Category Zoology

      The Nicobar Pigeon is probably the most beautiful among pigeon species. And yes, it is the closest living relative of the dodo and Rodrigues solitaire, two birds that went extinct due to human intervention. The Nicobar Pigeon is slightly larger than other pigeons with a length of 40 centimetres. It is a noisy bird which repeatedly makes a low-pitched call. It is commonly found in the Islands of Nicobar, southwest peninsular Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Palau.

      However, their numbers are declined due to human intervention. They are captured to be kept as pets and hunted down for food. 

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       The common flameback is a medium sized woodpecker generally found in the hilly areas of the Western Ghats and North-east India. Their back is beautifully golden, with the lower back being red in colour.

      The crown of a male common flameback is bright red while females have a black crown. Its nape has black and white stripes and the tail is completely black. Its bill is comparatively small. It has only three toes on its feet and it is also called the common goldenback.

      The common flameback chooses to live in dry forests, moist lowlands, and mangrove cultivation in the tropical or subtropical regions. They make tree-holes and build nests in them.

      These birds are very common in India and other south East Asian countries.

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       These birds are so unimaginably charming that one would wonder if they were from paradise! Medium-sized birds with a length up to 32 centimetres, the males of this species have an emerald-green throat and a pair of long tail-wires. The lesser birds-of-paradise are adorned with ornamental flank plumes which are deep yellow at their base and fade outwards into white.

       These birds are abundantly found across the forests of northern New Guinea and 0- nearby islands of Misool and Yapen. The lesser birds-of-paradise do not migrate and prefer to stay where they are comfortable. They are evaluated as animals with least concern of extinction in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The bird is depicted on the flag of Papua New Guinea.

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       Some birds are distinct due to size. Gyrfalcon is a bird of prey that belongs to the falcon species and is the largest among falcons.

       Though the bird is big, its size varies from region to region. Gyrfalcons in continental Europe are smaller than those in Iceland and Greenland. It feeds on the ptarmigan and waterfowl, which it may take in flight. A skilled diver in the air, a gyrfalcon catching its prey is a sight to watch. The bird is commonly found on Arctic coasts and tundra, and the islands of northern North America, Europe, and Asia.

       Gyrfalcons are falconers’ favorites’. They have been caught and trained by Man from 600 AD onwards. They have been traded as prized treasures throughout the ages. In the 18th century alone, more than 4800 gyrfalcons were exported from Iceland, just to name one country!

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       Juncos are a pretty widespread species and they are also known as snowbirds. Small in size and light in weight, these birds are brown and green in colour. Their plumage helps them to hide in bushes and forests.

      The name, junco, comes from the Spanish term for the plant genus, Juncos, which means rushes that resemblance long grass. However, these birds are seldom found among rush plants as these plants prefer wet ground, while juncos like dry soil. They like to forage on the ground.

      They search for food in flocks in winter they feed mainly on insects and seeds.

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       The bold pattern and colours design of the plumage makes the Gouldian finch a piece of art.

       The species was first discovered by the English naturalist and explorer John Gould in 1844. He named the bird in honour of his wife.

      Gouldian finches acquire a length of 125-140 mm and their crowns may be red, yellow low or black.

       They feed primarily on seeds like other finches. An average Gouldian finch eats almost four grams of food a day, which is 30% of their body weight.

       It inhabits grasslands, scrubs and open woodlands in Australia, usually close to water where it forages in large flocks which it often number several hundred birds.

       The number of Gouldian finches is dwindling mainly due to poaching. This species also suffers high rates of predation. Nowadays, it is hard to find them. They are bred in captivity and probably, that is the only way to preserve the species. Gouldian finches are classified as endangered.

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