Jungle Folk: Indian Natural History Sketches

An eye-opening, intriguing, and original account of Indian birds.

“You will find no lack of superlatives among our Indian birds,” writes Douglas Dewar in this superb and idiosyncratic exploration of some of the country’s most fascinating species. From the common crow—“splendid in sagacity, resource, adaptiveness, boldness, cunning and depravity, a Machiavelli, a Shakespeare among birds, a super-bird”—to the scavenger vulture, “the ugliest bird in the world,” Dewar brings each bird vividly to life.

Meet wagtails “who dress most tastefully,” “mad babblers,” “upright cuckoos,” the night heron which “only sleeps when it has nothing better to do,” hawks—the “bandits of the air”—and the drongo, “the embodiment of pluck,” along with dozens of other well-known and rare species. Jungle Folk invites readers to see familiar and unfamiliar birds in new and arresting ways.

In his closely observed sketches, the legendary naturalist examines each bird in detail, exploring its anatomy, physiology, behavior, lifestyle, and habitat.

Intended for both the amateur naturalist and the serious ornithologist, this is a richly detailed and engaging portrait of Indian birdlife.