Written By: Zafeer Ahmed Shaikh
The value of a bird book lies not only in the species it documents, but also in the readers it can reach. Salman Baloch’s Murghani Encyclopedia, written in Balochi, places the birdlife of Balochistan within reach of people whose language remains underrepresented in natural history publishing.
Presented as the first Balochi book devoted to the region’s birds, the encyclopedia combines species information with a clear purpose: to make knowledge of Balochistan’s wildlife accessible to ordinary readers. Its choice of language is, therefore, central to its contribution.
From the coastal cliffs of Makran to the ancient juniper forests of Ziarat, Balochistan contains a remarkable range of habitats. Documenting their birdlife requires attention to both the landscape and the differences between species. With detailed accounts of more than 200 species and approximately 400 colour plates, Murghani Encyclopedia offers readers an introduction to this diversity.
The species accounts cover identification, habitat, breeding, feeding habits and conservation status. The book includes birds already recorded in the region as well as those that future observers may document. This gives it a purpose beyond identification: it invites readers to look more closely at their surroundings and contribute to a growing record of the province’s wildlife.
Where available, regional Balochi names accompany the accounts. Their inclusion connects the book’s information to the vocabulary communities already use to recognise birds. It also gives local knowledge a place in the written record, alongside descriptions of species and their behaviour.
Baloch could have reached a broader publishing market by writing in Urdu or English. His decision to write in Balochi instead reflects the audience he hopes to serve. For readers with limited access to wildlife literature in their own language, the encyclopedia offers a starting point for understanding the birds around them.
The author’s experience lends substance to that ambition. A birdwatcher, citizen scientist and environmentalist from Malir, Karachi, Balochistan, has travelled widely across Pakistan. His fieldwork has taken him from Jiwani to Nagarparkar and from Broghil to Neelum Valley. The publication draws on nearly 11 years of observation, data collection and consultation of reference material.
Such sustained work matters in a field where accessible regional resources remain essential. Major references, including T.J. Roberts’ The Birds of Pakistan, have provided a foundation for studying the country’s birdlife. Publications such as Murghani Encyclopedia can extend that knowledge to audiences who may not encounter it through English-language volumes.
The book’s broader significance lies in the relationship between knowledge and conservation. Recognising a bird, knowing its habitat and understanding its needs are early steps towards noticing the pressures it faces. A regional-language resource cannot, on its own, resolve those pressures, but it can help more people join the conversation.
The Murghani Encyclopedia contributes to that effort. By bringing species accounts, illustrations and Balochi names together, Salman Baloch offers readers a way to engage with the province’s birdlife, while opening space for further documentation in Pakistan’s regional languages.
The author is a wildlife conservationist and founder of the Indus Fishing Cat Project, which works mainly in southern Pakistan.
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