Coastal Wetlands — Major Ecological Entities for Wading and Shore Birds

Abstract

Just under 100 species of shore and wading birds belonging to ten families occur in the Indian subcontinent and adjacent oceanic islands, of which roughly 46 per cent are resident and the rest migrant (Table 17.1). The breeding populations of north and central Asia wading birds move southwards into the Indian subcontinent, and commence their fall migration by mid-August, reaching a peak in late October.