Welcome to Ornithology.in
This is a platform that brings together resources for those interested in the academic study of birds.
Although most of the resources here are focused on ornithology, many of them are relevant for students and researchers in ecology, wildlife, and conservation.
Explore the resources through the menu and links on this homepage. If you feel something is missing or would like us to add new material, we would be happy to hear from you. Write to us at [email protected]. Your suggestions would help us make this platform more useful for everyone.
Career advice in Ornithology
Select where you are at
Career advice in Ornithology
Select where you are at
School Students
Applying for a Bachelor’s
Pursuing a Bachelor’s
Applying for a Master’s
Pursuing a Master’s
Applying for a PhD
Pursuing a PhD
Life after PhD
Wildlife Academic Courses
Wildlife-related BSc, MSc, Diploma Courses in India
Choosing the right course is often the first step in shaping a career. Yet finding a programme that truly matches your interests and aspirations can feel overwhelming. To make this easier, we’ve compiled a list of BSc, MSc, and Diploma courses in wildlife, ecology, and related fields offered across India. This resource is designed to help you discover opportunities, compare options, and plan your academic path with clarity and confidence.
Key Research Questions
What’s next for Indian Ornithology? 101 key research questions
India is home to an incredible diversity of birds, yet there is still so much we don’t fully understand about their lives, behaviours, and conservation. At the same time, as students and researchers, it can be difficult to know which questions to pursue.
To help future research, ornithologists from across the country identified 101 key research questions in Indian ornithology. Each question is accompanied by an annotation with background and examples.
- What are the patterns and variations in life history traits of India’s birds?
- What physiological and behavioural adaptations allow birds to persist in different climatic zones?
- How do birds learn to avoid aposematic prey?
- What are the effects of climate change on the demography of birds?
- How rapidly are different bird habitats changing across India?
- What is the geographical variation of rarity and abundance in Indian birds?
- What are the phylogeographic patterns of disjunctly distributed species across the Indian subcontinent?
- What are the patterns and variations in life history traits of India’s birds?
- What physiological and behavioural adaptations allow birds to persist in different climatic zones?
- How do birds learn to avoid aposematic prey?
- What are the effects of climate change on the demography of birds?
Meet a Researcher
Astha Chaudhary
“I looked around and finally spotted the source: a large Prosopis shrub that almost looked like a tree, standing next to a Salvadora persica. To my surprise, there was a small flock of birds with muddy-colored feathers and distinctive beaks, feeding on the Salvadora. I wasn’t sure of the species, but I had a hunch they might be the…”
Ritobroto Chanda
There’s real joy in just being out there, watching some piece of behaviour unfold in front of you that you couldn’t have predicted.
Ashish Jha, PhD
“I have a background in Engineering, and never had any formal education in Ecology. I have always had an interest in wildlife and nature, but had no idea of how to make a career in this stream. Internet was not as easily accessible as it is today and like most other school goers, I knew only about a career in the Engineering and Medical professions. Things were clearer to me only after Post Graduation in Biotechnology, when I applied for a PhD to only those institutions which had ecology. When I started off with my PhD, I had no preferred taxa or species, nor any specific research question. I was just happy to be able to visit the forests and relished the idea of being surrounded by wilderness.”
Directory of Ornithologists
Ornithology Course
Basic Course in Ornithology (NPTEL)
This course in Basic Ornithology is hosted on the Government of India’s Swayam-NPTEL platform. It is a 3-month, purely online course that introduces participants to the scientific study of birds, covering topics like bird anatomy, physiology, taxonomy, behaviour, and conservation. It is designed for Bachelor’s and Master’s students in the life sciences and it can be taken for academic credit. It is also useful for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts who wish to learn about the formal discipline of ornithology.