Category Birds

Did you ever swim wearing flippers? If so, you know that they help you swim faster. Flippers are like the webbed feet of ducks, geese, and swans. Webbed feet are like paddles. They push lots of water, so the bird can move faster.

Ducks, geese, and swans are all waterfowl. They spend most of their time in lakes, ponds, rivers, or the sea.

Different kinds of waterfowl have different ways of getting their food. Some kinds of ducks, such as mallards, wigeons, and teals, are known as dabbling ducks. To get food – water insects, snails, and water plants – a dabbling duck puts its head underwater. Its feet and tail stick straight up in the air. Swans feed this way too, but they eat mostly plants.

Ducks such as pochards, canvasbacks, and grebes are known as diving ducks. They dive underwater and eat mostly water plants.

Geese usually feed on land. They like grass, seeds, and plants. Their bills can clip off the tops of plants as neatly as a pair of scissors.

Colourful mandarin ducks often perch in trees when they aren’t swimming.

Picture Credit : Google

          Not many of us find vultures attractive or friendly. Rather, they look a little threatening. But these birds, we should know, play a very important role in the food chain- they feed on animal carcasses, and prevent the spread of deadly bacteria and fungus into the ground and water.

          Sadly, the population of the vulture species is falling at an alarming rate. One of the birds that is facing the risk of extinction is the Indian vulture. It is a wild bird, native to India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

           Like others, Indian vultures too, feed on dead bodies. They can be spotted in cities, towns, and villages near cultivated and open areas, and in woodlands too.

          As per the IUCN Red List, Indian vultures are critically endangered, with a population of around 30,000. A serious decline in their numbers happened in the 1990s, when they lost around 95 per cent of the individuals.

          This unnatural death toll was caused by the presence of diclofenac, a drug used to treat livestock.

Picture credit: google

          The Asian koel is better known by its voice than by its looks. The Asian koel stays almost completely atop trees and never comes down to ground. It is as big as a crow, but is leaner, with a longer tail. The famous koel song actually belongs entirely to the males. Females do not sing. Young male birds make harsh, crow-like sounds. But even the adults do not sing during winter.

          The Asian koel is also a brood parasite. It leaves its eggs, which are slightly smaller, but similar to crow’s eggs, to be raised in crow’s nests. These birds feed on berries, banyan and peepal figs and hairy caterpillars.

          Apart from the Indian sub-continent, these birds are also found in China and Southeast Asia. Earlier these birds were popularly raised in cages as pets. 

            The Indian cuckoo is a medium-sized bird found in forests and open woodlands. Its lower parts are grey in colour, while the upper parts show broad black bars throughout. The tail is also barred, but the tip is white and is preceded by a broader black band. The young birds have a dark face, but the top of their head and chin are contrastingly white in colour.

            The major diet of these birds includes hairy caterpillars and other insects. They are usually found on top of the upper leaf cover of trees, where they search for insects to prey upon. They may catch flying insects in the air, during which they may fly to lower heights too.

            One notable habit of these birds is to leave their eggs for some other bird to rise. They are therefore, called brood parasites. They’ll go to the nest of some other bird to lay their single egg. But before that, they will eat one egg from the host’s nest. The poor host bird will look after the cuckoo egg as its own.

            In India, drongos and crows are the common victims of the cuckoos’ brood parasitism. The Indian cuckoo is very common in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Russia and Sri Lanka. 

The common myna and the bank myna are different in many ways. The common myna is comparatively larger with a brownish purple plumage. It has a black head. But the bank myna is smaller and bluish-grey in colour. It has some bare skin behind its eyes, which is brick red in colour. In the common myna, this skin is yellowish.

          The common myna is a bold and adventurous bird, mostly found in towns, villages and cultivation lands. They are courageous enough to enter even houses. But bank mynas are milder in their manner.

          The common mynas build nests in holes and they roost communally in tall grasses. They eat invertebrates, fruits, nectar from flowers and even garbage. But bank mynas dig holes in earthen banks of rivers and build their nest in them. Common mynas are found in almost all parts of India. Bank mynas tend to be concentrated in the northern and central regions of the country. 

            The most notable feature of a wire-tailed swallow is its tail, as its name indicates. It has two long feathers extending from the tail, called tail streamers. This is a small, lean bird with a blue-and-black plumage all over. The cap of its head is chestnut coloured.

            These birds prefer living near water and human settlements. They are found in pairs or in small scattered groups. They do not like to live in colonies, but build their nests individually, choosing a particular territory. But they roost with other varieties of swallows in tall grasses and bushes.

            Insects are the major diet of these birds. They catch their preys in the air, using their superior flying skills. These birds are commonly found perching on wires.

            These birds are very common in India, except in the Northeastern states and in the extreme south. The birds in northern India have been observed migrating towards the southern regions during winter. 

               The house sparrow is unique, because almost everyone in the world is familiar with this little bird. It is below 20 cm in length, with a feather cover of grey and brown shades.

               These birds can live in mountainous and plain terrains alike. They are very social by nature and roost communally. They build nests in holes in walls and ceilings, with straw and garbage.

               They basically eat seeds and grains, randomly collected from the ground. But these birds can assemble in large numbers and can raid crops, causing very serious damage to cultivations. They do this especially during winter seasons.

               Also, due to their habit of destroying flower buds and vegetables they are often a headache to people cultivating kitchen gardens. They have a large number of enemies including cats and owls. 

            As the name suggests, the tailor bird is a ‘professional tailor’. They are excellent architects, skilled in building a well-engineered nest from raw materials like leaves and fibres. First they construct a funnel, by stitching the edges of a broad leaf. If the leaf is not broad enough, they will manage it by sewing more leaves together. The stitching will be done with cotton or twisted vegetable fibres and the ends will be cleverly knotted so that they do not get loose. Once the leafy basement is strong and ready, they build a cup-shaped nest in it with soft fibres, hair, cotton wool or vegetables.

            These birds have a green upper body and rusty brown forehead and crown. Found in pairs or singly, they are well-adapted to living in scrubby forests, gardens, villages and busy towns. They feed on insects and caterpillars. They also like the nectar of certain flowers and can be found circling the blossoms for it.

            The tailor birds can be found almost anywhere in India.

            The red-vented bulbul is the most common variety of bulbul. It is dark brown in colour. The feathers are such that the dark brown colour ends in paler shade at the edges. This gives a scale-like appearance to the breast and back. The back of its body is white in colour and is normally concealed under the wings and is noticeable while flying. The region under the tail, called the vent, is red which gives it its name.

            These birds are mostly found in gardens and light scrub jungles. Their major diet is berries. But they also eat moths and caterpillars. When the winged termites come out from their underground holes after the first rain, the red-vented bulbuls will be the first to reach the spot. Either they will catch the insects as they exit the ground or they will spring up with them and catch them in air.

            These are very noisy birds. These birds build their nests at a height of around 3 m. They are found in pairs or as small groups. These birds are native to India and Sri Lanka. 

               The Indian robin is a very familiar, lively bird in our villages. It is notable by its permanently cocked up tail. The male birds of the species are brown and shiny black in colour. The under parts of the tail are in a deep chestnut colour. There is a white patch under the wings, which is normally hidden when the bird is at rest. The female bird is ash-brown in colour and the chestnut colour under the tail is slightly paler, when compared to that of a male bird.

               These birds are found in stony, grassy, shrub forest environments. They prefer living in dry regions. They like human presence and are commonly found perching on rooftops. Once settled, they don’t migrate anywhere. They feed on insects and caterpillars. They have a special liking for white ants and are found lingering around anthills. These birds are very common in India.

            The Eurasian collared dove is a medium-sized bird with a pinkish grey plumage.

            It gets its name from the black collar found on the back of its neck. It is more than 30 cm in length and its wing span can extend up to 55 cm in width.

            These birds choose to live in open woodlands, cultivated lands, villages and urban areas alike. They generally keep away from dense forests. They nest near human settlements, where food is easy to get and trees are available. They are found perching on wires and feeding on the ground. Seeds constitute their major diet.

            During flight, just before landing, they produce a harsh loud screeching sound which lasts for a few seconds. They tend to stay where they live and are not migratory.

            These birds are very common in India. Outside India, they are also found in Europe and other parts of Asia. They were introduced in North America in the 1980s.

          The laughing dove is a small, thin bird with a brown and grey plumage. It has a patch of square speckles in black and reddish-brown colour on its neck, like a necklace. It also has a long tail and its call is quite different from that of other kinds of doves.

          These birds can be found in dry, rocky and bushy terrains. But they are also well adapted to living in cultivated lands, villages, parks and urban areas. These birds are so used to humans, but their nature does not attract much attention. They eat seeds in pairs, usually from the ground. Generally, these birds like to live in a particular locality. But sometimes, they are also found moving from place to place. Some of these birds that had tags attached to them for identification were discovered to have moved from Gujarat to Pakistan. They covered more than 200 km and were landing on ships in the Arabian Sea, when they were exhausted.

          Laughing doves are very common in India, where they are also called little brown doves. Sometimes, these birds are also called palm doves or Senegal doves.

            The spotted dove is also known by various other names like the mountain dove, pearl-necked dove or lace-necked dove. It is a medium-sized bird with a pink and brown plumage. The back and hind neck are black with white spots on them.

            These birds are found in pairs or in small scattered groups in open forests and cultivated lands, near to water.

            The nests are built on low branches of trees or in bushes. They feed on grains; seeds etc. from dusty paths and straw fields and often eat grit on roads and tracks. The way they fly up from the ground is with an explosive flutter and they glide down before perching somewhere.

            The spotted doves are common in almost all parts of India. They have also been introduced in many other parts of the world, like the United States of America, Mauritius, Australia and New Zealand. 

          The blue rock pigeon is a common bird, as familiar as a crow or a house sparrow to us. It is bluish-grey in colour, with a shining metallic green, purple and magenta shades on the neck and upper breast. The wild variety of birds is pale grey in colour and their wings will have two black bars on them. The domesticated and stray birds have varying colour patterns on their plumage.

          One peculiarity of the rock pigeon is the way it drinks water. These birds can actually dip their bill in water and simply drink water, continuously. But often, what they do is to take a small sip and tilt the head backwards to swallow the water. Most birds do this repeatedly when drinking.

          These birds can be found in cultivations, rocky and urban areas. They feed on grains, often in large numbers, as a flock. If a group of pigeons are disturbed, they will fly up together, producing a noisy clapping sound which our movies have often pictured on screen dramatically. They build nests using twigs and straw, often in cavities or on tall rocks. They tend to live in colonies. These birds are abundant in India. It can also be seen in Europe and Africa. 

The black-headed jay is a lean, light-pink coloured bird with a black head and a thick, short bill. There is a notable small tuft of feathers on its head.

It is found in wooded country with large areas of open ground rather than dense forest. It also found in some cultivated areas and even near villages as long as there are enough trees nearby. They have a wide range of food items that they eat, including plant and animal food like eggs and baby birds. They build nests in the low branches of trees. Their call is a loud screech, with long pauses in between.

In India, these birds are seen in the Himalayas. Outside, countries like Afghanistan, and Bhutan also hosts them. 

          The Indian tree pie is a small bird, with mainly chestnut coloured plumage. But its head and neck are black in colour. Although it is only as big as a mynah, it has a long tail of about 30 cm.

          These birds can live wherever there are trees, like in open forests, city parks and gardens. They have a diverse menu, including insects, reptiles, small birds, fruits, nectar and even garbage. Stealing eggs from other nests is a weakness of these birds. But since they are efficient at searching for and trapping pests, they are considered to be of great help to farmers cultivating palm trees. Their nests will be situated high on tree branches. They like to stay hidden in leaf cover, but are adventurous and curious. They often follow one another while moving through branches.

          These birds are found in almost all parts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. 

            The common raven is a large bird found in dry or mountainous deserts and grasslands. It is totally glossy black in appearance and has a thick bill. They are exceptionally intelligent birds that can be seen flying very high in the air, with outstretched wings.

            This bird has lived along with humans for a long time past. Sometimes, these birds were so large in number that they were literally considered as pests. Dead, decaying flesh of animals is the favourite food of ravens. At the same time, they lead a ‘thug’s life’, stealing eggs or little birds, from other nests. They may even prey upon other adult birds, if they get a chance. They have an average lifespan of around 21 years.

            In India, common ravens are found in Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh. They are also found in Europe, North Africa, Central America and other regions of Asia. 

               The large-billed crow has a glossy black plumage and a steep forehead. It is a large bird with a large curved bill. It usually lives in rural areas, in the vicinity of human settlements. This is to make use of the dirty conditions created by humans, since this bird can find calories from almost anything, including dead bodies. This bold and adventurous bird is highly sociable and is fond of a large company. They are found to roost communally in thousands of numbers, often including other species of birds. Roosting in large groups is a night-time habit while, they build and look after nests in pairs during daytime.

               The large-billed crow has the ability to adapt to any living condition. This helps them colonize new places, often making them a nuisance in places like islands. They are very common in India and most parts of Asia. Johann Georg Wagler was the first person to describe these birds in 1827, based on a specimen he got from Java. 

            The Indian house crow is perhaps the most familiar and least-loved bird in our country. Not just here, they are seen in many parts of the world where they arrived with the assistance of shipping.

            This bird has a glossy black feather cover on its forehead, throat, upper breast and top of the head. The neck and breast has a lighter grey-brown shade. They prefer living in the vicinity of human habitation, like urban centres and cultivation. These are very bold and curious birds, leading a very social life. They roost in large numbers. They feed on almost anything, including garbage and decaying animal bodies. They are habitual robbers, often uninvited guests in people’s shops and other birds’ nests. They build nests with sticks on treetops or on artificial supports like telephone towers. Three to five eggs can be seen in a nest.

          Plum-headed parakeets are notable for the distinct contrast between their body and head. These are slim birds, with a green plumage over the body. The male birds have a purple-red coloured head and a blue collar, while the females have a dark lavender head and yellow collar. They can fly very fast, often making their peculiar calls.

          These birds are found in wooden areas like plantations, city parks and gardens. However, they avoid dry regions. They also raid crops for food, but the ‘raid team’ will not be very large in number. They nest on trees, often in holes carved out by the pairs, in tree trunks. The female lays four to six eggs and she will in sole charge of their incubation and nurturing. These birds roost communally.

          Plum-headed parakeets are very common in India and Pakistan. They are favourite pet birds for many, due to their ability to mimic beeps and whistles and to talk. 

            The Alexandrine parakeets were once considered special birds. Alexander the Great is known to have exported these birds from Punjab to various European and Mediterranean regions and this earned these birds their name. Important people like princes, noblemen and warlords considered these birds to be a luxurious possession.

            The Alexandrine parakeet is a large bird with a big bill. It is grass-green in colour. The male birds of the species have a maroon patch on the shoulders and a black-and-pink collar which distinguishes them from females. These birds are commonly seen in wooded areas and plantations, like city parks and gardens. They raid farms and orchards in large numbers, for fruits, vegetables and cereals, which constitute their favourite diet. These are shy birds and their young ones are frequently sold as pets in the bird markets.

            These birds are commonly seen throughout India, except in the extreme south. Apart from India, Afghanistan and Southeast Asian countries also host a good number of these birds.

          The rose-ringed parakeet which is also called the ring-necked parakeet is the most well known kind of parrots. It is a very intelligent bird. The male bird has some black stripes around the chin and a pinkish band around the collar. The female and young ones below three years, lack these features.

          These birds are highly adapted to living in rural, as well as urban areas. They are seen wherever there are trees and can be seen abundantly in city parks and gardens. They are herbivore in nature, preferring fruits, vegetables, grains etc. for food. These birds can be quite a nuisance sometimes. Thousands of these birds can gather around grain repositories or city places, causing damage to crops seriously.

          Both males and females have the ability to mimic human speech. First, the bird listens to its surroundings and then it copies the voice of the human speaker. 

             The white-spotted fantail flycatcher is a small bird. It is mostly smoke-brown in colour, with noticeably white eyebrows and a white abdomen.

            It gets its name from its showy tail, which is often spread out like a fan, with widened wings on both sides.

            These birds inhabit less dense forests as well as in noisy busy towns. They are very charming and vibrant, with a slight indifference towards humans. The nests can be seen in trees like mangoes and chickoos. It will be typically cup-like.

            A female lays up to three eggs, which are pinkish cream in colour. Like other flycatchers, these birds feed on mosquitoes, flies and other insects.

            Until recently, the white-spotted fantail was considered a subspecies of white-throated fantail. 

       The Nilgiri flycatcher is unique in the sense that it is native and restricted to the shola forests of the Western Ghats and the Nilgiris. It is a medium-sized bird, with a dark blue plumage. The male bird will be slightly greenish in colour. This bird is around 15 cm in length and has a long tail with white spots on it. They produce a peculiar chipping note call, at the same time flick their tail up and down. 

               These birds are found in ever-green forests, the edges of forests near flowing water bodies or well-grown plantations. They hunt in pairs for insects, from the upper leaf covers of trees, by attacking them in the air.

               They build nests in tree holes or under bridges. The nests are cup-shaped and covered by mosses and lichens. A female lays two to three eggs.

               The number of these birds is coming down on a global scale. Therefore, the IUCN has placed them in the ‘Near Threatened’ category of the Red list. 

          The Tickell’s blue flycatcher is named after Samuel Tickell a British ornithologist who worked among these birds in India and Burma. These are very common in many regions of India, like Gujarat and Uttarakhand.

          This bird is a small one, around 12 cm in length and covered with blue and orange plumage. They hunt flying insects for food. They may also go for various crawling insects if in need. These birds are very active and are used to humans. They are seen hunting even after dusk. Their hunting style may adapt to single hunting, pair hunting or even group hunting in mixed species. They build their nests in tree holes or in rocky voids lined with fine grass and fibres. Their preferred breeding locations are open forests, groves and gardens in the vicinity of water. Three to five eggs can be seen in a nest.

          These birds are seen in good numbers in many states of India. These are considered to be of ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN.

          The grey-headed canary fly-catcher is a very small bird, typically around 15 cm long. This bird has a grey, green and yellow plumage. The head is completely grey and squarish in shape, while the bill is very flat.

          These birds are mainly seen in open forests, plantations, groves and gardens. They prefer broad-leaved forests and similar wooded areas to breed. The females are in charge of building nests. It is generally cup shaped and bound by spider webs that are covered by or attached to moss. There may be three to four eggs in a nest at a time. These are very smart and curious birds. Their primary diet consists of insects which they catch by attacking in groups like soldiers. Sometimes, they may also hunt in pairs, but they do not mix with other kind of birds for hunting. They can be found perching on open tree branches.

          The grey-headed canary flycatchers are very common in the Western Ghats, Nilgiri Hills, Central India and the Eastern Ghats. Outside India, they are also found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and south China. They are very widely distributed around the globe, with several recognized subspecies. 

            The rufous woodpecker is a medium-sized bird mostly  found in the northern foothills of India. It has a short tuft of feathers on its head and a black-coloured short bill. The upper part of its body is covered with black bars. The male birds of the species can be identified by the small red patch at its eyes. These birds produce a high-pitched ke-ke kre-ke call which is very loud. They also have a peculiar way of drumming wood tree trunks with an irregular rhythm.

            These birds prefer living in large leaf forests. Rufous Woodpecker builds its nest inside the nest of acrobat ants. They don’t even mind being bitten by ants while poking their head into the active ant nests for food. They also eat fig fruits.

            Outside India, these birds are very commonly seen in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, south China and other regions of Asia. These are not a threatened bird species. 

          The heart-spotted woodpecker is often detected by its noisy habit of making frequent bird calls. It can be identified by the unusually short and thick body with a large wedge-shaped head. The under parts are pale grey in colour, while there is a noticeably white throat. There is a crown in front of its head, which is white for females and black for males.

          These birds are fond of bamboos and plantation shade trees. They make holes in tree branches and make nests in it. The nests can also be seen in fence posts. A female lays typically two to three eggs which are plain white in colour. They are seen creeping along tree branches and can perch from branch to branch. They search for insects in tree barks. Sometimes they show a habit of pecking certain seeds to eat the insect larvae found in them.

          In India, these birds are mainly seen in the Himalayan forests and the Western Ghats. They are also very common in other parts of Asia.

               The Indian spotted creeper is a tree creeper which is actually very difficult to spot! These are very small birds fond of eating insects and spiders from the barks of trees. For this, they choose trees which have dark and fissured barks in woodlands and groves, such as mangoes and babul. They always nest close to tree trunks. They possess specialized curved bills to pick out prey from inside the fissures in barks. Their feather cover is marbled with black and white, which is what makes them difficult to spot in tree barks.

               Unlike other kinds of tree-creeper birds, these birds do not use their tail as support while climbing. Their tail is not that stiff either. These vibrant birds climb up trees very fast and often flutter down to change position.

              These birds are regularly seen in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Outside India, Africa hosts a lot of these little birds. 

            The chestnut-bellied nuthatch is a small, beautifully   coloured bird with a grey plumage all over and a chestnut coloured belly, as its name suggests. This noisy bird has a short tail and is short and stout in appearance. Found in thick forests and groves, they may set out in search of food as singly, in pairs or in mixed hunting groups. They build nests in tree holes, the openings of which they customize to a suitable size, using mud plastering. Their diet is a mixed one, containing insects, seeds and nuts which can be found in trees. They are skilled in opening hard nuts and seeds. These small birds can cling efficiently to tree barks and can move up or down as they wish, by hopping step by step.

            The chestnut-bellied nuthatches are very common in India, mainly in the northern foothills, eastern peninsular hills and Western Ghats. Outside India, they are seen in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal in plenty of numbers. 

          A nuthatch is what we call a small songbird with a stiffened tail and a special ability to climb up and down tree trunks. As their name suggests, the velvet-fronted nuthatch is a special kind of nuthatch with a big head and a short tail. It is a very small bird, typically around 13 cm in length. They have a powerful red bill and strong feet. There is a notable black patch on their forehead. Depending on the shade of their under parts and the extent of white on throat, these birds are considered to be of four different varieties.

          These birds prefer living in the tree holes of evergreen forests, but can also be found in almost all kinds of woods. They often hunt in groups, mostly for insects in the heights of tall trees. Fallen wood and moss-covered trunks and branches are spots they are also interested in exploring. This tiny bird is very active and is seen moving from tree to tree within short spans of time.

          In India, these nuthatches are commonly seen in the foot-hills of Northeastern states. The Western Ghats also host a good number of them. Outside India, they are found in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China.

            The common flameback is a kind of medium-sized woodpecker generally found in the hilly areas of the Western Ghats and the Northeast. Their back is beautifully golden, with the lower back being red in colour. The upper part of their head is red in the male bird, while it is black in the female. The lower part is adorned with black stripes on white and the tail is completely black. Its bill is comparatively small. It has only three toes on its feet and these birds are also called golden-backed, three-toed flamebacks.

            They choose to live in dry forests, moist lowlands and mangrove cultivation in the tropical or subtropical regions. They make tree-holes by themselves and build their nests in them. Invertebrates constitute their primary diet.

            These birds are very common in India. The IUCN does not consider this bird to be under any global threat. 

               The black-rumped flameback is a very popular variety of woodpecker, which is seen both in rural and urban areas. It can be readily identified by the bold red crest on the top of its head. Apart from that, it has bright golden and black colour over its body. Its throat is black with white streaks. The cheek is white, with a stripe of black colour around the eyes stretching into it. The shoulders are speckled with black and yellow.

               These are noisy birds, preferring to live in open forests, cultivated lands and urban areas with trees. They make oval holes in tree trunks with their strong bills and that is where they build their nests. These birds dig out insect larvae as a favourite food from under the bark of trees, using their bills. They may also feed from termite mounds or nectar banks of bees.

               Although these birds are very widely seen in most parts of India, they are not so common in the desert regions of the Northwest. They also have some other names like the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or simply, lesser golden-back. 

       The yellow crowned wood-pecker is a small bird, only as big as a bulbul. But they have a long, strong, sharp bills, and stiff, wedge-shaped tails. The male and female birds are slightly different in appearance. The back of the male bird’s neck is brilliant red in colour and the front-upper part of its head is yellow. But the region from the top of the head to the back of neck is yellowish in a female bird. Both of them have black upper part bodies. 

           These birds are very common in light forests, especially where there are trees that shed their leaves according to seasons. They are also comfortable with mango orchards and stunted trees. They are usually found in pairs or in mixed hunting groups, searching for ants or insect larvae which make up their usual diet. Like a typical woodpecker, the flight of this bird is very fast and smooth, but wave-like.

          This woodpecker is very common in India where it is also called the Mahratta wood-pecker. These birds are not found in the Northeastern states. Myanmar also hosts a lot of these birds. According to the IUCN, these birds are of ‘Least Concern’ regarding global threat to the species. 

          The unique features of the stork-billed kingfisher are its comparatively large sized head and bill. It has an overall blue and dull yellow colour, while the bill is red.

          This bird lives primarily depending on trees. They are found in lakes, rivers and forest streams, coasts and mangroves, where there are lot of trees. They may stay concealed within the leaf cover of trees for long time periods.

          Like other kingfishers, the stork-billed kingfishers also hunt from water, usually targeting fishes, reptiles and shelled creatures. They may also feed on rodents and small birds.

          The adult birds build their nests in riverbanks, trees or termite nests. Eggs are white and may be two to five in number. These birds have a strong sense of their own territories, where they don’t like other birds intruding into. In that case, they may chase away even eagles and other large predators.

          Except in the Northeast, these birds are somewhat common in most parts of India. They are also found in Southeast Asia, especially Pakistan and Indonesia.

The whiskered tern is a common bird in the northern regions of India, like Jammu and Kashmir and Assam. It’s also found in Europe, Africa, and Australia. These birds visit India in large numbers during the winter season. This makes them very popular in our country.

In appearance, this bird is lean and is only as large as a pigeon. The wings are so long that when at rest, they extend behind the short, slightly forked tail. They have a red or blackish red bill.

Like a typical tern, these birds are found concentrated in big groups around large rivers, lakes and coastal areas. They build nests on floating plants.

Their webbed feet may give us an impression that they are good swimmers. But these birds prefer to spend most of their time in the air or resting on the shore.

Despite having feet adapted for swimming, they are hardly seen descending into water.

          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.

            The purple heron is a large bird with a gracefully thin neck and dark purple coloured under parts. They prefer living in wet, vegetated ecosystems like marshlands and mangroves. They favour densely packed vegetation.

            These birds have a liking for solitude and are not noisy. They can be spotted waiting in dense vegetation, with neck outstretched, looking for prey. Fish, small rodents, frogs, insects etc. are their usual preys. Although they prefer waiting in plant cover to attack a passing prey, they won’t mind a chase-and-stalk session either. They are active during dawn and dusk. In the middle of day and night, they roost along with other birds.

            The purple heron is a very common bird in most parts of India and are also found in Europe, Africa and other regions of Asia. The IUCN observes that the decrease in wetland areas is driving down the population of these birds. But their numbers are still not low enough to be of any concern in the immediate future.

            The black-crowned night heron’s name is self explanatory. This bird has a black crown, which is the upper part of its head. The body is covered with grey and cream coloured feathers.

            Its legs and neck are short, but thick. They have an overall length of around 65 cm and a weight of roughly 800 g. The eyes are large and ruby red.

            As their name suggests, these are nocturnal birds that stay hidden in the thick leaf cover of trees during daytime and set out to hunt at dusk.

            These birds build their nests in colonies, especially in fresh or salt-water wetlands. Around their nests, they are very noisy, making a kind of quok or wok sound.

            They would wait in shallow water, sitting with water up to the belly, for prey to get close. Small fish, shelled creatures, frogs, aquatic insects, small mammals or birds can constitute a delicious dinner for the black-crowned night heron.

These birds are very common throughout India, in Europe, Africa and the Americas. 

      The little owl is a small owl inhabiting most parts of India. This is a sedentary species which is found in open country-side in a great range of habitats. If they are living in an area with a large amount of human activity, little owls may grow used to humans and will remain on their perch, often in full view, while people are around. It feeds on prey such as insects and earthworms, as well as small vertebrates including amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. 

            The Indian pond heron is a very popular bird which is found wherever there is water, even if it is a temporary puddle. Only as large as a village hen, these birds are small, with short thick legs. The plumage is generally soil brown in colour. The head is dull yellowish with heavy dark streaks. The bill is yellow and has a dark tip.

            The Indian pond heron usually sits hunched in shallow water waiting for an aquatic prey, which is mostly a fish. This scene may give an impression that this bird is half-blind and many people does seriously believe that this is so. Although their food collection is a solitary business, these birds roost communally.

            Also, several birds may be in search of prey pretty close together. Their nest looks similar to that of a crow, made of twigs on top of large trees. They are not so strict about proximity to water bodies and can settle in the middle of towns and villages. Their nests may be re-used for many years. 

          The grey heron is a large grey or black coloured heron usually found in all types of inland and coastal water. It has also adapted to living in cities. It is very thin and tall with featherless legs. It has a long thin neck shaped like the letter ‘S’ and a matching narrow head. Its bill is yellow in colour and is strong and pointed like a dagger. Although at first glance, this bird is similar in appearance to a stork or a crane, it flies at a slower pace.

          This bird exhibits unusual hunting behaviour. We can see it standing motionless in shallow water. Its head will be sunk between the shoulders, giving an impression that it is in deep sleep and has no idea what is going on around it. But actually, it is perfectly alert and concentrates fully on watching movements under water. If any fish comes within striking distance of its bill, bingo! It’s game over for the fish. These birds are seen singly, as well as in small groups. But roosting and resting are always done in colonies atop tall trees. India has a lot of grey herons, including those who breed in our country and those who are just visitors during the winter season.

            The little heron is a small, dark heron very popularly seen in most parts of India, except the Northwest. These birds’ also known as striated herons have a black colour on the top of the head and lines along the cheek and the bills. If found in shadows they will appear mostly black. These little birds do not like company and are always found singly.

            They do not migrate to anywhere and are always confined to pools, streams, mangroves etc. They hide in vegetation to stalk their prey, by sitting on a low branch just above the water level. From there, they can easily spear a passing fish, frog or an insect. They also build their nests close to ground in shrubs, small trees or even on covered ground near water. If you intimidate their young ones, they will instantly stretch their necks out, with the bills pointed towards sky. Amusingly, we don’t know clearly what the use of this ‘drama’ is.

            The little herons are common in Africa, other parts of Asia, Indian and Pacific islands. It was thought for long that the green heron found in North America and the little heron belong to the same species.

            The intermediate egret is also a snow white bird, but with a medium size. It is around 56 cm in length and 400 g in weight. The stretched wings cover a span of about 100 cm. The features that distinguish this bird from the great egret are the neck and the legs. The neck is thicker, with a gentle curve and the legs are not long enough to extend beyond the tail while flying. It has a short but thick bill.

            These birds search for prey in shallow coastal or fresh water, including flooded fields. They are generally silent and wait patiently to stalk their preys. They feed on fish, frog, shelled creatures and insects.

            They build their nests from sticks in trees and shrubs, in colonies along with other herons.

            The intermediate egrets are commonly found throughout India, in Europe, Africa, Australia and the Americas. 

               The great egrets are very common in most parts of India and are also called common egrets. These are popularly seen on large wetlands and coastal areas. Most people can identify it as a large bird, as white as snow, having a long necks and very long legs. They stretch out these legs backwards while flying. When they stand still, the thin neck will be seen twisted sharply. But when they are after their prey, neck will be held straight.

               These birds can be seen singly, as well as in separate groups, near shallow water or vegetation. They build nests as colonies in trees close to water. The great egrets seen in the northern regions are sometimes seen migrating towards the south during winter.

               Apart from India, these birds are also found in Europe, Africa and Australia. Conservation is not required for these birds as they are not considered threatened in any way. 

          The little egret is a very common kind of heron, found in Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia alike. They are medium sized; around 55-65 cm in height and 350-550 grammes in weight. Their plumage is snowy white in colour, with black legs and yellow feet. When they fly, they stretch out their legs, while the neck is pulled in.

          The favourite food of these birds includes fish, frogs and other water animals and they are therefore found in fresh and shallow waters, estuaries and mangroves. These birds may wait patiently for the preys to stalk them. But if they are badly in need of food, they may even chase their preys energetically and stab them. They are always found in large groups and they also build their nests in tree colonies along with other birds in the region. These birds are very noisy.

          The main challenge these birds are facing now is the degradation of wetlands, agricultural pollution and human Interference in their ecosystem. Also, these birds have a large chance of catching bird flu. 

          The savanna nightjar is not a single kind of bird, but a group of slightly different species. Till now, there are at least ten known subspecies of these birds. Their common features include long, pointed wings, short legs and short bills. The feather cover of these birds is such that they very much resemble tree barks or dried leaves in colour.

          These birds are found in open forests and have a special liking for rocky and dried areas. They are nocturnal and hunt down a variety of insects like crickets, mantises, beetles, dragonflies, flying termites, flies and flying ants. The usual hunting time is either before dawn or after dusk. They usually fly high above the ground to stalk their prey and have a parakeet like screeching voice when they fly. But they roost on the ground like other nightjars.

          These birds are found throughout India. It is observed that these birds have adapted to life in urban environments, especially in countries like Indonesia where they build their nests in flat roof tops and building plots. 

          The jungle nightjar or grey nightjar is a kind of nightjar that is commonly seen in most parts of India. These birds are grey in colour. The top of their head shows a peculiar kind of black streaks. The wings and tails are long and the bird as a whole is around 20 cm in length. Although the bill is usually small, the bird’s mouth is very wide when open. They produce a series of thacoo or chuck notes as their call. The male birds can be identified by their exclusive white throat patch.

          These birds are generally seen near the edges of forests. They make their nests on the ground and they are nothing more than a simple patch. Jungle nightjars become active at dusk and hunt flying insects for foods. They roost on tree branches or ground. But it is nearly impossible to spot them due to their colour and shades that blend with the surroundings. 

                The Sri Lanka frogmouth is a nightjar-like bird with a huge head that is almost 25 cm in length. When these birds roost silently on tree branches, we can hardly see them, because their colour is very much similar to that of dried leaves. Their bill is hooked and thick, covered almost completely by feathers. Its call can be heard during dawns and dusks.

                These birds choose to live in dense, wet evergreen forests and sometimes also in plantations. They are nocturnal birds that catch flying insects like moths for food. Sometimes, they may chase their prey or may catch it by pouncing from the ground. When they build nests, the inner side is lined by moss and the outer side with lichens and tree bark. These birds are found in our Western Ghats while, as the name suggests, they are the only type of frogmouth found in Sri Lanka. 

               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. 

            Black francolins are medium-sized birds, found mainly in northern states and in Assam.

            These birds prefer to live in areas where tall grasses and shrubs like sugar cane, reeds etc. grow. The normal clutch size between 10 and 14 eggs and only the hen incubates the eggs. They feed on insects, larvae, seeds, shoots, roots and leaves.

            The males are black with a white cheek patch and brown neck, while the females are much paler. The male francolins are larger than the females. The black francolin only flies when disturbed. It has a pheasant’s explosive flight, but prefers to creep away unseen.

            Outside India, the black francolins are seen in countries like Turkey, Iran and Turkmenistan.

            The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized and evaluated them as a species of “Least Concern”.

            The black francolin is the state bird of Haryana. 

          The Himalayan monal is a showy large bird with brilliant colours. Its back is blue, and its neck is green, and its feathers have an attractive, metallic shine. When it flies, a beautiful orange tail is visible. A typical bird will be around 70 cm long. But the females are slightly smaller in size and are streaky brownish in appearance.

          As their name suggests, these birds are found in the Himalayas, especially in the open forests and meadows. They can be seen even in snowy high altitudes up to 4000 m. They are well equipped to dig into the ground through snow. They eat roots, seeds, berries, shoots and invertebrates.

          The people of Uttarakhand call the bird, ‘the monal’ and consider this bird to be their official state bird. The Himalayan monals are also seen in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. 

               The most important thing about cheer pheasants is that they are a vulnerable species. Sometimes also known as the Wallach’s pheasant, the number of these birds in the world is declining fast. Due to habitat loss, small population size and human hunting, they are facing the serious threat of extinction and are evaluated as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

               The cheer pheasants are large birds with a very long tail. They are generally grey in colour, barred with brown or black. They are less ‘glamorous’ compared to the other members in the pheasant family which have bright and brilliant colours. Males and females look different. The male birds are larger in size, with a grey neck and longer tail. The females are more brownish and make a very sharp, loud call.

               Cheer pheasants are often seen in rocky areas. The Himalayan regions in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh host these birds. They choose to make their nest in scrubby and grassy patches in these areas. Though they make their nest on the ground, at night, they roost on tree branches. They forage in groups or as pairs and are shy birds that flee quickly if there is any disturbance. 

          Kalij pheasants are distributed around the foothills of the Himalayas, in countries including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar. In our country, these are concentrated in the North-eastern states.

          The Kalij is a close relative of the silver pheasant. They are neither too big nor too small in size.

          The males among them would typically weigh about one kilogramme and are around 60 to 75 cm long. They are mostly black in colour and have arched tail feathers. 

          The females, on the other hand are slightly brownish. But both the males and females have grey legs and red faces. They eat roots, seeds, insects, etc.

          Although they are generally shy, they emerge out from their habitat of evergreen and deciduous forests in the mornings and evenings.

          This pheasant consumes and then disperses, seeds of plants which grow and spread quickly in vast areas disturbing the balance of the ecosystem. Kalij pheasants are therefore, considered an invasive species in Hawaii.

          Grey jungle fowls are very common in states like Rajasthan, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

          This fowl is grey in colour. The feathers on its wings are black and its belly looks silver. Although they have a shape similar to red jungle fowls, they are slightly longer. These birds are very shy and timid by nature.

          Grey jungle fowls eat almost anything they can find, like berries, insects and termites. They have a special liking for bamboo seeds and you can see a lot of them gathering in areas where these seeds are available. These birds prefer to live in forests and abandoned plantations. During the mornings and evenings, they can be seen on roads. But at night, they roost on trees. They make a nest with dry leaves.

          These birds are declining in number because of habitat loss and hunting for food. 

                Red jungle fowls are the ancestors of our domestic poultry. It is estimated that Man started domesticating them at least five thousand years ago, in Asia.

              Red jungle fowls lead a social life and they choose to live in well-watered forests in groups. They are omnivores and have a varied diet that includes insects, fruits and seeds. They are very shy and will flee if there is a signal of anything alarming.

               We can see red jungle fowls in the Himalayan terrain. States like Odisha and Madhya Pradesh also have a share of these birds. 

          The name peafowl brings to our mind the picture of a large bird with brightly coloured feathers. The appearance of the male and female birds in this species is very different.

          The male peacocks have very long tails which are usually around 1.5 m. A peacock’s tail is made of large green feathers that have blue eyes on them. This makes it unique and very attractive. Although this tail looks too heavy to lift, peacocks can easily fly with it. The pea-hen has white feathers on its face, throat, and belly. Unlike the males, peahens don’t have showy tails. Both males and females are very keen in their vision and hearing.

          When it comes to nesting peafowls prefer open forest, or land under cultivation. The bird builds its nest by making a depression on ground and lines the nest using sticks and leaves. Peafowls eat berries or grains. It also feed on insects, lizards, or small snakes.

          Despite their good looks, peafowls are not very welcome visitors to our cultivated lands. Their foraging in cereal crops results in considerable loss of revenue to farmers.