All of us at some time or the other ha wondered what it would be like to hear the sounds of our favourite jungle birds sitting at home. But one need not wonder any longer because S Sivaprasad has made this possible. For the first time. birdsong has been recorded in this subcontinent. In his An Audio Guide to the Birds of South India. he has captured on a 90-minute tape the calls of 66 birds. Preceding each call is an introduction of the scientific name of the bird and its reference number in the Salim Ali and Ripley's Handbook.

With a microphone in hand. Sivaprasad spent years roaming the wilderness of the Western Ghats to bring out this exotic collection single-handed.