.
• Representative for Tamil Nadu in the IBCN Network, BNHS, Mumbai.
• Founder and Moderator of Tamilbirds – Yahoo group (now a Google group)

Fields of Study / Research:

• Started watching birds since 1977 in Chennai and neighbourhood.
• Compiled a checklist of birds of Chennai (Madras) city and its environs.
• Participated in several bird surveys and waterfowl censuses in southern India.
• Studied the Ecology of sympatric woodpeckers in the Western Ghats, India.
• Survey of the Great Black (White-bellied) Woodpecker in the Western Ghats.
• A survey of Wetlands in the erstwhile Chingleput district (now Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts) for BNHS/ENVIS.
• Worked as research associate / fellow in SACON and BNHS.
• Contributor to the ongoing compilation of Checklist of Birds of Tamilnadu.
• Part of the group that organises Tamilnadu Birders’ Meet.
• Monitoring bird communities in Rishi Valley since 1998.

Publications:
Several short notes and papers published in Newsletter for Birdwatchers, Blackbuck, Journal of the BNHS, Forktail, Indian Birds as well as articles in The Hindu, TeacherPlus, Indian Express etc.

Interests:
Ornithology, ecology and conservation, photography, Indian classical music, temple architecture and culture. 

Taej Mundkur (Born: 1961)

Education:

B.Sc., and M.Sc., in Microbiology (Garware College, Pune University, Maharashtra); Ph.D. in field ecology of resident and migrant waterbirds of Saurashtra (Saurashtra University, Gujarat).

Dr Taej Mundkur works as a nature conservationist and an independent consultant, based in Arnhem, The Netherlands. Taej finished his education in India and has a doctorate in waterbird ecology from Saurashtra University in Rajkot and a master’s degree in microbiology from Garware College in Pune.

Taej has worked with Wetlands International for over three decades based in Malaysia, India and the Netherlands where he has responsible for development of waterbird conservation programmes in Asia and worldwide, in partnership with conventions, governments, NGOs, corporate sector and others. He coordinates the global International Waterbird Census and the global Waterbird Population Estimates production and more recently the first EAAF Conservation Status Review completed in 2022. He now serves as a Senior Advisor to Wetlands International, implementing global and regional conservation projects. He represents the organisation on the EAAFP related Working Groups and Task Forces, including on shorebirds, Anatidae, Baer’s Pochard, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, waterbird monitoring, avian influenza & wild birds and colour marking.

He has chaired the UNEP Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Flyways Working Group in advising the Convention and its Parties on priorities for conservation for migratory birds globally and regionally for over a decade. He has been active in developing species conservation Action Plans and frameworks for other flyways around the world.

As an independent conservationist, Taej works on select conservation-linked projects and assignments. He supports the development of the World Coastal Forum with Eco Foundation Global and BirdLife International. He has led the preparation of a Central Asian Flyway Situation Analysis report for all migratory bird species and their habitats for BirdLife International that has informed the establishment of a new Central Asian Flyway Initiative in 2024. He also serves as Vice-Chair of the East Asian – Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Technical Sub-Committee.

Taej is an adjunct professor with the Institute of Environment Education and Research, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune in India where he teaches waterbird and wetland ecology and monitoring and conservation leadership to MSc students. He also co-supervises PhD and post-doctoral students in Sri Lanka and USA undertaking fundamental migration research and conservation studies.

Previously, Taej worked with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to build a programme to strengthen the capacity of veterinarians and wildlife staff in wild bird disease monitoring (avian influenza) in Africa, Europe and Asia. He established and chaired the Asia-Pacific Working Group on Migratory Waterbirds and Avian Influenza for over a decade. 

He has been closely involved with regional and national training, awareness raising and capacity building activities working with a range of government staff, universities, experts, amateurs, and other stakeholders.

Taej has authored and edited a number of books and publications on waterbirds and wetlands, including the popular Field Guide to the Waterbirds of Asia and reports of the Asian Waterbird Census. In addition, he has published a number of papers on a variety of research and conservation topics and observational records in national and international journals, bulletins and other publications.

Keen on communication, capacity and awareness raising, he has published public and scientific articles on a wide range of research to conservation issues.

Contact details:
Taej.Mundkur@gmail.com
Linked In Profile

E-mail: “S. Subramanya” subbu.subramanya@gmail.com

Education

• Ph.D. in Agricultural Ornithology from UAS, Bangalore (1991)
• Master’s Degree in Agricultural Entomology from UAS, Bangalore (1979)
• B.Sc. degree in Agriculture from the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Bangalore (1977)

Work Experience
Studying birds since mid-1970s – till date, with a general focus on Birds of India and a specific focus on Birds of Karnataka.

Positions

• Member, Recruitment, Assessment and Promotion Committee (RAPC), Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) (2022).
• Member, Governing Council of Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore. (2017-2019)
• Professor of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Campus, Bangalore till 2018.
• Member, Research Advisory Council, MSc Wildlife Biology and Conservation Program, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore. (2011-13).
• Member of the Editorial Board of The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, BNHS, Mumbai
• State Coordinator, Karnataka, Asian Waterbird Census 1987-1996; 2003-2024
• Research Biologist, BirdLife International, Cambridge, UK: “Threatened Birds of Asia”. (1997-98).
• Karnataka State Coordinator, Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN) and Important Bird Areas (IBA) of India programme of BNHS (2000-2024).
• Karnataka State Reviewer for eBird (2013-2024).
• Member, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai.
• Honorary Member Oriental Bird Club, UK (1998-2018).
• Member, IUCN Species Specialist Group (Heron Specialist Group and Storks, Ibises & Spoonbill Specialist Group)
• Member, Deccan Birders, Telangana
• Member, Malabar Natural History Society, Kozhikode, Kerala.
• Research Biologist, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (1980-81).

Projects

• Involved in Long-term Pelagic Bird Surveys off the west coast of Karnataka along with Shivashankar Manjunatha, Gopalakrishna A. and M.C. Prashanth Krishna (2024).
• Part of Hidden Hands in Colonial Natural Histories Project Coordinated by McGill University, Montreal Canada to research on James Forbes Collection at Blacker-Wood Library, McGill University.
• Part of the Gwillim Network Project Coordinated by McGill University, Canada to research on the 19th Century (1801-1807) Bird Paintings of Lady Elizabeth Gwillim, painted in Madras. (2018-2023).
• Re-conducted the Mysore Bird Survey carried out by Dr. Salim Ali between November 1939-1940, by visiting the same locations on the same dates but after 78 years, between November 2018-February 2019.
• Involved with Karnataka State Forest Department in the Implementation of the Central Asian Flyway Action Plan in Karnataka.
• Involved with Australasian Wader Study Group in the Satellite Tracking of Oriental Pratincole (2019).
• Involved in developing the proposal along with the State Forest Department for the declaration of:
  • Vulture Sanctuary at Ramadeverabetta, Ramanagaram, Karnataka
  • Puttenahalli Lake Bird Conservation Reserve, Yelahanka, Bangalore
  • Chikka Sangama Bird Conservation Reserve (125Sq.Km.) at Almatti Backwaters, Bagalkote, Karnataka
  • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (2010).
  • Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary and Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve as Ramsar Sites.
• Coordinated the Bird Surveys with Karnataka State Forest Department at:
  • Almatti Backwaters, Bagalkot district (2020)
  • Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary: flood impact survey (1991, 2005, 2018)
  • Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, Chamarajanagar district (2014)
  • Biligirirangana Hills Tiger Reserve, Chamarajanagar district (2012-13)
  • Gudavi Bird Sanctuary (2004).

Selected Publications

• Subramanya, S. 2023. Ornithology of Gwillim, Lady Elizabeth. In: Anna Winterbottom, Victoria Dickenson, Ben Cartwright, Lauren Williams (Eds.) Women, Environment, and Networks of Empire: Elizabeth Gwillim and Mary Symonds in Madras. McGill-Queen’s University Press. Pp 60-96.
• Wenzel, A. Grass, I., Raj, V., Nölke, N., Subramanya, S., and Tscharntke, T. 2023. High losses of farmland birds and potential biocontrol along an urbanization gradient in a tropical megacity. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. Volume 354: 108571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108571
• Grass, I., Wenzel, A., Raj, V., Subramanya, S., Westphal, C., Tscharntke, T. (2021). Biodiversity of Birds Along the Rural–Urban Interface of the Indian Megacity Bengaluru. Pp 163-170. In: Hoffmann, E., Buerkert, A., von Cramon-Taubadel, S., Umesh, K.B., Pethandlahalli Shivaraj, P., Vazhacharickal, P.J. (eds). The Rural-Urban Interface. The Urban Book Series. Springer Cham, Switzerland.
• Praveen J., Subramanya, S. and Raj, V.M. 2018. Karnataka checklist: Corrections and additions. Indian BIRDS. 14: (4) 127-128.
• Babu, S., Subramanya, S. and Dilawar, M. 2015. Kite flying: Effect of Chinese manja on birds in Bangalore, India. Indian BIRDS. 10: (1) 13-18.
• Praveen J.,; Subramanya, S. 2012. Birds of southern coastal Karnataka by Dr K. Prabhakar Achar & Shivashankar. Indian BIRDS. 7: (6) 178-180.
• Subramanya, S. 2011. Pelagic birding off India’s western coast: a first-person account. Indian BIRDS. 7: (3) 91-92.
• Sundar, K. S. Gopi and Subramanya, S. Bird Use of Rice Fields in the Indian Subcontinent. Waterbirds: The International Journal of Waterbird Biology, Vol. 33: 44-70.
• Shivashankar, T. and Subramanya, S. 2008. Prevention of Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri damage to sunflower Helianthus annus: a new approach. Indian Birds. 4: (2) 60-65.
• Subramanya, S., Prasad, J. N. and Karthikeyan, S. 2007. Status, habitat, habits and conservation of Yellow-throated Bulbul Pycnonotus xantholaemus (Jerdon) in south India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 103: (2&3) 215-226 (2006).
• Subramanya, S. 2006. Heronries of Tamil Nadu. Indian Birds. 1: (6) 126-140 (2005).
• Subramanya, S. 2005. Heronries of Kerala. Malabar Trogon. 3: (1) 2-15.
• Subramanya, S. 2003. Distribution, status, and conservation of Indian heronries (1996).  Fifty Years of Post-Independence Ornithology in India: A centenary dedication to Dr. Salim Ali 1896–1996. 253–279. Bombay Natural History Society & Oxford University Press. Mumbai.
• Subramanya, S. 2001. Heronries of Andhra Pradesh. 13: 1-27.
• Collar, N. J., Andreev, A. V., Chan, S., Crosby, M. J., Subramanya, S. and Tobias J. A. 2001. Threatened Birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.
• Subramanya, S. and Veeresh, G. K. 1998. Avifaunal patterns in the rice fields of Bangalore. In. Birds in Agricultural Ecosystem. 30-53. Society for Applied Ornithology. Hyderabad.
• Subramanya, S. and Radhamani, T. R. 1997. Generalized relationship among ornithophilus plants and their flower visitors: What we can look for? Current Science. 73: (3) 230-231.
• Subramanya, S. 1996. Distribution, status, and conservation of Indian heronries. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 93: (3) 459–486.
• Subramanya, S. 1994. Paintings of Indian birds by Lady Elizabeth Gwillim at McGill University, Canada. Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 34: (4) 74-76.
• Subramanya, S. and Radhamani, T. R. 1993. Pollination by birds and bats. Current Science. 65: (3) 201-209.
• Subramanya, S. 1985. Hunting and feeding habits of the Redheaded Merlin Falco chicquera. Newsletter for Birdwatchers. 25: (1-2) 4-8.
• Ali, Salim, Hussain, S. A., Gupta, P. K. and Subramanya, S. 1981. Harike Lake avifauna project. Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay.

Suhel Quader

Email: suhelq@ncf-india.org

I am a programme head at the Nature Conservation Foundation. My main interest is to get more people engaged with the natural world. My colleagues and I work towards this through communication, outreach, education, and citizen science. We work with and through committed individuals and groups all over India, helping them accomplish their wonderful work with training, resources, networking,and building communities of like-minded people.

My formal background and training is in the field of animal behaviour and evolutionary ecology. Over the years, I have studied various aspects of animal behaviour: flocking in Cinereous Tits, mate choice in Baya Weavers, and brood parasitism by koels on crows. With students and collaborators we have asked questions about plant-pollinator interactions, the behaviour of mosquito larvae, and the demographic responses of birds to forest alteration.

Apart from these interests in the natural world, I spend a fair bit of my time thinking about how ecologists ask and answer research questions, including about the quantitative and data analytic techniques we use and should be using.

I have previously worked at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (Bangalore), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (UK), and at the University of Cambridge (UK). My post-graduate studies have been at the Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) and the University of Florida (US).

Praveen J

Email: paintedstork@gmail.com

Education:

• M. Tech Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, Assam
• B Tech Computer Science & Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kozhikode, Kerala

Field Study:

• Monitoring bird diversity of Western Ghats of Kerala
• Pelagic Bird surveys in the Arabian Sea
• Survey of montane Laughingthrushes in southern Western Ghats

Selected Publications:

• Praveen J., Karuthedathu, D., Sankar, S., Duraiswami, H., Yobin, Y., & Baruah, R., 2022. What is the identity of the Spelaeornis wren-babbler that occurs on theslopes of Mugaphi Peak in south-eastern Arunachal Pradesh? Indian BIRDS 18 (4): 107–113.
• Praveen, J., & Lowther, P., 2020. Avian brood parasitism in South Asia. Indian BIRDS 16 (4): 103–119
• Praveen, J. 2020. Banasura Laughingthrush (Montecincla jerdoni), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, B. K. Keeney, and S. M. Billerman, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.bkclau1.02
• Praveen J.; Jayapal, R.; & Pittie, A., 2016. A checklist of the birds of India. Indian BIRDS 11 (5&6): 113–172.
• Praveen J.; Jayapal, R.; Pittie, A., 2013. Notes on Indian rarities–1: Seabirds. Indian BIRDS 8 (5): 113-125.
• Sashikumar, C.; Praveen, J.; Palot, M.J.; Nameer, P. O. 2011. Birds of Kerala: status and distribution. DC Books, Kottayam, Kerala
• Praveen, J.; Nameer, P. O. 2009. Monitoring bird diversity in Western Ghats of Kerala. Current Science. 96(10): 1390-1395

Interests:

• Citizen Science
• Avian systematics
• Bird distribution across South Asia
• Pelagic birds of Indian seas.
• Indian bird rarities and checklists.

Professional:

• Scientist at Nature Conservation Foundation, Bengaluru

Rajah Jayapal

Rajah Jayapal is a Senior Principal Scientist at Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore, the South India Centre of Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Jayapal is an alumnus of WII, Dehradun where he completed his M.Sc. Wildlife Science degree and also studied macroecology of forest birds of Central Indian Highlands for his Ph.D. from Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun.

He has been involved with ornithological research and teaching in India over the past 25 years. His main research interests include bird taxonomy, biogeography, and ecology of bird communities and assemblages. His career in the past included extensive bird surveys in the Trans-Himalaya of Ladakh, Western Himalayas, Satpura and Vindhya ranges in central India, and southern Eastern Ghats. He also led an all-India survey of synanthropic birds of India including House Sparrow and House Crow during 2018-21 and developed a State Action Plan for conservation of birds and their habitats in Madhya Pradesh in 2023.

Jayapal is one of the lead authors of the ‘Checklist of Birds of India’ series, which also includes annual taxonomic updates and is maintained by the Indian BIRDS journal.

Zafar Futehally (1920–2013)

Education:
B.A. Economics (Bombay University, Maharashtra).

Honorary Positions:

• Honorary Secretary: Bombay Natural History Society (1962-1973).
• Founder Trustee and Vice-President: World Wildlife Fund-India (1969-1994?). (=World Wide Fund for Nature-India.)
• Member: National Committee for Environmental Planning, Government of India (1973-1985).
• Vice-President: International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1969-1972).
  (=IUCN The World Conservation Union.)
• Member: Project Tiger (1973-1983).
• Active Senior Member: International Ornithological Congress.

Awards:

• Padmashri, 1971 (Government of India).
• Order of The Golden Ark, 1981 (Prince of the Netherlands).
• Rajyotseva Award, 1983 (Karnataka).
• Member of Honour World Wildlife Fund, 1994.
• Salim Ali International Award for Nature Conservation, 1997.

Editing:

• Founder Editor Newsletter for Birdwatchers (1959-2003).
• Co-editor Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (1963-1973).

Rishad Naoroji (Born: 1951)

Education:

B.Com. (Bombay University, Maharashtra).

Presently Director of Godrej Group of Companies. He is the Project Co-ordinator on Doongerwadi Advisory Committee for the Parsi Vulture Project, which calls for interaction with the Ministry & State Governments. Rishad is an independent researcher specializing in raptor conservation. Has worked closely with the BNHS as Research Associate; currently an active Executive Committee member BNHS and Chairman of the Library Sub-committee. He is on the Managing Committee of the Himalayan Club. An avid photographer, photographs published nationally and internationally. Awarded a silver medal at the Raptor Photography Contest held during the third Conference of the World Working Group on Birds of Prey. Rishad spent three years in Africa studying and photographing predators and three winters at Bharatpur studying the breeding ecology of and photographing the Pallas’s Fishing Eagle. His three years stay in Rajpipla forest studying and photographing the breeding biology and ecology of raptors successfully resulted in 500 sq kms of the area being declared as the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. Rishad studies and surveys raptors throughout the country. His articles and papers have been published in numerous magazines including eighteen papers in JBNHS. He is the author of Birds of prey of the Indian Subcontinent, published by Christopher Helm, UK & Om Books Intl., India.