Wings of hope

While climate change has already affected both shorebird and seabird species the world over, the legal protection of the ecosystem holds out hope that Indian coasts and estuaries will remain healthy and continue to support viable shorebird and seabird populations.

 

Crab plovers (Dromas ardeola).

Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata), instantly recognisable by its distinctive down curved bill.

Dunlin (Calidris alpina), also known as red-backed sandpiper.

Pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta).

Marsh sandpipers (Tringa stagnatilis). Most sandpipers are northern-latitude breeders that in many cases undertake amazing migrations to the southern extreme of the globe.

Pallas’ gulls (Icththyaetus ichthyaetus), also known as the great black-headed gulls.

A pair of brown-headed gulls. These birds breed in the high plateaus of Ladakh to Mongolia and winter on the coasts and large inland lakes of the Indian subcontinent.

Little tern (Sternula albifrons) which, as its name suggests, is a small bird, 21–25 centimetres long with a 41–47-centimetre wingspan.

Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), which travels more than 10,000 kilometres in seven days.

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia), famed for its long-distance migratory flying.

Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola).

Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris).

Ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres).

A pair of Heuglins gulls (Larus heuglini).

1 / 0

Brown-headed gull (Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus).