Birdlife's Red Data Book - Threatened Birds of Asia identified that one quarter of all bird species in Asia were a conservation concern, 323 species, about 12% were at risk of global extinction. Clearly it is imperative that important bird areas be identified and then prioritised on the basis of scientific evidence.Important Bird Areas in Asia is the first comprehensive inventory of Asia's key sites for birds and biodiversity. Country-by-country, the book details the region's 2,293 Important Bird Areas (IBAs), of these 976, or 43% are lacking any formal protection. This book presents a sound basis for the development of national conservation strategies and protected area programmes, and highlights areas which should be safeguarded through wise policies and land-use planning.

Contributions by: S Chan, MJ Crosby, MZ Islam, AW Tordoff