Context: Indian Sunderbans, which is part of the largest mangrove forest in the world, is home to 428 species of birds, a recent publication of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) States.

• The publication, “Birds of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve”, documents the avifauna of the Sunderbans and serves as comprehensive photographic field guide, with detailed distribution and locality data for all the species from the region.
• The scientists said that of the 428 birds listed, some, like the Masked Finfoot and Buffy fish owl, are recorded only from the Sunderbans.
• The area is home to nine out of 12 species of kingfishers found in the country as well rare species such as the Goliath heron and Spoon-billed Sandpiper.

Indian Sunderbans

• The Indian Sunderbans, which comprises of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve is home to about 96 Royal Bengal Tigers— is also a world heritage site and a Ramsar Site.
• Sunderbans are the most diverse of natural landscapes and accounts to 60 % of all mangrove forests in the country.
• The mudflats exposed in the low tides, rich in microorganism deposited during tidal activity are ideal feeding for migratory birds.
• The Sundarbans is a mangrove area in the delta formed by the confluence of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/sunderbans-home-to-428-species-of-birds-records-zsi/article33651099.ece

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