It began with an act of cruelty. A young Salim Ali, armed with an air gun, shot a bird with an unusual yellow streak below its neck. Curious, he took it to his uncle, who directed him to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). There, W S Millard, the society’s honorary secretary, identified it as a Yellow-throated sparrow.
That encounter introduced the youngster to ornithology and changed its course in India. The boy would grow up to become one of the country’s most influential naturalists, known as the ‘Birdman of India’.
Born on November 12, 1896, Salim Ali dedicated his life to studying and documenting birds when ornithology was still unfamiliar in India. He travelled extensively, recording birds’ behaviour, distribution and ecology.
No terrain was too difficult for him.
His body of work — including ‘The Book of Indian Birds’ and the 10-volume ‘Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan’, co-authored with S Dillon Ripley — laid the foundation for the study of birds in the country. “For everyone who takes an interest in birds, he is a mentor. His work inspires us to look at birds deeply,” says Vishnupriyan Kartha, secretary of the Cochin Natural History Society.
For Keralam’s ornithological community, one of Salim’s most significant contributions was a comprehensive record of the state’s birdlife. While British naturalists had undertaken pioneering studies in different parts of the region during the 19th century, Salim brought these scattered accounts together and supplemented them with his own field observations.
During his surveys of Travancore and Cochin in the 1930s, he spent several days at different locations studying their habitats and birdlife. ‘The Birds of Kerala’, published in 1961, became an important reference for researchers and birdwatchers. Salim had documented over 300 species in the state; today, the recorded number stands at approximately 562.
Vishnupriyan, who participated in the Malabar Ornithological Survey of 2010-11, sees a continuation of Salim’s work in such initiatives. “He was a pathfinder and a pioneer. He also helped and guided several others in their research. After him, no one of his stature has come by,” he says.
Praveen J, a coordinator of the first edition of Bird Atlas Kerala, echoes the reverence. “His works became the reference point for everyone who worked in the field after him. Even today, when we need to verify information about a bird in Keralam, we go back to his books,” he says.
More than the documentation, Praveen believes Salim’s approach to fieldwork continues to influence contemporary ornithology. His surveys involved studying maps, identifying habitats and altitude ranges, and planning routes.
Bird Atlas Kerala, for instance, brings together birdwatchers and volunteers to document the distribution of birds across the state.
“We have birdwatchers going out, exploring different areas and documenting what they find. In many ways, this is what Salim Ali did decades ago,” Praveen adds.
For Jayadev Menon, an avid birder for nearly four decades, Salim’s contribution is even more remarkable given the technological limitations of his time.
“When I started birding around 40 years ago, we had Dr Salim Ali’s books and a few foreign publications. If we spotted a bird, we would make a rough sketch, note its colours, come back and refer to the books to identify it,” he recalls.
“Think of the time when Salim Ali was working. There were hardly any books or resources available. He was creating the reference material himself. He had to travel, often trekking through forests and mountains. It was painstaking work, done day after day.”
Thiruvananthapuram-based Dr Murali Sivaramakrishnan, an avid birder, educationist and author, witnessed that.
He first met Salim in 1976 as a young enthusiast, accompanying him along the Kallar-Ponmudi trail during his visit to Keralam for his work on ‘Birds of Kerala’.
“He was frail, quite resembling a bird himself, but had a remarkable sense of inquisitiveness. What struck me most was his gentleness,” Murali recalls.
Salim’s approach, he adds, went beyond identifying species. “He looked at birds as part of a larger ecological system. He taught me, and future generations, the difference between birding and birdwatching,” says Murali, who still cherishes a book with Salim’s autograph.
“He wasn’t merely describing birds. He was studying their lives, their behaviour and place in nature.”
In a sense, Salim is still present in the field, in the work of researchers and in the efforts of a younger generation trying to bring more people closer to nature.
This idea forms the basis of the work of Thiruvananthapuram-based Malavika S Nair, founder of Khaga, a science communication start-up. The name, she explains, means ‘bird’ in Sanskrit.
Malavika’s association with the Birdman’s legacy began at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in Coimbatore, where she did a project on bird hazards at airports.
“The experience helped me realise that people needed to connect with the environment around them. Ecology is the canvas in which humans survive. It cannot be detached,” she says.
Through Khaga, she takes people on nature walks around their own neighbourhoods and runs a ‘Birdtober’ Instagram challenge where participants post creative work themed on the birds of the Western Ghats.
“You do not have to travel to a forest to watch birds. People are fascinated by the Sarus Crane and the Great Indian Bustard, but do not know the White-cheeked Barbet, which is endemic to the Western Ghats. Start with your own surroundings,” she says.
Well, the next generation is already taking wing. Five-year-old Gayalika Jaan was one of the youngest to take part in the Birdtober challenge last month. She painted 31 birds found in the Western Ghats.
Her mother, Shruti, says the family now wants to introduce her to Salim Ali’s world. What bigger tribute to the legend?
As we remember the celebrated ornithologist, his life reminds us how a single bird changed one man’s life and continues to inspire generations.
The Yellow-throated Sparrow continues to thrive, classified as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List. And Salim Ali lives on in the hearts of bird lovers.