This is the first ever such atlas to be produced for I ndian farmers and poultry professionals. Its objective is to provide a handy tool to farmers for on-the-spot diagnosis of diseases, under field conditions. Although a large number of laboratory tests, some sophisticated like ELISA and per, have been developed for the diagnosis of poultry diseases, they are either not available or are beyond the reach of most farmers. Moreover, by the time birds reach laboratory, they are mostly decomposed and unfit for postmortem examination and disease diagnosis. The delay in diagnosis allows the disease to inflict mortality and ruin farmer's economy. The key to disease control then is on-the-spot diagnosis. It is with this objective that the colour atlas has been produced - to make readily available to poultry farmers a handy tool for immediate and accurate disease diagnosis under field conditions. A large number of poultry diseases, including the more deadly like Ranikhet and Gumboro, leave their footprints in the dead bird.