- Babbler, Jungle [+]
Scientific name: turdoides striatus
Size: 25 cms.
General: Dull earth-brown plumage, rufous brown tail, ashy below. Roam about in parties of six to ten birds usually always making a racket. Also often
called the 'Seven sisters' for the same reason. Spends a lot of time on the ground or on low branches of plants looking for insects and fly off making squeaking
sounds to higher branches of trees when they feel threatened. Very protective of each other and can gang up if any of the flock is in trouble.
Range: All of India south of the Himalayan foothills.
Diet: Mostly insects, also flower nectar and figs.
- Babbler, Yellow-Billed [+]
Scientific name: turdoides affinis
Size: 24 cms.
General: Also called the White-headed Babbler. Similar in size and look to the Jungle Babbler except colour of the plumage. Have a creamy white crown and
dull-brown above. Darker wings and has cross-barring along tail-centre, yellowish-buff below breast. Roam about in parties of six to ten birds usually always
making a racket. Also often called the 'Seven sisters' for the same reason. Spends a lot of time on the ground or on low branches of plants looking for insects
and fly off making squeaking sounds to higher branches of trees when they feel threatened. Very protective of each other and can gang up if any of the flock is
in trouble.
Range: Whole of southern peninsular India.
Diet: Mostly insects, also flower nectar and figs.
- Barbet, Malabar [+]
Scientific name: megalaima malabarica
Size: 23 cms.
General: The Malabar Barbet (megalaima malabarica) is a small barbet found in the Western Ghats of India. It was formerly treated as a race of the
Crimson-fronted Barbet. This species can be told apart from the Coppersmith Barbet by the crimson face and throat. The call notes are more rapidly delivered
than in the other species. The breeding season is mainly February-March prior to the rains. The nest hole is excavated on the underside of thin branches.
The species feeds mainly on fruits but sometimes takes grubs, termites (flycatching at emerging swarms of alates), ants and small caterpillars. In Kerala,
the fruiting trees were limited mainly to Ficus species. When feeding on small fruits, they tend to perch and peck rather than to swallow the fruit whole.
In the non-breeding season, they join mixed-species foraging flocks.
Range: Found in the Western Ghats.
Diet: Mainly on fruits but sometimes takes grubs, termites, ants and small caterpillars.
- Barbet, White-cheeked [+]
Scientific name: megalaima viridis
Size: 23 cms.
General: The White-cheeked Barbet is pretty hard to detect due to its plumage that acts as perfect camouflage. A strictly arboreal, solitary bird but
sometimes also seen in pairs or small parties. A very strong flier. Diet consists mostly of fruits that it tears open with its powerful beak. Has a white
cheek stripe with grass-green plumage above and white breast streaked brown. Also known in India as the Small Green Barbet. They have a monotonous 'Kot-roo...
Kotroo...' call which often changes to a single 'wut' note in hot afternoons. While foraging they can get pretty aggressive and attempt to chase off other
frugivores. They play an important role in forests as seed dispersal agents. Their fruit eating makes them a nuisance in fruit orchards where often they
leave behind half-eaten fruits.
Range: Most of southern peninsular India.
Diet: Mostly consists of fruits but also known to eat insects, small reptiles and flower nectar.
- Bee-eater, Blue-Tailed [+]
Scientific name: merops philippinus
Size: 30 cms.
General: Known for their elongated central tail feathers. Greenish above with a faint blue wash on wings; bluish rump, tail diagnostic; yellow
upper throat patch with chestnut throat, upper breast; slightly curved black beak, broad black stripe through eyes. Often found in small flocks and
perched on power lines from where they launch short flights to branches of nearby trees. Have a peculiar flight pattern where there are a few quick
series of wing-beats and then a stately glide.
Range: Most of India excepting Rajastan. More details not known.
Diet: Mostly winged insects.
- Bulbul, Red Whiskered [+]
Scientific name: pycnonotus jocosus
Size: 20 cms.
General: The Red-Whiskered Bulbuls black prominent crest and red 'whiskers' behind its eyes are distinctive. White underbody with broken breast-collar
and crimson-scarlet vent. They are friendly by nature and often seen in pairs or sometimes even in large parties. Red-whiskered Bulbul's often are seen in low
bushes or on the ground looking for insects. Diet includes nectar and fruits also. Found in large stretches of South-West and North-East India. Brings joy
to their surroundings with their sweet whistling notes. Sadly also considered as a popular cage-bird due to its tame and confiding nature.
Range: From Garhwal east along the Himalayan foothills to about 1500m. Commonly found in south of the Satpura mountains in peninsular India.
Diet: Mostly consists of insects, fruits and flower nectar.
- Cormorant, Little [+]
Scientific name: phalacrocorax niger
Size: 50 cms.
General: The commonest and smallest Cormorant. Their short, thick necks and head are distinctive. Breeding adults have blackish-blue sheen; silky white
feathers on fore crown and sides of head; silvery-grey wash on upper back and wing coverts, speckled with black. Their non-breeding plumage consists of a white
chin and upper throat. They are gregarious by nature and swim with only head and neck exposed. They often dive not to be seen for many seconds, popping up far
from where they dived. Consummate swimmers as can be judged by their webbed feet. They are often seen perched on poles, trees or rocks with their wings spread
open to dry.
Range: Most of India south of the Himalayas.
Diet: Mostly fish, but also tadpoles and crustaceans.
- Coucal, Greater (Crow-Pheasant) [+]
Scientific name: centropus sinensis
Size: 50 cms.
General: A biggish bird, the Greater Coucal is mainly a loner but often seen in pairs. A poor flier commonly seen in low bushes. Common to see them with
snakes or large lizards in their beaks flying off looking for a good place to snack. Famous for their loud distinctive 'coop......... cooop' call. These birds
are often only heard. Females are slightly bigger than males. Has glossy bluish-black plumage; chestnut wings; blackish long graduated tail; crimson eyes.
Range: Most of India except for few areas of west Rajastan.
Diet: Mostly consists of insects, lizards, frogs, eggs and small of other bird species, small snakes.
- Crow, House [+]
Scientific name: corvus splendens
Size: 43 cms.
General: Black plumage; grey collar, upper back and breast; glossy black on forehead, crown and throat. Found mostly closer to human habitation
and considered as commensal on man. Street-smart, swift, sociable and sinister, these birds are omnivorous and performs important scavenging services
and are in part responsible for keeping our cities and towns clean.
Range: Most of India except some remote regions of west Rajastan.
Diet: Omnivorous.
- Crow, Jungle (Large-billed) [+]
Scientific name: corvus macrorhynchos
Size: 48 cms.
General: Large beak and glossy plumage distinctive, the jungle crow is commoner in rural areas unlike the House Crow that is considered an urban bird.
Also not considered as smart as the House Crow. Omnivorous birds found over most of India often seen in pairs or small groups. Its presence and loud cries
often indicates the presence of carnivore kills.
Range: Most of India except some regions of west Rajastan and Punjab.
Diet: Omnivorous.
- Cuckoo, Chestnut-Winged [+]
Scientific name: clamator coromandus
Size: 47 cms.
General: The Chestnut-winged Cuckoo is a breeding resident in the Himalayas and north-east India. It winters in Southern India and Sri Lanka.
Otherwise very little is known of this bird.
Diet: Insects and nectar.
- Dove, Spotted [+]
Scientific name: streptopelia chinensis
Size: 30 cms.
General: These birds are grey and pink-brown above, spotted white; white-spotted black hindneck collar (chessboard) diagnostic dark tail with
broad white tips to outer feathers seen in flight; vinous-brown breast, merging into white on belly. Young birds are barred above and lack the
chessboard. Seen in pairs or small parties on the ground flying off on intrusion; quite tame and confiding in certain places. Found often drinking
and in harvest times seen with other doves in large gatherings. Usual cry is the often heard crook... cru... croo or croo... croo... croo.
Range: All India to about 3500m in the Himalayas.
Diet: Grains and seeds.
- Drongo, Ashy [+]
Scientific name: dicrurus leucophaeus
Size: 30 cms.
General: Like the Black Drongo in appearance except the plumage is greyish-black. Breeds in the Himalayas and a winter visitor to the peninsula.
Vocal bird who flies in short sallies often dropping to the ground looking for prey. They have very deeply forked tails compared to other Drongos.
Range: Breeding in the Himalayas and a winter visitor to the peninsula.
Diet: Mostly insects and also sometimes flower nectar.
- Drongo, Black [+]
Scientific name: dicrurus macrocercus
Size: 32 cms.
General: Seen over most of India. Vocal bird who flies in short sallies often dropping to the ground looking for prey. They have very deeply forked tails
compared to other Drongos. Have a glossy black plumage.
Range: Most of India except some regions of west Rajastan and Punjab.
Diet: Mostly insects and also sometimes flower nectar.
- Drongo, Bronzed [+]
Scientific name: dicrurus aeneus
Size: 24 cms.
General: The Bronzed Drongo is often mistaken for the Black Drongo that is slimmer and longer. The Bronzed Drongo has glossier plumage and a shorter
tail that is shallowly forked. The Bronzed Drongos feathers on the head stand up giving a spiked look unlike the Black Drongo. Found often in groups flying
wildly from one tree to another or one branch to another. Found in southern India and like most Drongos is aggressive and fearless and known to attack muchshallowly forked. The Bronzed Drongos feathers on the head stand up giving a spiked look unlike the Black Drongo. Found often in groups flying
wildly from one tree to another or one branch to another. Found in southern India and like most Drongos is aggressive and fearless and known to attack much
larger birds if they are threatened.
Range: Most of peninsular India.
Diet: Mostly insects and also sometimes flower nectar.
- Drongo, Greater Racket-tailed [+]
Scientific name: dicrurus paradiseus
Size: 60 cms.
General: Has a glossy blue-black plumage and a prominent crest that curves backwards. Named after its wire-like tail extensions. Seen alone or in
pairs. Arboreal but not strictly so as it oftens decends to small bushes. A confirmed exhibitionist that noisily announces its presence often mimicing
cats meows or the calls of other birds. A very bold and aggressive bird that is known to take on much larger birds.
Range: Western and central India and north up to the Himalayan foothills and the whole eastern region.
Diet: Mostly insects, also small lizards and flower nectar.
- Egret, Cattle [+]
Scientific name: bubulcus ibis
Size: 50 cms.
General: These birds are often seen around cattle eating insects disturbed by the animals and hence the name. White in colour except in the
breeding season when it grows buffy orange plumes on its head, neck and back. Has yellow bills and black feet.
Range: Most of India.
Diet: Insects, frogs, lizards and also refuse.
- Egret, Great [+]
Scientific name: casmerodius albus
Size: 90 cms.
General: Lanky snow-white marsh bird; black and yellow (breeding) or yellow (non-breeding) beak and black legs. When breeding it has long, white
plumes on the back. Often seen solitary and rarely more than three or four birds scattered over a marsh towering over other egrets. It wades in shallow
water but often waits patiently for prey to come up close.
Range: Not common but widespread over the country.
Diet: Fish, frogs, aquatic insects, crustaceans.
- Egret, Little [+]
Scientific name: egretta garzetta
Size: 65 cms.
General: Slender and snow-white with black legs, yellow feet and black bill. In the breeding season it grows a nuchal crest of two long plumes and the
feathers on the back and breast lengthen into ornamental filamentous feathers. Seen usually in small flocks feeding on the edge of river-banks. Sometimes wades
into shallow water to stalk prey like the Herons do.
Range: Most of India.
Diet: Aquatic insects, frogs, lizards, small fish, tadpoles, crustaceans.
- Egret, Western Reef [+]
Scientific name: egretta gularis
Size: 65 cms.
General: Also called the Indian Reef Heron, this slender bird is found on the rocky western coast of India usually in the states of Maharastra and
Gujarat and very rarely found in Kerala. It has two colour phases, dark and light. In the dark phase it has slaty-black plumage; white throat and upper
foreneck. In the light phase it has an all white plumage very similar to the Little Egret. Distinguished by its more solitary nature and habitat. Its bill
is brown and yellow or bright yellow and has plumes in the breeding season much like the Little Egret. Shy in nature and more active in twilight. Sometimes
both phases are seen togther. Moves cautiously on rocky or sandy coast or mudflats and known to jab at prey and settles hunched-up on rocks or other
protrusions.
Range: Resident and local migrant; breeds off Gulf of Kutch, commoner on the west coast and rare on the eastern seaboard.
Diet: Fish, insects, small crabs and mudskippers.
- Flameback, Common [+]
Scientific name: dinopium javanense
Size: 28 cms.
General: The males have a crimson crown and crest and are golden-olive above with a single white stripe on the side of face. Whitish-buff below and
profusely spotted black on foreneck and speckled over rest of the underbody. The females have a white-spotted black crown and crest. Seen in pairs or small
bands moving jerkily up tree stems looking for insects under the bark. Arboreal and loud in nature. Has a loud cry, grating screams and loud drumming sounds.
Range: Garhwal to NE; parts of the Eastern Ghats, W Ghats, Kerala to Tapti river.
Diet: Insects and nectar.
- Flameback, Black-rumped [+]
Scientific name: dinopium benghalense
Size: 30 cms.
General: Also called the Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker. Females can be distinguished by their spotted white on black crown and crimson crest.
The males have a crimson crest and crown. These birds were named after their bright golden-yellow backs. Very noisy birds often seen in pairs and also
frequently hunting in mixed parties. Frequently seen moving jerkily up tree stems looking under the bark for insects. Commonly found over most of India
and often close to habitation. Not too shy of humans.
Range: Garhwal to NE; parts of the Eastern Ghats, W Ghats, Kerala to Tapti river.
Diet: Insects, centipedes, caterpillars, termites and figs and berries.
- Greenshank, Common [+]
Scientific name: tringa nebularia
Size: 36 cms.
General: The birds are grey-brown above; long, slightly upcurved, blackish beak; white forehead, underbody; in flight, white lower back, rump and
absence of white in wings diagnostic; long greenish legs. In summer the colour gets darker above with blackish centres to feathers. Found solitary or in
small groups of two to six birds, often with Redshanks or other waders. They feed at the edge of water but may enter the water up to belly level to feed.
Range: A winter visitor to most of India.
Diet: Aquatic insects, crustaceans and molluscs.
- Harrier, Eurasian Marsh [+]
Scientific name: circus aeruginosus
Size: 55 cms.
General: Solitary bird sometimes seen in pairs. Males have dark brown plumage with dull rufous head. Females are choco-brown; buff on head and
shoulders. Very like Pariah Kites but have rounded tails and not forked. Sails lazily over land looking for frogs or small birds and insects.
Range: Winter visitor common all over India.
Diet: Fish, frogs or small birds and insects.
- Heron, Grey [+]
Scientific name: ardea cinerea
Size: 100 cms.
General: A long-legged, long-necked wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae. Ashy-grey above; white crown, neck, underparts; black stripe through
eye continues as long black crest; black dotted band down centre of foreneck; dark blue-black night feathers; golden-yellow iris. It has a powerful,
pinkish-yellow bill, which is brighter in breeding adults.Mostly solitary except when breeding; occasionally enters shallow waters; usually stands
still, head pulled in between shoulders, waiting for prey to come close. Characteristic flight, head pulled back and long legs trailing. Often makes
a loud quack in flight.
Range: All over India to 4000m in Ladakh.
Diet: Insects, frogs, small fish, tadpoles, crustaceans. Will also take small mammals, reptiles and occasionally walbler nestlings, plovers, young
and adult snipes, takes ducklings and tern chicks and other small birds.
- Heron, Indian Pond [+]
Scientific name: ardeola grayii
Size: 46 cms.
General: The most common of the herons found in India. During the breeding season their heads and neck turn brown, chins and upper throat white,
backs turn a rich maroon, breasts turn buff-brown and they grow a longish crest. Non-breeding colours are earthy-brown, streaked brown head and neck;
grey-brown back and shoulders; with dull green legs; bill is bluish at the base, yellowish at the centre and black at the tip. Remains motionless in mud
or up to ankles in water, or slowly stalks prey. Hunts alone but roosts in groups. Often seen in road-side ditches or tidal creeks and river-banks.
Range: All over India.
Diet: Insects, frogs, small fish, tadpoles, crustaceans.
- Heron, Little [+]
Scientific name: butorides striata
Size: 45 cms.
General: Adults have a blue-grey back and wings with a glossy green wash, white underparts, a black cap and short yellow legs. Juveniles are browner
above and streaked below; longish crest. Also known as the Mangrove Heron or the Striated Heron. Solitary, shy and sluggish; mostly crepuscular. These
birds stand still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey. They sometimes use bait, dropping a feather or leaf carefully on the water surface and
picking fish that come to investigate.
Range: All India, south of the Himalayas.
Diet: Eats small fish, frogs, crabs and aquatic insects.
- Hoopoe, Common [+]
Scientific name: upupa epops
Size: 31 cms.
General: The Hoopoe is a colourful bird, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. The Hoopoe is classified in the Coraciiformes clade,
a group that also includes kingfishers, bee-eaters, rollers, and woodhoopoes. The species is highly distinctive, with a long, thin tapering bill that
is black with a fawn base. The strengthened musculature of the head allows the bill to be opened when probing inside the soil. The hoopoe has broad
and rounded wings capable of strong flight; these are larger in the northern migratory subspecies. The Hoopoe has a characteristic undulating flight,
which is like that of a giant butterfly, caused by the wings half closing at the end of each beat or short sequence of beats. In what was long thought
to be a defensive posture, Hoopoes sunbathe by spreading out their wings and tail low against the ground and tilting their head up; they often fold
their wings and preen halfway through. The Hoopoe also enjoys taking dust and sand baths. The diet of the Hoopoe is mostly composed of insects,
although small reptiles and frogs as well as some plant matter such as seeds and berries are sometimes taken as well. It is a solitary forager which
typically feeds on the ground. The diet of the Hoopoe includes many species considered to be pests by humans. For this reason the species is afforded
protection under the law in many countries.
Range: All India, from about 5500 km of the Himalayas.
Diet: Insects caught on the ground or pulled from underground.
- Iora, Common [+]
Scientific name: aegithina tiphia
Size: 14 cms.
General: The male is greenish above (rich black above, with yellowish rump, in the summer breeding plumage); black wings, tail; two white wing bars
and bright yellow underbody. The females have yellow-green plumage; white wing-bars and greenish-brown wings. Seen usually in pairs keeping to leafy
branches looking for insects and caterpillars which form the main part of their diet. They have a loud call that is often a giveaway of their presence.
Seen in gardens, orchards and wooded areas even when close to habitation.
Range: All over India from about 1800m in the Himalayas. Not seen in the desert regions of Rajasthan and Kutch.
Diet: Insects, caterpillars, spiders and also nectar.
- Jacana, Pheasant-Tailed [+]
Scientific name: hydrophasianus chirurgus
Size: 30 cms.
General: Jacanas are a group of waders in the family Jacanidae that are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk
on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, their preferred habitat. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is capable of swimming, although it usually walks on the
vegetation. Females larger than the males. During the breeding season, the long tail adds another 14 cm. to their overall length. Breeding adults are
mainly black other than white wings, head, and fore neck. The hind neck is golden. There is a striking white eyestripe. The legs and very long toes are
grey. Non-breeding adults lack the long tail. The underparts are white except for a brown breast band and neck stripe. The side of the neck is golden.
The Pheasant-tailed Jacana's main sources of food are insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water's surface. Their
call is a mewing me-onp and a nasal teeun.
Range: All India south of 1500 km of Himalayas.
Diet: Mostly seeds, tubers, roots, also insects, molluscs.
- Kingfisher, Common [+]
Scientific name: alcedo atthis
Size: 18 cms.
General: Also known as Eurasian Kingfisher or River Kingfisher. This sparrow-sized bird has the typical short-tailed, large-headed kingfisher
profile; it has blue upperparts, orange underparts and a long bill. It feeds mainly on fish, caught by diving, and has special visual adaptions to
enable it to see prey under water. The glossy white eggs are laid in a nest at the end of a burrow in a riverbank. The flight of the Kingfisher is
fast, direct and usually low over water. The short rounded wings whirr rapidly, and a bird flying away shows an electric-blue "flash" down its back.
Range: All over India south of 2000 km of Himalayas.
Diet: Fish, occasionally tadpoles and aquatic insects.
- Kingfisher, White-throated [+]
Scientific name: halcyon smyrnensis
Size: 28 cms.
General: A common bird found over most of India. Also called the White-breasted Kingfisher. Chestnut-brown head, neck and under-body below breast;
bright turquoise-blue above, often with greenish tinge; black flight-feathers and white wing-patch in flight; white chin, throat and breast distinctive;
coral-red beak and legs. Solitary or scattered pairs atop overhead powerlines, poles or tree-tops. Also frequently found far from the water looking for prey.
Range: All over India south of outer Himalaya.
Diet: Frogs, insects, lizards, small rodents; eating fish only occasionally belying its name.
- Kite, Black (Pariah) [+]
Scientific name: milvus migrans
Size: 60 cms.
General: Has dark-brown plumage with a forked tail. Faint streaks underbody. Commonly found and gregarious, not shy of man. Roosts communally.
Capable of snatching food off yours hands if not attentive.
Range: Resident all India.
Diet: Omnivorous, poultry, rats, insects and even nestlings of small birds.
- Kite, Brahminy [+]
Scientific name: haliastur indus
Size: 50 cms.
General: White head and neck, upper back and breast; rest of the plumage is a rich, rusty-chestnut; brownish abdomen and has darker tips to
flight feathers. Solitary or in small parties. Loves to scavenge around water. It is mainly a scavenger, feeding mainly on dead fish and crabs,
especially in wetlands and marshland but occasionally hunts live prey such as hares and bats. The young look very different. They are distinguished
by their uniformly dark brown plumage with rounded tail; white parts streaked with buff. In flight, pale patch at base of primaries.
Range: Resident and local migrant; all India.
Diet: Stranded fish, frogs, insects, lizards, smaller birds, small snakes and rodents.
- Koel, Asian [+]
Scientific name: eudynamys scolopacea
Size: 42 cms.
General: The male with its black plumage and sinister crimson eyes is a common sight all over the country. Females are distinguished by their thickly
spotted dark-brown and barred white plumage. Solitary or seen in pairs, arboreal and has a fast flight. Familiar call of kuoo..... kuooo..... heard all
over the country. Gets noisy between March and June coinciding with the breeding of crows.
Range: All over India but uncommon in drier areas.
Diet: Fruits, insects, snails and eggs of smaller birds.
- Lapwing, Red-Wattled [+]
Scientific name: vanellus indicus
Size: 35 cms.
General: These birds have a jet black head, breast, necks; bronze-brown upper body; white-below, continuing to broad bands up the neck-sides towards
the eyes; fleshy crimson facial wattles diagnostic. Solitary or pairs while breeding; often large flocks in winter; moves on open ground, feeding during the
mornings and evenings. A very vigilant and shy species that cry out loud on seeing any new activity in the surroundings. Often feeds late into the evenings.
Range: Resident all India from 2000m in W Himalayas.
Diet: Insects, seeds and tubers.
- Lark, Malabar Crested [+]
Scientific name: galerida malabarica
Size: 15 cms.
General: It is a sedentary breeding bird in western India. Smallish, slightly smaller than the Skylark. It has a long spiky erectile crest.
It is greyer than the Skylark, and lacks the white wing and tail edges of that species, which is a winter visitor to India. It is very similar to the
Crested Lark, which breeds in northern India. It is smaller and dark-streaked reddish brown in plumage, whereas the Crested Lark is grey. The belly
is white. The sexes are similar.
Range: Found over most the Malabar region.
Diet: Insects, seeds and grains.
- Leafbird, Blue-winged [+]
Scientific name: chloropsis cochinchinensis
Size: 18 cms.
General: This bird is very hard to detect in foliage due to its plumage. Food mostly consists of insects and flower-nectar. Noisy and so usually
heard but not often seen. Makes various whistling and often harsh notes and is known to be very vocal. Seen alone or in pairs in leafy canopy; also often
in mixed-hunting parties. Males have green plumage with blue in wings; yellow-green forehead; black from nostrils, base of eyes to lower throat;
bright purple-blue moustachial stripes; dull yellow-green band around black throat. Females have pale blue-green mask and greenish-blue moustachial
stripe.
Range: Most of India except arid NW areas of Punjab, Rajastan, N ands W Gujarat.
Diet: Insects, nectar and fruits.
- Myna, Common [+]
Scientific name: acridotheres tristis
Size: 23 cms.
General: A pretty confident bird, haughty and struts around as if it owns the place. Omnivorous; eats fruits, insects, nectar and scraps.
Capable, if given a chance, of entering the house and eating off the dining table. Has a rich vinous-brown plumage; black head, neck, upper
breast; yellow beak, legs and naked wattle around eyes. Has a large white spot on the feathers that can be seen in flight. An omnivorous open
woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments. They are popular as cage birds for
their singing and "speaking" abilities. They are believed to mate for life.
Range: All of India.
Diet: Omnivorous; eats fruits, insects, nectar and scraps.
- Oriole, Black-hooded [+]
Scientific name: oriolus xanthornus
Size: 25 cms.
General: Bright golden-yellow plumage and black head. Black and yellow wings and tail and deep pink-red beaks. Arboreal and very energetic bird.
Flits between trees and branches looking for grubs. Often seen in groups and occasionally with other bird species like the Drongo and Bulbul. A beautiful
bird, especially when seen in flight.
Range: Most of India.
Diet: Eats fruits, insects, nectar.
- Oriole, Eurasian Golden [+]
Scientific name: oriolus oriolus
Size: 25 cms.
General: Males have a bright golden-yellow plumage; black stripe through the eyes; black wings and centre of tail. Females have yellow-green tops;
brownish-green wings; dirty-white below, streaked brown. Young ones look very like the females. Solitary birds or seen in pairs; arboreal, visits fruiting
trees and hunts for insects in the foliage. Usually heard but in spite of the bright plumage not often seen.
Range: Summer visitor to the Himalayan foothills. Spreads in winter to the plains and also breeds in peninsular India.
Diet: Eats fruits, insects, nectar.
- Owlet, Barred Jungle [+]
Scientific name: glaucidium radiatum
Size: 20 cms.
General: The bark-coloured plumage and low profile makes them hard to detect. As their name suggests, they are not usually found near human
habitation. They are partial to teak and mixed forests. They are generally crepuscular but sometimes active by day. This owl lacks ear-tufts. Darkish
brown above, barred rufous and white; white moustachial stripe, centre of breas and abdomen; remainder of underbody barred dark rufous-brown and white.
Range: Found over most of India except Rajastan, Punjab and the extreme NE states.
Diet: Food consists of lizards, frogs, rodents, insects and small birds.
- Paradise-Flycatcher, Asian [+]
Scientific name: terpsiphone paradisi
Size: Male about 50 cms. including tail-streamers; female about 20 cms.
General: Males have tail-streamers and blue-black head, crest and throat; black in wings; silvery white body. In rufous phase the white parts are replaced
by rufous-chestnut. Females have no tail-streamers; have a shorter crest; rufous above; ashy-grey throat, nuchal collar; whitish below. Solitary or in pairs,
makes short sallies, flits through trees. Strictly arboreal though sometimes decending to taller bushes.
Range: Himalayan foothills to about 1800m; N India, south to Bharatpur, absent in broad belt across Gangetic plain; widely found in peninsular India.
Diet: Food consists of insects, spiders.
- Parrot, Vernal Hanging (Indian Lorikeet) [+]
Scientific name: loriculus vernalis
Size: 15 cms.
General: Bright grass-green plumage; short square tail and bright crimson rump distinctive; small
blue throat patch for males. Solitary or in pairs, but sometimes found in large flocks in fruiting trees. Chiefly arboreal; energetic and gymnastic,
hanging upside down to feed. Also sleeps hanging upside down like bats. Occasionally seen with other birds in mixed parties.
Range: Himalaya east of Nepal; peninsular mountains, chiefly the E and W Ghats.
Diet: Food consists of fruit pulp, seeds and nectar.
- Pigeon, Feral [+]
Scientific name: columba livia domestica
Size: 15 cms.
General: Feral pigeons, also called city doves, city pigeons or street pigeons, are derived from domestic pigeons that have returned to the wild.
Feral pigeons find the ledges of buildings a perfect substitute for sea cliffs, and have become adapted to life and are abundant in towns and cities
all over the world.
Range: Most of India and commonly in cities and towns.
Diet: Food consists of grass seeds and berries and also discarded food.
- Plover, Greater Sand [+]
Scientific name: charadrius leschenaultii
Size: 26 cms.
General: The bird is a small wader in the plover family of birds. This chunky plover is long-legged and thick-billed. Breeding males have grey backs and
white underparts. The breast, forehead and nape are chestnut, and there is a black eye mask. The female is duller, and winter and juvenile birds lack the chestnut,
apart from a hint of rufous on the head. Legs are greenish and the bill black. Obtains food by a run-and-pause technique, rather than the steady probing of some
other wader groups. Its flight call is a soft trill.
Range: Seen over most of India.
Diet: Insects, crustaceans and annelid worms.
- Robin, Oriental Magpie [+]
Scientific name: copsychus saularis
Size: 20 cms.
General: Males are glossy blue-black and white; white wing patch and white in outer-tail distinctive; glossy blue-black throat, breast; white below. Females
are rich slatey grey where males are blue-black. Commonly found in India and seen alone or in pairs or with other birds in mixed parties. Hops on the ground and
often seen with its tail cocked. Active in the mornings or at dusk and is a remarkable songster.
Range: Most of India except some arid regions of W Rajastan.
Diet: Food consists of insects, berries and nectar.
- Roller, Indian [+]
Scientific name: coracias benghalensis
Size: 31 cms.
General: Pale greenish-brown above; rufous-brown breast; deep blue tail has light blue sub-terminal band; in flight, bright Oxford-blue wings and tail,
with Cambridge-blue bands distinctive. Solitary or in pairs found perched on overhead wires, bare branches, small bushtops or earthen mounds. Glides and drops
on prey or pounces suddenly and batters prey against perch before swallowing. It is known for the aerobatic displays of the male during the breeding season.
Males and females are however not readily distinguishable.
Range: All India, south of the Himalayas.
Diet: Insects, small lizards, frogs, rodents, snakes.
- Sandpiper, Common [+]
Scientific name: actitis hypoleucos
Size: 20 cms.
General: Olive-brown above, more ash-brown and streaked-brown on head, neck sides; brown rump white below, lightly streaked-brown on breast; in flight,
narrow, white wing-bar and brown rump. In summer is darker above and speckled. Often seen solitary or two or three birds scattered amidst other waders. Active
and makes short dashes, hobbing, wagging short tail. Usually seen flying low over water, rapid wing-beats alternating with short glides.
Range: A winter visitor seen all over India.
Diet: Crustaceans, molluscs and insects.
- Sandpiper, Wood [+]
Scientific name: tringa glareola
Size: 20 cms.
General: The Wood Sandpiper is a small wader. It resembles a longer-legged and more delicate Green or Solitary Sandpiper with a short fine bill,
brown back and longer yellowish legs. It differs from the first of those species in a smaller and less contrasting white rump patch, while the Solitary
Sandpiper has no white rump patch at all. Its closest relative though is the Common Redshank. This is a smallish shank with yellowish legs, a breeding
plumage that is generally subdued light brown above with some darker mottling and with a pattern of somewhat diffuse small brownish spots on the breast
and neck. This bird is usually found on fresh water during migration and wintering. They forage by probing in shallow water or on wet mud, and mainly
eat insects and similar small prey.
Range: A winter visitor seen all over India.
Diet: Crustaceans, molluscs and insects.
- Shikra [+]
Scientific name: accipiter badius
Size: 32 cms.
General: A small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors. The adult Shikra has pale grey upperparts and
is white, finely barred reddish below. Sexes are similar except that the female is larger than the male. The juvenile is brown above and white, spotted with
brown below. It has a barred tail. The Shikra is a bird of open woodland including savannah and cultivation. Its hunting technique is similar to that of other
small hawks, relying on surprise as it flies from a hidden perch or flicks over a bush to catch its prey unaware.
Range: Resident all India to 1600 km in the Himalayas.
Diet: Rodents, small birds, lizards, large insects; also robs poultry.
- Sparrow, House [+]
Scientific name: passer domesticus
Size: 15 cms.
General: Males have a grey crown, rump; chestnut sides of neck, nape; black streaks on chestnut-rufous back, black chin, centre of throat, breast; white ear
coverts. Females have dull grey-brown above, streaked darker; dull whitish-brown below. These small birds are seen in small parties or large gatherings, mostly
commensal on man. Usually found feeding and nesting around habitation. Also feed in cultivation hundreds nesting together. Noisy birds making a medley of chirping
notes, richer notes of breeding males.
Range: All India to about 4000m in the Himalayas.
Diet: Seeds, insects.
- Starling, Chestnut-tailed [+]
Scientific name: sturnus erythropygius
Size: 21 cms.
General: Silvery-grey above with faint brownish wash; dull rufous till breast, brighter above; black and grey in wings. Sociable and noisy
birds seen in groups. Mostly stick to the upper branches of taller trees incessantly quarrelling with each other while making metallic whistling
calls. Roam about in groups foraging along with birds from other species like Orioles and Babblers. Mostly seen in the upper branches of trees.
Range: SW India, Karnataka and Kerala and spreading north to Mumbai in winter.
Diet: Nectar, fruits and insects.
- Stork, Woolly-necked [+]
Scientific name: ciconia episcopus
Size: 105 cms.
General: A large black and white wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Has glossy black crown, back, breast and huge wings. The black
parts have a distinct purplish-green sheen; white neck, lower abdomen and undertail coverts. Bill is black while occasionally tinged crimson. It
is a resident breeder in wetlands with trees. Also called the White-necked Stork. It walks slowly and steadily on the ground seeking its prey.
Range: Resident all India, upto about 1400m in the Himalayas.
Diet: Lizards, frogs, crabs and large insects.
- Sunbird, Loten's [+]
Scientific name: nectarinia lotenia
Size: 13 cms.
General: Males have a metallic purplish-black above; dull-black wings, tail; iridescent green and purple throat and purple breast; crimson-maroon
breast band and yellow feather-tufts on breast-sides diagnostic. Females have olive above; white tips to dark tail; pale yellow below; long curved beak
diagnostic. Solitary or in pairs. They are important pollinating agents of many flowering trees.
Range: Peninsular India, C Madhya Pradesh, S Bihar and Bengal.
Diet: Nectar, spiders, insects.
- Sunbird, Purple-rumped [+]
Scientific name: nectarinia zeylonica
Size: 10 cms.
General: Males have deep chestnut-crimson backs; metallic green crown, shoulder-patch; metallic-purple rump (after which it is named) and
throat; maroon collar below throat; yellow below Females are less colourful and have ashy-brown tops, with rufous in wings; whitish throat; yellow
below. They usually roam in pairs and are very active. They have a sharp, pleasant twittering call.
Range: Peninsular India, C Madhya Pradesh, S Bihar and Bengal.
Diet: Nectar, spiders, insects.
- Swallow, Barn [+]
Scientific name: hirundo rustica
Size: 17 cms.
General: It has steel blue upperparts and a rufous forehead, chin and throat, which are separated from the off-white underparts by a broad
dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated, giving the distinctive deeply forked "swallow tail". There is a line of white spots
across the outer end of the upper tail. The female is similar in appearance to the male, but the tail streamers are shorter, the blue of the upperparts
and breast band is less glossy, and the underparts more pale. The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. The Barn Swallow
is a bird of open country which normally uses man-made structures to breed and consequently has spread with human expansion.
Range: All India.
Diet: Insects caught on the wing.
- Swallow, Red-rumped [+]
Scientific name: hirundo daurica
Size: 19 cms.
General: The Red-rumped Swallow is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. Red-rumped Swallows are somewhat similar in habits and
appearance to the other aerial insectivores. They are fast fliers and they swoop on insects while airborne. They have broad but pointed wings.
Plumage is glossy steel-blue above; chestnut supercilium, sides of head, neck-collar and rump; dull rufous-white below, streaked brown. Deeply
forked tail diagnostic.
Range: All India.
Diet: Insects caught on the wing.
- Swallow, Wire-Tailed [+]
Scientific name: hirundo smithii
Size: 14 cms.
General: Has a glistening steel-blue plumage above; chestnut cap; unmarked, pure white underbody
distinctive; two long wire-like projections from outer tail-feathers diagnostic. Solitary or small parties and seen almost always around
water. Seen usually perched on overhead wires. Has an acrobatic flight, swooping and banking; often flies very low, drinking from the
surface; roosts in river-beds and other vegetation, often with warblers and wagtails.
Range: A common breeding (summer) visitor to north India, widespread over the country, except arid regions.
Diet: Insects caught on the wing.
- Swamphen, Purple [+]
Scientific name: porphyrio porphyrio
Size: 40 cms.
General: The Purple Swamphen, also known as the African Purple Swamphen, Purple Moorhen, Purple Gallinule and Purple Coot, is a large
bird in the family Rallidae (rails). Purplish-blue plumage; long red legs with oversized toes distinctive; thickish red beak; bald red forehead
(casque); white under stumpy tail, seen when tail flicked up; bald red patch on forehead which is smaller in females. Seen in small parties
amidst reds and other vegetation on marsh and jheels. Walks on floating growth and rarely seen swimming. Rather tame is some areas.
Range: Mostly resident; south, thoroughout the country.
Diet: Vegetable matter, seeds, tubers insects, molluscs, small frogs also often eaten.
- Tailorbird, Common [+]
Scientific name: orthotomus sutorius
Size: 13 cms.
General: They have olive-green plumage above; rust-red forecrown; buffy-white underbody; long pointed tail often held cocked. Central tail
feathers stand about 5 cms. longer and pointed in breeding males. Hard to detect but for their loud tuweet tuweet cry. Often seen in gardens
and not too shy of humans. Very active like most small birds and hop from one branch to another quickly.
Range: All India.
Diet: Nectar and insects.
- Tern, Greater Crested [+]
Scientific name: thalasseus bergii
Size: 49 cms.
General: Also called the Crested Tern or Swift Tern. A seabird in the tern family which nests in dense colonies on coastlines and islands. It
has grey upperparts, white underparts, a yellow bill, and a shaggy black crest which recedes in winter. Its young have a distinctive appearance, with
strongly patterned grey, brown and white plumage. This is an adaptable species which has learned to follow fishing boats for jettisoned bycatch, and
to utilise unusual nest sites such as the roofs of buildings and artificial islands in salt pans and sewage works.
Range: Most of coastal India.
Diet: Mostly fish, with cephalopods, crustaceans and insects.
- Tern, Lesser Crested [+]
Scientific name: thalasseus bengalensis
Size: 40 cms.
General: A seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This is a medium-large tern. The summer adult has a black cap, black legs and a long sharp
orange bill. The upperwings, rump and central tail feathers are grey and the underparts white. The primary flight feathers darken during the summer.
In winter, the forehead becomes white. The call is a loud grating noise. This species breeds in dense colonies on coasts and islands. Like all
Thalasseus terns, Lesser Crested Tern feeds by plunge-diving for fish, usually from saline environments. It usually dives directly. The offering
of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display.
Range: Most of coastal India.
Diet: Mostly fish, with cephalopods, crustaceans and insects.
- Tern, Sandwich [+]
Scientific name: thalasseus sandvicensis
Size: 40 cms.
General: The Sandwich Tern is a medium-large tern with grey upperparts, white underparts, a yellow-tipped black bill and a shaggy black crest
which becomes less extensive in winter with a white crown. Young birds bear grey and brown scalloped plumage on their backs and wings. It is a vocal
bird. It nests in a ground scrape and lays one to three eggs. Like all Thalasseus terns, the Sandwich Tern feeds by plunge diving for fish, usually
in marine environments, and the offering of fish by the male to the female is part of the courtship display. The terns, family Sternidae, are small
to medium-sized seabirds, gull-like in appearance, but usually with a more delicate, lighter build and shorter, weaker legs. They have long, pointed
wings, which gives them a fast buoyant flight, and often a deeply forked tail.
Range: Most of coastal India.
Diet: Mostly fish, with cephalopods, crustaceans and insects.
- Thrush, Malabar Whistling [+]
Scientific name: myophonus horsfieldii
Size: 25 cms.
General: It has a blue-black plumage with the blue more prominent on the wings and forehead where there is a arrow-like blue marking. It is
a solitary bird that has a peculiar gait. Often seen in culverts and garbage dumps looking for grubs. This bird is a renowned vocalist having a
beautiful, almost human, whistling call. No wonder it is often also called the "whistling schoolboy". It also has a rather harsh,
high-pitched call. In winter folks are often woken up early in the mornings before day-break by this birds sweet whistling which is a pleasure
to listen to.
Range: Hills of W India and parts of Satpuras.
Diet: Insects, crustaceans, snails, frogs, berries.
- Thrush, Orange-Headed [+]
Scientific name: zoothera citrina
Size: 21 cms.
General: This bird is of the thrush family and is common in well-wooded areas of India. Most populations are resident. The species shows a
preference for shady damp areas, and like many Zoothera thrushes, can be quite secretive. The adult male of the nominate subspecies of this small
thrush has an entirely orange head and underparts, uniformly grey upperparts and wings, and white median and undertail coverts. It has a slate-coloured
bill and the legs and feet have brown fronts and pink or yellowish rears. The Orange-headed Thrush is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects,
earthworms and fruit. It nests in trees but does not form flocks.
Range: Most of coastal India.
Diet: Mostly fish, with cephalopods, crustaceans and insects.
- Treepie, Indian Rufous [+]
Scientific name: dendrocitta vagabunda
Size: 50 cms.
General: Rufous above; sooty grey-brown head, neck; black, white and grey on wings; black-tipped grey tail long and graduated. Seen solitary
or pairs and often in company of other birds. Often found feeding in low bushes and also on high branches. They are bold and noisy birds of the crow
family.
Range: Almost all India.
Diet: Insects, lizards, small birds, eggs, fruit, nectar and kitchen scraps.
- Turnstone, Ruddy [+]
Scientific name: arenaria interpres
Size: 23 cms.
General: This is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family
Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. Has a dark, wedge-shaped bill, long and slightly upturned. The
legs are fairly short and are bright orange. At all seasons, the plumage is dominated by a harlequin-like pattern of black and white. Breeding
birds have reddish-brown upper parts with black markings. The head is mainly white with black streaks on the crown and a black pattern on the
face. The breast is mainly black apart from a white patch on the sides. The rest of the underparts are white. Non-breeding adults are duller
than breeding birds and have dark grey-brown upperparts with black mottling and a dark head with little white. Juvenile birds have a pale brown
head and pale fringes to the upperpart feathers creating a scaly impression. It often flips over stones and other objects to get at prey items
hiding underneath; this behaviour is the origin of the name "turnstone". It usually forages in flocks.
Range: Almost all India.
Diet: Eats mainly invertebrates, but also also takes crustaceans, molluscs and worms. Insects are particularly important in the breeding season.
- Wagtail, White-browed (Large Pied) [+]
Scientific name: motacilla maderaspatensis
Size: 21 cms.
General: Black above with prominent white supercilium, large wing-band and outer tail feathers; black throat, breast; white below. Female
is usually browner where males are black and so not easily distinguishable. Often found on the edge of water sources looking for insects wagging
tail frequently. Habitat also includes wet cultivation. Not too shy of humans.
Range: Almost all India south of the Himalayan foothills; the only resident wagtail in the Indian plains.
Diet: Insects.
- Whimbrel [+]
Scientific name: numenius phaeopus
Size: 37-45 cms.
General: The Whimbrel is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is the one of the most widespread of the curlews. This is a migratory
species. It is also a coastal bird during migration. It is fairly gregarious outside the breeding season. It is mainly greyish brown, a blackish
crown with a white stripe through centre and white stripes on sides of head. Has a long curved bill (longest in the adult female) with a kink rather
than a smooth curve. It is generally solitary and wary by nature. The usual call is a rippling whistle, prolonged into a trill for the song. Very
similar in appearance to the Eurasian Curlew, the Whimbrel is smaller and has a shorter, decurved bill. This species feeds by probing soft mud for
small invertebrates and by picking small crabs and similar prey off the surface. Prior to migration, berries become an important part of their diet.
Range: Winter visitor; sea coast west to east.
Diet: Crustaceans, insects and mudskippers.
- Woodswallow, Ashy [+]
Scientific name: artamus fuscus
Size: 19 cms.
General: Slaty-grey plumage, greyer on head; paler on rump, underbody; short square tail, tipped white; white under tail coverts; somewhat
heavy-looking bird, rather swallow-like in appearance, but wings much shorter and broader. Small numbers seen in open country. Seen perching on
leaf-stalks, over-head wires or flies characteristically, a few wingbeats and a glide. Hunts flying insects. Feed mostly in the mornings or evenings.
Range: Roughly east and south from WC Gujarat to roughly Shimla.
Diet: Winged insects.
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