PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
A renowned ornithologist Asad Rahmani— known as ‘The Birdman of India,’— visited Natraj: The Green Bookshop on Rajpur Road on Wednesday, accompanied by wildlife expert and Senior Professor at the Wildlife Institute of India Bivash Pandav. Speaking to a gathering of avid bird lovers, Rahmani said that bird-watching could help mitigate stress. “This is an effective antidote to stress, offering the thrill of tracking and searching with binoculars and cameras, along with the deep satisfaction of identifying species in the field,” he noted.
Rahmani has spent a lifetime studying Indian birds and landscapes. His books like Living with Birds and Where Have the Birds Gone? offer readers a fresh perspective on bird-watching and inspire a renewed appreciation for the birdlife in their own cities and surroundings.
He sounded concerned over birds disappearing due to habitat loss, pesticide use and other pressures. “Species once commonly seen are now critically endangered — the Great Indian Bustard and White-bellied Heron among the starkest examples. Even familiar birds like Drongos and Rollers no longer gather in the numbers they once did. This is a worrisome trend for those who love birds,” he observed.
