Discovering The Birdman of India

Salim Ali

Dr. Salim Moizuddin Abdul Ali, widely referred to as the Birdman of India, was born on November 12, 1896, in Bombay (currently Mumbai) and died on June 20, 1987. He was the youngest among nine siblings and lost both parents at the age of three, afterwards being brought up by his uncle and aunt in Mumbai. His fascination with birds started at ten when he used his toy air gun to shoot a yellow-throated sparrow and brought it to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), where W.S. Millard motivated him to pursue bird study. Ali pursued Zoology at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai and subsequently underwent ornithology training in 1930 with Professor Erwin Stresemann in Germany.

During his initial career, Ali oversaw his family's mining operations in Burma, where he enhanced his birdwatching abilities. Upon his return to India in 1926, he served as a guide lecturer at the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai and quickly started performing systematic bird surveys with BNHS. He was the first Indian to conduct extensive, scientific bird surveys throughout the country, including remote princely states.

His significant contributions comprise the creation of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary (currently Keoladeo National Park) and protecting Silent Valley National Park from deforestation. He was instrumental in promoting birdwatching in India with his books and field guides, and he motivated the establishment of the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON). His significant works include The Book of Indian Birds (1941), Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (1968–74, 10 volumes), The Fall of a Sparrow (1985), Birds of Kerala (1953), Birds of Sikkim (1962), and Indian Hill Birds (1949).

Dr. Salim Ali was awarded many accolades for his contributions, such as the Padma Bhushan in 1958, the Padma Vibhushan in 1976, and various honorary doctorates. Numerous bird species and wildlife reserves, such as the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuaries in Goa, Jammu & Kashmir, and Kerala, bear his name. His enduring efforts transformed ornithology in India, connected scientific inquiry with public engagement, and continues to motivate numerous generations of conservationists.