Coffee-table book on birds in Himachal out

Tribune News Service
Shimla, April 22

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Coffee-table book titled “Himachal Birds: A Visual Treat” detailing list of 672 birds and 31 important birding areas in Himachal compiled by DGP, Prisons, Somesh Goyal, who is also the founder president of Himachal Birds, a forum dedicated to the conservation of avian habitat, was released by Governor Bandaru Dattatreya here today.

Keeping in view the directions by the government in view of sharp rise in Covid cases, the function was organised at a small scale in the presence of only two persons.

Endangered species

• The book with 208 photographs includes visuals of rare and endangered bird species like Himalayan Monal, Western Tragopan .
• There are 1,350 bird species of which 50 per cent are found in HP

The book with 208 photographs includes visuals of rare and endangered bird species like Himalayan Monal, Western Tragopan, KoklassScaly-bellied Woodpecker and Siberian Stonechat found in HP.

There are 1,350 bird species in India out of which 50 per cent are found in Himachal and the idea is to promote birding as a hobby besides promoting the state as a birding tourist destination, said Goyal.

“An effort has been made to bring out an interesting read and I hope that the book would contribute in exploring and encouraging more people to take birding as a hobby so that more birds could be found besides promoting birding tourism in the state”, he said adding that it is a tribute to the state as the golden jubilee year of the statehood is also being celebrated.

The book is available at Flipkart at a price of Rs 2,500. It took almost 10 months to finish the book started during lockdown, said Goyal who has authored 10 books.

The Governor admired the toil of Somesh Goyal on birds of the state and said, it was not easy to capture such good pictures with the camera while in the police and his passion was praise worthy.