Some of the world's largest and most spectacular birds are to be found among this group of wading birds. Tragically, they also include many of the world's most endangered species, as changes in land use erode their wetland habitats. Some like the White Stork have lived alongside humans for hundreds of years and are well known from numerous studies. Others, like the Storm's stork and ibises of West Africa, South-East Asia and South America live so secluded a life in the remote corners of the globe that they will probably be extinct before even the most basic details of their biology are known. In this monograph, three authors and two artists have combined their skills to capture what is known of this group of wading birds. The text opens with general chapters on taxonomy and feeding, breeding and behavior, followed by detailed coverage of each species. Feeding behaviour species list: American wood stork - mycteria americana: milky stork - mycteria cinerea: yellowbilled stork - mycteria ibis: painted stork - mycteria leucocephala: African openbill stork - anastomus oscitans: Asian openbill stork - anastomus lamelligerus: black stork - ciconia nigra: adbim's stork - ciconia abdimii: woolynecked stork - ciconia episcopus: storm's stork - ciconia stormi: maguari stork - ciconia maguari: white stork - ciconia ciconia: oriental white stork - ciconia boyciana: blacknecked stork - ephippiorhynchus asiaticus: saddlebill stork - ephipporhynchus sengalensis: jabiru stork - jabiru myceteria: lesser adjutant stork - leptopilos javanicus: greater adjutant stork - leptoptilos dubius: marabou stork: leptoptilos crumeniferus: shoebill - balaeniceps rex: American white ibis - eudocimus ruber: barefaced ibis - phimosus infuscatus: glossy ibis - plegadis falcinellus: whitefaced ibis - plegadis chihi: puna ibis - plegadis ridgwayi: sharptailed ibis - cercibis oxycerca: plumbeous ibis - harpiprion caerulscens: buffnecked ibis - theristicus caudatus: green ibis - mesembrinibis cayennensis: hadada ibis - bostrychia hagedash: wattled ibis - bostrychia carunculata: oliv ibis - bostrychia olivacea: spotbreasted ibis - bostrychia reae madagascar crested this - loghotihis cristata: sacred this - threskiornis aethiopicus: oriental white ibis - threskionis melanoaphaius: Australian white ibis - threskiornis molucca: strawnecked ibis - threskiornis spinicollis: waldrapp ibis - eronticus eremita: bald ibis - geronticus calvus: black ibis - pseudibis papillosa: giant ibis - thaumatibis gigantea: oriential crested ibis - nipponia

This book is the outcome of a major international conference on waterbirds held in Edinburgh in April 2004.

A charismatic and arresting bird, the Painted Stork inhabits the plains and wetlands of India and Southeast Asia. This near-threatened species provides a good model through which to explore a variety of ecology and conservation issues. As a colonial nester, it is also useful for considering questions related to evolution and the development of avian coloniality. The Painted Stork sometimes nests opportunistically in the middle of large cities – the Delhi Zoo colony, for instance, has been active since 1960. This offers a splendid opportunity to study the species at close range, as attested by this book's lively photographic component. The Painted Stork is an important indicator of its wetland habitats, which themselves are highly threatened. Since environmental toxins, particularly organochlorine pesticides, travel rapidly along aquatic food chains, the study of piscivorous birds like the Painted Stork assumes special significance. Equally vulnerable today are the nesting colonies, located in marshes, village reservoirs and the wider countryside, including in urban settings. Perhaps because their natural nesting areas are becoming scarce due to habitat loss, colonial waterbirds look for suitable sites in parks and gardens. Hence, the behaviour of this species reflects changes occurring in its environment. Birds also help us monitor the effects of global climate change, and one of the most significant dimensions of the Painted Stork is its dependence upon the monsoon. How exactly do these seasonal rains govern the food cycles in wetlands? And what happens when the monsoon fails? Covering all aspects of Painted Stork ecology, behaviour, conservation and its relationship with humans, this accessible monograph contains a wealth of new insights.

The book will cover the entire range of the Painted Stork--beyond its stronghold in India and Sri Lanka to other countries--E Asia as well. For the sake of comparison, relevant information will be included about the other species of storks--both solitary as well as colonial, of Asia, as well as those in other parts of the world. Certainly plenty of references will be made about the work done on the American Wood Stork. Studies are underway in order to better understand the role of the monsoon rains on the nesting pattern of Painted Stork, besides attempting a review of the global status of the species. The former is likely to be of interest in augmenting our understanding about how global climate change is going to affect birds across India and the second is likely to raise interesting points about the distribution of species and their ranges. Both these studies will be carried through 2009 and should hopefully be included in the proposed book. Naturally, the focused interest in field research on the Painted Stork has resulted in accumulation of considerable information on this particular species, which is beyond the information contained on some standard Indian and international works and ornithological texts. The author hopes to include the entire spread of information of this species--from its systematics, evolution, distribution, ecology to its role in human culture as well as its association with mythologies. In other words, topics have not been restricted to the areas of the author’s research but have spilled over into areas of anthropology, ecology, conservation, etc.

Qaidu (1236-1301), one of the great rebels in the history of the Mongol Empire, was the grandson of Ogedei, the son Genghis Khan had chosen to be his heir. This boof recounts the dynastic convolutions and power struggle leading up to his rebellion and subsequent events.