Category Zoology

               The large-tailed nightjar is a nightjar found mostly in the lowland, mangrove or mountainous forests in the moist tropical and subtropical regions. It is large and brightly shaded. It has a long and very broad tail, but its bill is very small. Its wings are also long. It sports a moustache and a patch on the breast and both are whitish in colour.

               It’s very difficult to distinguish these birds from among the dead leaves on ground, on which they usually roost. They also make their nests on the ground. They produce a slow chunk-chunk call and are quite noisy in nature.

               At night, they hunt flying insects by flying in circles.

               In India, these birds are very commonly found in Northeastern states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Outside, they are found in Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam.

            The Indian nightjar is a very common bird in India and also in Southeast Asia, Madagascar and the Aldabra Island.

            It is a small bird, as large as myna, with a short tail that has white corners. The collar and back of the neck are golden in colour. The cheeks are dark and the sides of the throat have white patches.

            One notable speciality of this bird is its ability to move very quickly and easily in the air. They fly silently as if wandering like a moth but, if a prey is spotted, can take turns and twists to avoid obstacles in chase of the prey. Insects are their major, if not only, prey.

            At other times, they are found crouching on the ground singly. They also roost on the ground.

            They produce a peculiar bird call, similar in sound to a ping-pong ball bouncing rapidly before coming to rest.

            These birds prefer living in dry, open lands without many trees. Sometimes, they are also spotted on roads.

            The jungle owlet is a small bird, with yellow eyes and brown rounded wings. It has such a rounded head that its face cannot be clearly distinguished from its body.

            These birds prefer forests and woodlands, especially the teak and sal forests. But these birds are not strictly nocturnal, but can also be found hunting after dawn or during cloudy days. They usually perch on wires and are also seen resting in mild sunlight for warmth.

            They roost in leaf cover or inside tree cavities. If they are discovered among leaves, they will fly away instantly. But if they’re found in cavities, they will freeze and appear like a tree stump. They hunt insects, rodents, reptiles and other small birds for food.

            The jungle owlets are found in many parts of India, especially in the south of the Himalayas, up to an altitude of 2000 m. They are also seen in Sri Lanka. 

            Rain quails are small birds seen across India, about half the size of a grey partridge. They are typically 15 to 17 cm in length and 65 to 71 gm in weight. They are also called black breasted quails. The male birds have a peculiar black patch on their breast and a black and white pattern on their head.

            Rain quails inhabit open grass lands and feed on grass, seeds, insects and other plant matter. The nest will be a shallow scrape on the ground in which the eggs are laid. This bird makes a call that is very different from the sounds made by other kinds of quails. This makes them a unique member of the family. Its call is regularly repeated in mornings and evenings.

            Outside India, the rain quails are seen in Cambodia, Nepal, Pakistan, and Thailand.

            They are so abundantly seen that they are nowhere near the threat of extinction. 

                The jungle bush quail is a common bird in India, found in deciduous forests and dry jungles of grass and shrubs. The males and females differ in appearance; the former is brown and the latter is very pinkish. But both of them possess some peculiar red and white streaks on the head. They are very fond of eating seeds, but aren’t reluctant to eat some insects too. They make grass-lined nests on ground. The jungle bush quails are known to be very shy in their behaviour. 

Continue reading “Why is it said that the jungle bush quail and the common quail are different in appearances?”

          Grey partridges are very common in India, except in the Northeastern states. They are greyish brown in colour and have a medium-sized body. 

          These partridges prefer living in dry areas, especially in grasslands and in the neighbourhood of villages. Seeds, berries and insects are in their favourite food.

          They make their nest in the outer edges of certain cereal fields like winter wheat. Although their nests are on the ground, they are fond of roosting in thorny trees. Male partridges have a more robust body. These birds can fly only for short distances on rounded wings.

          In some places, people tame young grey partridges. Though it is illegal like cockfighting sport, partridges are also used for fighting in some parts of our country. In these fights people around the birds are enthusiastic spectators. There will be prizes waiting for the winning bird.

          Grey partridges are still very common and hence they are considered to be “of Least Concern” in the IUCN Red List.