Category Zoology

          The Indian skimmer is a large bird, around 40 cm in length with wings capable of extending more than a metre. Its body is covered with black -and-white feathers, while its huge bill is coloured red and yellow.

          These birds are found in groups, mostly around fresh water habitats, like large rivers and lakes. They usually perch on sandbars and islands, from where they can go hunting small fishes, shelled creatures and insect larvae in the nearby waters. Their hunting strategy is peculiar. They fly rapidly in groups over the surface of water, with their lower jaw being dragged through water to seize the prey. They prefer doing this during dusks because they are nocturnal birds. Their eggs are laid on bare sand.

          Once, these birds were very common in the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar. But loss of habitat, pollution and human interference pose serious threat to their existence. With just around 6,000-10,000 birds found in India and Pakistan this species are now globally threatened. The IUCN has classified this bird as ‘vulnerable’.

          The pied kingfisher is also a very familiar type of kingfisher like the common kingfisher. But unlike the latter, it is slightly larger and has a black plumage covered with white patches all over. There is noticeable broad stripe of black around its eyes. The bill is strong and is shaped like a dagger.

          This bird has a peculiar hunting style. It will continuously hover over water to spot a catchable prey. When it sees one, it dives swiftly into the water and catches it instantly. It then flies back to perch on a branch, where it strikes the prey hard against the branch repeatedly. Then the bird swallows the battered fish easily.

          The pied kingfisher is a sociable bird. These birds build their nests in groups, in long tunnels in the banks of larger rivers, lakes and coast. This bird is a very common species in India, especially on the plains. They are also found in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia. Apart from seasonal movements covering short distances, they are not found to migrate anywhere. 

            Who hasn’t seen a kingfisher that clean little blue-and-green bird, in the vicinity of a stream, tank or a puddle? It is a bit larger than a sparrow and has a long straight pointed bill.

            The common kingfisher is an expert fish hunter who is equipped with the special ability to spot fishes even under water. The kingfisher will wait patiently, perching on low overhanging branches. When the time comes, it will approach the prey swiftly by diving or by hovering over the surface of water. Apart from fishes, they are also interested in water beetles and their larvae or other edible aquatic creatures.

            Kingfishers prefer building their nests on the banks of streams. They choose long burrows, at least one metre in length which ends in a spacious chamber. This is where they lay two to ten eggs, which are shiny white in colour.

            These birds are very common in Europe, Africa and Asia, especially in India. These birds have seven subspecies within themselves. They are so plentiful globally that the IUCN does not consider them a threatened species. 

            The white ibis is a large bird which is as large as a hen, generally around 75 cm in length. But despite the white feather cover on their body, their head and neck are featherless and are black in colour. Their strong, curved down bill is also black. These birds do not possess a well-developed voice organ.

            These birds are seen in marshy lands, both on islands and on coastal areas. Their nests are built on trees near water, using sticks. They walk on marshlands, searching for food in loose mud, using their curved bills. For food, they may submerge their heads momentarily in shallow water. Fish, frog and other insects make up their main food. These birds can be seen in most parts of India, but they are not so abundant in our Northeastern states. 

               The painted stork got its name from the strikingly beautiful, rose-pink feathers found near its tail. It is an otherwise white water bird, as big as a vulture, found throughout Indian coasts. They are always seen with their bills open, walking slowly through shallow water. They immerse their bills in water, moving them from side to side while walking. Their legs stir up the water during this process. Can you guess why? It is to flush out hidden fish, if any. In this flurry, the fish gets caught in the storks’ open bills.

               These birds build their nests on tall trees, along with other water birds as colonies. The nests are made of sticks. It is lined with stems and leaves of water plants. They are found to perch and roost in trees near water.

               The painted stork prefers to stay away from desert regions and high-altitude hills. That is why these are not commonly found in Northeast India. If there is any change in the weather, these birds may sometimes travel short distances. But this is not considered a migration. Outside India, painted storks are found also in China.

The yellow bittern is a very small heron, with a feather cover in black and dull, dark yellowish colour. Typically it is just about 40 cm in length. The top of its head, tail and flight feathers are black. The neck is short, but the bill is long.

          The male and female birds are slightly different. The male birds have a uniform pale yellow colour on their upper parts, while the lower parts are a kind of sandy brown. The head and neck are chestnut coloured. But the females have peculiar beautiful brown streaks on their neck, breast and on the top of the head. The little ones are also similar to females, but the streaks are denser.

          These birds are usually solitary in nature, but they inhabit and breed in colonies of a large number of birds. They choose to live in wetlands where there are thick growths of tall grass-like plants or other small shrubs. It is in these grass beds that they make their nests, in which four to six eggs can be found. But their nests and therefore, the eggs are difficult to spot. Their main food includes fishes, frogs, insects etc.

          These birds are mainly found in the Northeastern states of our country.