Black Francolin, Bird


Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. The Black Francolin is one of the few species of francolins that are found outside Africa. It resides in Kashmir and northeast India. The Black Francolin is found in scrubby habitats. It forms its nests in a bare ground scrape. The normal clutch is eight to ten white spotted pale brown greenish eggs. The Black Francolin feeds on wide variety of plants and insect food.

The Grey Partridge sized male is mainly black in colour with white spots on the back and flanks. It has a chestnut neck collar, white patches on the cheeks and brown coloured wings. The legs are red in colour. The female is mainly brown in colour but the hind neck is chestnut in colour. The extent of the white spots on the flanks varies from species to species.

There is nothing very remarkable about this species. During the spring season the male bird sings a mechanical kik- kik- kik from a heap. The male`s call from the territory is loud and grating kwee- kweeee- kwee. The flight is very explosive that of a pheasant and it prefers to creep away unnoticed.

Greater Flamingo


The Greater Flamingo is the most widespread species of the flamingo family. It is found in parts of coastal regions of India. It is also found in Africa, Asia and southern Europe.

This is a large species and is nearly, one hundred twenty to one hundred and forty centimeters tall. It has similarities with the Caribbean Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo. Like all other types of flamingos, this species lays a single chalky- white egg on a mud mound. The feathers of the bird are pinkish white but the wing coverts are red and the primary and the secondary flight feathers are black in colour.

The Greater Flamingo has a pink bill with a restricted black tip. The legs are completely pink. The call of the flamingo is goose like honking.

Black crested Bulbul


The Black crested bulbul belongs to the bulbul family of passerine birds. It resides in the tropical southern Asia from India and Srilanka east to Indonesia.

The Black crested Bulbul is a forest bird and also resides in dense scrub. The normal clutch is two to four eggs. The Black crested Bulbul is nineteen centimeters in length and has a long tail. The upper parts of the body are olive green in colour and the under parts are bright yellow in colour. The head throat and crest of the bird are black in colour. The male and the female have similar feathers but the young birds are duller than the adults. The flight is bouncing like that of the woodpecker. Black crested bulbuls live on fruits and insects.

Hill Myna, Bird


The Hill Myna is a member of the starling family, which resides in the hill regions of South Asia. The myna resides in the lower Himalayas from Kumaon, India extending eastwards in Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. It is also found in Thailand, Indonesia and parts of Southeast Asia.

Hill MynaThe Hill Myna lives in the trees moving in large noisy groups. It has a stocky jet-black body with bright yellow patches of naked skin and fleshy wattles on the side of its head, the backside of the neck and under the eye. This distinguishes the Hill Myna from the Common Myna or the Bank Myna. It is about twenty-nine centimeters in length and is somewhat larger than the common Myna. It has green-glossed black feathers with a tinge of purple on the head and neck. There are large white wing patches, which are visible when the bird flies. The bill and the legs of the bird are bright yellow in colour. There is no distinction mark in the male and the female but the adolescent myna has a comparatively duller bill.

This Hill Myna is known for making loud shrill descending whistles, gurgles, and wails which is followed by other calls. It is heard mostly at dawn and dusk when it is found in small groups. The male and the female both make such loud calls and even makes melodious human like calls. Like most starlings, the Hill Myna is omnivorous and feeds on nectar, fruits and insects. The Hill Myna always builds a nest in the hollow of trees. The normal clutch is two to three eggs.

Great Hornbill


The Great Hornbill is also known as the Greater Indian Hornbill and is the largest member of the Hornbill family. Other than India it is also found in the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, Indonesia. The Great Hornbill has a long lifespan extending over fifty years.

This large bird is nearly four feet tall with a sixty-inch wingspan. The tail weathers are as long as thirty-six inches and weighs approximately six pounds. The most striking feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black helmet on top of its massive bill. As such the helmet is of no use although they are believed to be the consequence of sexual selection.

The female hornbills are smaller in size than the males and have blue eyes instead of red.
Female hornbills seek shelter in the hollow of large tree trunks and the entrance is sealed with faeces, wood bark and dirt. She is confined to the nest while the chicks are growing and relies on the male hornbill for food. She lays one or two eggs at a time and the incubation period is for thirty-eight to forty days.

The Great Hornbill feeds on fruits. It also consumes small mammals, birds, lizards, snakes and insects. The birds usually form monogamous pair bonds and live in a group, which consists about two to forty individuals.

The bird has been ranked as a near threatened species owing to its hunting and lose of habitat. It is a state bird of Kerala.

Indian Roller, Bird


Scientifically called Coracias benghalensis, the Indian Roller was earlier called the Blue Jay. It is a member of the roller family of birds of the tropical southern Asia from Iraq to Thailand. This is not a migratory bird but it undertakes some seasonal travels.

Indian RollerThe Indian Roller is a sturdy bird, which is sized like a Jackdaw at thirty to thirty four centimeters in length. This multi coloured bird has a warm brown back, lilac breast and face and blue crown, wings, tail and belly. The adolescent bird is darker version of the adult bird. The Southeast Asian race has a green coloured back and purple under parts and is mistaken as a separate species.

The stunning direct and strong flight of the Indian rollers remarkably distinguishes them from other birds. When the bird flies the brilliant blue coloured wings contrasts with the brown back body. The Roller is a common bird, which alights on trees, posts or overhead wires while hunting for insects, lizards and frogs that they eat. These birds are fearless and can dive or roll at humans. The display of the bird is a lapwing-like display. The bird gets its name from its twists and turns of display.

The Indian Roller seeks shelter in lined holes in trees or buildings and lays about three to five eggs. The call of the Indian Roller is as harsh as the call of a crow, which makes a chack sound. It also makes a metallic bonk call. The bird becomes even more clamorous during the breeding season.

The Indian Roller has been given the status of a state bird by the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Common birds in India


India is famous as the paradise for bird watching all over the world because of its plethora of birds, found throughout India, bird watching has become . Among the numerous varieties of Indian birds, there are only a few that has some special qualities, be it singing, talking, dancing or colourful outlook. Some of the Indian birds are rarely seen and some of them are found in all parts of the country. The Sooty Tern is a seabird belonging to the Tern family and it has dark grey upper parts. The lower parts of its body are white. The Indian Shag, also known as Indian Cormorant, is one of the common Indian birds and is found almost throughout the country, excluding the higher reaches of the Himalayas. This bird is a duck-like waterfowl, slightly bigger in size than a normal duck, and its body is of glistening black colour. The bird lives in small colonies and the colonies can be found between the months of July to February. However, the months can vary from place to place.

The Common Myna is another beautiful common Indian bird that is of a dark chocolate brown colour. The bird has bright yellow bill, legs and orbital skin and in India, it has a conspicuous white patch that is seen, when the bird is in flight. The Common Myna has a variety of sharp calls that is uttered with an absurd bobbing of the head. It is commonly found throughout India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshwadeep etc. It is one of the most visible Indian birds and has a habit of following humans around. The Little Egret is one of the most common Indian birds and is found all over India. It has almost the same height of a village hen and it dwells mostly in the marshes, water ponds, rivers and tidal mudflats. This bird has a very cunning nature and its food menu ranges from insects, fish, and frogs to even small reptiles. Both the male and female Little Egret birds look alike and the female lays 4 bluish-green eggs in the month of July-August in Northern India. In Southern India, the birds lay eggs between the months of November and February.

Among all the common Indian birds, the Pond Heron or the Paddy Bird is such a bird that has a variety of low conversational notes and peculiar mumbling sounds that a nesting pair utters. The colour of the bird is brown supplemented with maroon hair like plums on the back, when it is resting and it has long white crest during the breeding season. The bird flashes its shimmering white wings, tail and rump, when it springs into flight. The Pond Heron can be found at a river, pond, roadside ditch, and the seacoast in mangrove swamps, tidal mudflats. As it is also found in the paddy fields, it is also known as the Paddy Bird. The bird is called as `saintly heron`, as well, as it stands hunched up at the remote corner of a water body watching and waiting patiently for the fish to come within reach before it picks on it in a flash.

The Redwattled Lapwing is one of the common Indian birds. This is a partridge-like bird and the best place to locate it is the water bodies where it is found in pairs. The bird can be found all over India up to about 1800 m in the Himalayas and peninsular hills. The colour of the bird is bronze-brown on above, white in below; and its breast, head and neck are black. There is also a crimson wattle in front of each eye of this beautiful bird. Another common Indian bird is the ever famous Parakeet or Parrot. This is also referred as the `Tota` of India and is one of the most lovable birds. This large flock can be found all over the Indian Sub-continent, from the foothills of Himalayas to the southern parts of the country and it is quite destructive, agriculture-wise. It is well known for wasting more and eating less. The bird is usually green in colour with an amazingly red beak; however, the female birds lack the black and rose pink collar of male.

The Peafowl or the Indian Peacock is the National Bird of India and it has a collage of wonderful and beautifully designed colours and patterns. The bird is mainly found in the dry semi-desert grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests and it forages and nests on the ground but roosts on top of trees. Though the bird mainly eats seeds, it also eats some insects, fruits and reptiles. The most significant features of the Indian Peacock, is its beautiful iridescent blue-green plumage. The Indian Roller is one of the most common Indian Birds. This bird has a striking blue colour with a brown breast and a pail blue abdomen and under tail. The bird best exhibits the magnificence of its colours in flight, when the dark and light portions show up as brilliant bands on the wings. The bird is most commonly found at the foothills of the Himalayas.

Another variety of common Indian birds is the Indian White, or Rumped Vulture. This bird is an Old World vulture belonging to the Accipitridae Family, which also includes Eagles, Kites, Buzzards and Hawks. Like all the other vultures, the Rumped Vulture is also a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. The bird has quite broad wings, short tail and a white neck ruff and this specie is almost on the verge of extinction, in India. The wonderful bird, named Himalayan Monal is the state bird of Uttarakhand and it belongs to the genus, Lophophorus of the Pheasant family. The Pheasant Tailed Jacana is another common Indian bird. It can easily be identified by its striking white plumage from head to breast and by its long sickle shaped tail during the breeding season. The bird is comfortable walking on aquatic plant and is also popularly known as Lily-Walkers because of their ability. They are most commonly found on lotus ponds in Hyderabad.

Another variety of common Indian birds is the Emerald Dove, which is a state bird of Tamil Nadu. The bird is also known as the Green Dove and the Green-Winged Pigeon. The Pallas Fish Eagle is a large brownish eagle, having a pale golden head. The bird is usually found near large water bodies, in the north and northeastern parts of India. Another common Indian bird is the Blue Winged Minla and Red Tailed Minla. This bird can easily be found in evergreen forests of the Himalayas and the northeastern hills. The Rufous Winged Fulvetta is a common Indian bird that is usually found in the undergrowths in dense forests and well-wooded areas. The bird is found only in the North-Eastern states and the Himalayas.

The Great Indian Bustard is a common large ground dwelling bird in India. It has a long neck and long bare legs and it weighs nearly eighteen kilograms. This bird is most commonly found in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in India. The Mountain Hawk Eagle is another common Indian bird, most commonly found in the mountainous regions, barring on under parts. Another variety of common Indian birds, the Black Eagle is mainly found in the broadleaved forests in hills and mountains, in Lava, West Bengal. The Black Shouldered Kite is a widespread and common raptor, found throughout India. The bird is often seen hovering in the air searching for prey and is usually found near Manjira Reservoir, Hyderabad.

The Black Kite or Pariah Kite is one of the common Indian birds, which is found throughout the country. This is a dark brown kite that can be seen circling and soaring in the urban areas. The bird can easily be distinguished by the shallow `v-shaped` tail and is generally found in the state of Hyderabad. The Malabar Grey Hornbill is an orange-yellow bill and has an overall grey appearance. The bird has paler grey streaking on sides of its head and the female bird has a blackish base at the start of the lower mandible. This bird is most commonly seen in Kerala. The Indian Nightjar is a variety of the Nightjars, which are crepuscular (active in the evenings). All the Nightjars are dull coloured and well camouflaged and they are mainly found in Hyderabad.

Commonly found in most parts of India, the Jungle Owlet is counted among the most common Indian birds. The bird is mainly found in well-wooded areas and it is actually a small owl with heavy barring. The Racket Tailed Drongo is another Indian bird having streaming tail feathers that give the bird its name. This bird is commonly found in dense forests and bamboo jungle and has various calls ranging from musical to harsh. The bird lovers like to watch the great sight of the swishing tail of this bird, when it flies across the forest canopy. Generally found on lotus pond, the bird named Purple Swamphen is also one of the common Indian birds. This is a bluish-purple bird with a red gaudy beak and is commonly found in marshy areas, all over the country, lurking around reed beds and water hyacinth plants.

Another common Indian bird, mostly found in the North-Eastern states is the Little Pied Flycatcher. The female bird is dull brown in colour and commonly found in Lava, North Bengal. The Hill Myna is a sturdy jet-black starling Indian bird, mainly found in the lower ranges of the Himalayas from Kumaon to the east to Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. A beautiful variety of common Indian birds is the Verditer Flycatcher. This bird is mainly found in woodlands and can also be found in many parts of the country in the winter. The bird mainly breeds in the northeast and the Himalayas and the female of the species has a lighter colour.

Among the common Indian birds, the Crimson Breasted Barbet or the Coppersmith is one of the foremost. The bird is commonly found in most parts of the country and it is known as the Coppersmith because of the tuk-tuk-tuk sound that it makes. The sound resembles that of a coppersmith beating copper on an anvil. The Indian Robin is another common Indian bird, often seen hopping around on the ground looking for insects. The male and female species of this bird are dissimilar. Another wonderful variety of common Indian birds is the Indian Roller. This bird has bright blue wings with brownish upper parts and is common throughout India. The bird can be found perched on open branches and electric wires in open country. The Yellow Billed Babbler is a beautiful bird, having pale white head and yellow bill. This is common all over the southern India and is usually seen moving around noisily in flocks of seven or more.

The Scaly-Breasted Munia is a famous common Indian bird. The adult bird has scaly lower breast, belly and flanks, while the juvenile has brown upperparts and lacks the scaled feathers. This bird is often seen in flocks and mainly feeds on grass seeds. The Asian Koel is another common Indian bird, found in many places in India. The male Asian Koel has a greenish-black colour, has red eyes and a pale green bill. On the other hand, the female bird is brownish above and is heavily striped and spotted. The bird has a persistent and loud ku-OO ku-OO call and like all the other cuckoos, the Koel is also a `brood parasite` that lays its eggs in the nest of other birds.

The White Browed Wagtail, also known as the Pied Wagtail is one of the common Indian birds. It has a pied plumage and is commonly found near water, usually in pairs. Another variety of common Indian birds is the Purple Heron. This is a large, colourful Heron having a long snake like neck. The colours of the bird become brighter, during its breeding season and the breast plumes also become more pendulous. Other Heron birds like the Grey Heron, the Black-Crowned Night Heron, the Painted Stork, the Small Pratincole, the Little Ringed Plover, or the River Tern are generally found in Hyderabad. A commonly found resident breeding bird in India is the Green Imperial Pigeon. This bird has a number of sub species and its flight is fast and direct. The Great Thick-Knee is a common Indian bird, usually found in pairs or in groups on the banks of freshwater rivers and lakes. The bird can also be found on shores of lagoons and estuaries.

Counted among the most common Indian birds, the Green Bee-Eater is also considered as the most familiar and widespread bee-eater in India. This bird has elongated tail feathers, which are absent in the juvenile and is often seen sitting on fences and electric wires. The bird predominantly feed on insects, including bees, wasps, dragonflies and butterflies, which are caught in the air while performing sorties. The Greater Flamingo is a larger species of the Flamingo family and is commonly found in the coastal regions of India. The Plain Prinia bird is a small warbler, which is typically found in wet grassland, open woodland, grass and secondary growth. This is an active bird and constantly waves its long tail around, while flitting around.

One of the noisiest common Indian birds is the Asian Paradise Flycatcher. This migratory bird spends its winter in tropical Asia and it is found in the southern parts of India. The Barn Swallow is a common Indian bird that is highly adaptable and can nest almost anywhere. It has a deeply forked tail that can be seen in flight. The cup-shaped nest of the bird is made up of mud and the inside is lined with feathers, grass and other soft materials. This is a resident bird in Lava and found nesting in almost every house. For the rest of India, it is a winter visitor. Another common Indian bird is the Grey Headed Fish Eagle. As the name goes, this eagle mainly subsists on a diet of fish. It has grey head, brown back and its flanks and tail are seen with a black terminal band that can easily be observed in flight. The bird is most commonly found in North/North-Eastern parts of the country and also in pockets in peninsular India.

Among the common Indian birds, the Greater Coucal is a notable one and it is a widespread bird in India. It can mainly be found in the overgrown shrubs, gardens and forest edges. A wonderful variety of common Indian birds is the Great Hornbill. This is the largest member of the Hornbill family, being nearly four feet tall and its tail feathers reach thirty-six inches. The Black-Crested Bulbul is a bird that is commonly found in India. This is nineteen centimeters in length and the upper parts of its body are olive, while the lower parts are bright yellow. The Tickell`s Blue Flycatcher is another beautiful bird, having a distribution from central India down south and also parts of the northeast. The bird has blue colour in its upper parts and it`s under parts are clearly separated into orange uppers and white lowers. The female bird is of duller blue in colour and is commonly found in wooded areas in forests.

One of the common game birds in India, the Black Francolin is commonly found in scrubby habitat. This bird is a resident breeder from Kashmir, and northeast India. Another variety of common Indian birds, the Black-Necked Crane is widespread in India in the high altitudes lakes of Ladakh such as Tso Kar Lake. Another variety of common Indian birds is the Hume Pheasant, commonly found in dense forests of India. The bird grows up to ninety centimeters in length. Another variety of common Indian birds is the Rose-Ringed Parakeet. This is the most common and widespread Parakeet throughout the country. The male bird has a black and rose collar that is absent in the female bird.

Another common Indian bird, the Goshawk is a medium sized bird of prey and it is the largest member of the genus, Accipiter. The Changeable Hawk Eagle, also known as the Dark Morph, is one of the common Indian birds. The Pale Morph is another variation of this bird and it is mainly found in dense forests. The size of the bird varies from 60-70cms and it is found in most parts of the country, except extreme north and North West parts. Another common Indian bird is the Crested Serpent Eagle. It is a beautiful eagle having a black-white crest and it is most commonly found in the forested areas in most parts of the country. The trademark of the bird is the kweeee- kwee-kwee call and it is most commonly found in Kaziranga in Assam and Thattekad in Kerala. One of the most common Indian birds, the Blood Pheasant is a state bird of Sikkim and mainly resides in coniferous or nixed forests and scrub areas right at the snowline.

The White Breasted Waterhen is one of the most common Indian birds that can be easily identified by the white patch that starts from near the head all the way down to the lower parts of the breast. The bird is most found near jheels, lakes, lotus ponds and other small ponds around the countryside. One of the common Indian birds, the Sarus Crane is most commonly found in the Central India and the Gangetic plains in the freshwater marshes and plains. A common Indian bird, belonging to the Pheasant Family, is the Blyth`s Tragopan. This bird is found mostly in the subtropical and temperate forests of northeast India.

Another beautiful variety of common Indian birds is the Baya Weaver or the Indian Weaver Bird. This is a seed eating bird having rounded conical bills and is closely related to the finches. This bird is well known for its elaborately woven nests and this gregarious bird mainly breeds in colonies that can be found in scattered trees in open country. The breeding male Baya Weaver bird has a bright yellow crown and a dark brown mask around the eye. On the other hand, the non-breeding males and females resemble with the female House Sparrows. These birds lack the dark brown mask, as well. The common Indian bird, White-Throated Kingfisher is also widely distributed in the country. This bird usually grows up to twenty-eight meters in length.

Indian Birds



Though it is difficult to judge who is the largest Bird of India, Sarus Crane(stands the height of a man) and the Himalayan Bearded Vulture (wingspan of more than 8 feet) are at the top. Amongst the small Birds is the Tickell`s Flowerpecker scarcely bigger than a normal Thumb. Peacock is the most colourful bird with its gracious colourful patterned wings. The list of most accomplished songster in the order of preference is Grey-winged Blackbird, Malabar Whistling Thrush and Shama. The best talker is certainly the Hill Myna whose articulation of the human voice and speech is clear. Rare birds in India are the Mountain (Himalayan) Quail, Jerdon`s Courser, Pink-headed Duck and Forest Owlet. Though these birds were declared extinct, Jerdon`s Courser was rediscovered in 1986 after nearly 90 years of non-sighting and the Forest Owlet was rediscovered in 1997 after 113 years of non-sighting.

Birds in India:
As mentioned earlier, almost 1250 birds belonging to various species, are found only in the Indian sub-continent. Some are rarely seen and some are the common ones, seen in all parts of the country. Few common varieties of birds are as follows:

The Indian Shag: It is also known as the Indian cormorant. It is found almost throughout the Indian subcontinent excluding the higher reaches of the Himalayas and on the island country of Sri Lanka. It is a duck-like waterfowl, slightly bigger in size than a normal duck, and is of a glistening black color. Small colonies of nesting Indian Shags can be found between July to February, the month varying from place to place.

common Myna: This dark chocolate brown color bird with bright yellow bill, legs and orbital skin. While the Sri Lankan Myna is of a darker shade of brown, the Indian myna has a conspicuous white patch, which shows when the bird is in flight. This bird has a variety of sharp calls that is uttered with an absurd bobbing of the head. It is widespread throughoutthe Indian subcontinent including the islands of andaman, Nicobar, Lakshwadeep and the Maldives where it was introduced. It is a very visible bird in India, having a habit of following humans around. It eats whatever its habitat has to offer.

The Little Egret: This bird, found all over the Indian sub-continent, is almost the height of a village hen. Dwelling mostly in the marshes, water ponds, rivers and tidal mudflats, this bird is of a very cunning nature. Its food menu ranges from insects, fish, and frogs to even small reptiles. Both the sexes are alike and the female lays 4 bluish-green eggs in the month of July/August in northern India and November to February in the Southern part.

Pond HeronThe Pond Heron or the Paddy bird: A bird having a variety of low conversational notes and peculiar mumbling sounds that a nesting pair utters. Brown in color when it is resting supplemented with maroon hair like plums on the back and long white crest during the breeding season. It flashes its shimmering white wings, tail and rump, when it springs into flight. Just like the Egret, the Pond Heron can be found at a river, pond, roadside ditch, and the seacoast in mangrove swamps, tidal mudflats or in the paddy fields form where it has acquired its second name - paddy bird. Also called the `saintly heron`, as it stands hunched up at the remote corner of a water body watching and waiting patiently for the fish to come within reach before it picks on it in a flash.

The Redwattled Lapwing: A partridge-like bird, the best place to locate it, being the water bodies where these are found in pairs. It is found all overthe Indian Union up to about 1800 m in the Himalayas and peninsular hills. Its color above is bronze-brown, below is white; breast, head and neck are black and there is a crimson wattle in front of each eye.

The ever famous Parakeet or Parrot: The `Tota` of India and most lovable bird. Large flock can be found all over the Indian Sub-continent, from the foothills of Himalayas to the southern parts of the country. Agriculture-wise it is very destructive, known for wasting more and eating less. Usually green in color with an amazingly red beak, the female lacks the black and rose pink collar of male.

Indian PeacockThe National Bird: The Indian Peacock: A collage of wonderful and beautifully designed colors and patterns. It is found in dry semi-desert grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests and it forages and nests on the ground but roosts on top of trees. It eats mainly seeds, but also some insects, fruits and reptiles. The Indian Peacock has beautiful iridescent blue-green plumage.

The Indian Roller: The bird is of a striking blue color with a rufous brown breast and a pail blue abdomen and under tail. The magnificence of its colors is best exhibited in flight when the dark and light portions show up as brilliant bands on the wings. It is found mostly at the foothills of theHimalayas.

The Indian White:Rumped Vulture: It is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. It has head, very broad wings, short tail and a white neck ruff. This specie is almost on the verge of extinction.

Purple Swamphen Purple Swamphen -Generally found on lotus pond. It is a bluish-purple bird with a red gaudy beak. As the name goes, they are found in marshy areas skulking around reed beds and water hyacinth plants. These are common throughout the country.

Pheasant tailed jacana: Easily identified by the striking white plumage from head to breast and by long sickle shaped tail during the breeding season. Jacanas are comfortable walking on aquatic plant and are popularly known as lily-walkers because of their ability. They are found on lotus ponds in Hyderabad.

White breasted waterhen- Easily identified by the white patch that starts from near the head all the way down to the lower parts of the breast. Can be spotted near jheels, lakes, and small ponds around the countryside. Found on lotus ponds.

Greyheaded Fish EagleGreyheaded fish eagle-As the name goes, this eagle mainly subsists on a diet of fish. Grey head, brown back and flanks and the tail are seen with a black terminal band that can easily be observed in flight. Found in north/north-eastern parts of the country and also in pockets in peninsular India.

Pallas Fish Eagle : A large brownish eagle with a pale golden head. Usually found near large waterbodies. Found in the north and northeastern parts of India.

Changeable Hawk Eagle (dark morph): Dark morph and pale morph variations exist. Found in dense forests. Size varies from 60-70cms. This eagle`s found in most parts of the country, except extreme north and north west of the country.

Crested Serpent Eagle- A beautiful eagle with a black-white crest found in forested areas. Found in most parts of the country. Trademark kweeee- kwee-kwee call. Generally found in Kaziranga in Assam and Thattekad in Kerala.

Mountain Hawk Eagle- Found usually in mountainous regions. Barring on underparts. Lava, Lava 8 Mile, Found in Northern Bengal NE and SW India.

Black Eagle- Found in broadleaved forests in hills and mountains. Generally found Lava, West Bengal.

Black shouldered Kite- A widespread and common raptor, found throughout the country. Often seen hovering in the air searching for prey. Generally to be found near Manjira Reservoir, Hyderabad.

Black KiteBlack Kite (Pariah Kite)- A dark brown kite found throughout the country. Can be seen circling and soaring in urban areas. Easily distinguished by the shallow `v-shaped` tail.generally found in Hyderabad.

Malabar Grey Hornbill- Orange-yellow bill and overall grey appearance. Paler grey streaking on sides of head. The female has a blackish base at the start of the lower mandible, to be seen generally in Kerala.

Indian Nightjar- Nightjars are crepuscular (active in the evenings). All nightjars are dull colored and well camouflaged. To be seen in mostly in Hyderabad.

Jungle Owlet- Seen in most parts of the country in well-wooded areas. A small owl with heavy barring.

Racket tailed Drongo- Streaming tail feathers give the bird it`s name. Found in dense forests and bamboo jungle. Has various calls ranging from musical to harsh. It`s a great sight to see the swishing tail as it flies across the forest canopy.

Blue Winged Minla and Red tailed Minla - can be found in evergreen forests of the Himalayas and the northeastern hills.

Rufous Winged FulvettaRufous Winged Fulvetta- The Rufous winged fulvetta is usually found in the undergrowths in dense forests and well-wooded areas. Resident and found only in the NE and the Himalayas.

Little Pied Flycatcher- Resident in the NE states and the Himalayas. The female is dull brown in color. Common bird in Lava, North Bengal.

Tickell`s Blue Flycatcher- Distribution from central India down south and also parts of the northeast. Blue upperparts. Underparts clearly seperated into orange uppers and white lowers. Female is duller blue. Wooded areas in forests.

Verditer Flycatcher- Found in woodlands and can be found in many parts of the country in the winter. But breeds mainly in the northeast and the himalayas. The female of the species is lighter colored.

Crimson Breasted Barbet (a.k.a The Coppersmith)- Found in most parts of the country. Also called the Coppersmith because of the tuk-tuk-tuk sound that it makes, which sounds like a coppersmith beating copper on an anvil.

Indian Robin-The Indian Robin is commonly found throughout the sub-continent. It is often seen hopping around on the ground looking for insects. The male and female are dissimilar.

Indian RollerIndian Roller- Bright blue wings with brownish upper parts. Common throughout India and can are found perched on open branches and electric wires in open country.

Yellow billed Babbler- Pale white head and yellow bill. Common throughout southern India. This bird is usually seen moving around noisily in flocks of seven or more.

Scaly-breasted Munia- The adult has scaly lower breast, belly and flanks. The juvenile (shown in the first picture) has brown upperparts and lacks the scaled feathers. They are often seen in flocks and feed on grass seeds.

Asian Koel- The male Asian Koel is greenish-black, has red eyes and a pale green bill. The female is brownish above and is heavily striped and spotted. It has a persistent and loud ku-OO ku-OO call. Like other cuckoos the koel is also a `brood parasite`, laying its eggs in the nest of other birds.

White browed Wagtail- Has a pied plumage and hence also known as the pied wagtail. Found near water, usually in pairs.

Purple Heron-The purple heron is a large, colourful heron with a long snake like neck. In breeding season the colours become brighter and the breast plumes become more pendulous.

Grey Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron,Painted Stork ,Small Pratincole ,Little Ringed Plover, River Tern-Are generally found in Hyderabad

Great Thick-knee- Usually found in pairs or in groups on the banks of freshwater rivers and lakes and also on shores of lagoons and estuaries.

Green Bee-eater- The most familiar and widespread bee-eater in the country and is often seen sitting on fences and electric wires. They have elongated tail feathers, which are absent in the juvenile. As the name suggests they predominantly feed on insects, including bees, wasps, dragonflies and butterflies, which are caught in the air while performing sorties.

Plain Prinia- The plain prinia is a small warbler, typically found in wet grassland, open woodland, grass and secondary growth. It is an active bird and constantly waves its long tail around while flitting around.

Baya Weaver (a.k.a Indian Weaver Bird)- Weaverbirds are seed eating birds with rounded conical bills and are closely related to finches. They are known for their elaborately woven nests. The Baya weaver is a gregarious bird and breeds in colonies that can be found in scattered trees in open country. Despite the scientific name Ploceus philippinus, they are found through mainland India and not in Philippines.The breeding male Baya weaver (shown in the picture) has a bright yellow crown and a dark brown mask around the eye. Non-breeding males and females resemble female house sparrows. They also lack the dark brown mask.

Barn Swallow-Barn swallows are highly adaptable birds and can nest almost anywhere. This bird was nesting in the lodge where we were staying. The cup-shaped nest is made up of mud and the inside is lined with feathers, grass and other soft materials. It is a resident bird in Lava and found nesting in almost every house. It is a winter visitor to the rest of the country. The deeply forked tail can be seen in flight.

Greater Coucal- The greater Coucal is a common and widespread bird in India. It is found in overgrown shrubs, gardens and forest edges.

Rose-ringed Parakeet- The Rose-ringed parakeet is the most common and widespread parakeet throughout the country. The male has a black and rose collar, which is absent in the female.

Chakravaka Bird


Chakravaka is a ruddy goose, commonly called the Brahmany duck or goose. Chakravaka birds are always seen to fly in pairs during the day but are supposed to remain separate during the night. The `Chakravaka` in the poetry of the Hindus is heir turtle-dove for constancy and conjugal affection with the singular circumstance of the pair being doomed for ever to nocturnal separation for offending one of the Hindu Munis or sages.

Sarika, Small Bird



Sarika is a small bird, also known as Maina. It is represented as a female bird while the parrot is described as a male bird. These two birds are mentioned in Hindu tales. Sarika and parrot are said to be the faculty of human speech, they are constantly introduced, the one inveighing against the faults of the male sex, and the other exposing the defects of the female. They are thus represented in the fourth section of that entertaining collection, the Baital Pachisi. In the Meghaduta kavya, Sarika is mentioned as the favourite bird of the wife of the Yaksha.

Pet Birds india

What generally comes into ones mind when one thinks of `birds`? A soft-bodied creature, which lays eggs, which can fly great distances, found in a variety of species and various colors, having a beak instead of a normal mouth. Well, there is obviously more to Birds than the former mentioned points.

Sarus CraneBirds are warm-blooded bipedal vertebrates characterized by bony beaks, hollow bones, feathers and forelimbs modified as wings. They lay hard-shelled eggs. Being a warm-blooded creature, their body is covered with insulating feathers to maintain an even temperature. The size of the birds can vary from the tiny flowerpeckers & hummingbirds, to the huge Ostrich and the Sarus Crane. In India, other than the Sarus Crane, the Himalayan Bearded Vulture or Lammergeier is the biggest bird and the tiny Tickell`s Flowerpecker is hardly bigger than a human thumb!

Most birds can fly. Most birds can walk and run and, many can swim and dive. Migrating birds can fly great distances. Migration takes place with change in seasons to maximize feeding hours and/or to breed in suitable habitats. Arctic Terns migrate twice every year from Arctic to Antarctica and back (over 15,000 km one way!). Some birds, like the Wandering Albatross, spend most of their time at sea. Some, such as frigatebirds, stay aloft for days at a time, even sleeping on the wing. Some larger birds like Penguins, Ostrich and Kiwi are flightless.

HummingbirdThe expanded and elongated pelvis of all birds is fused rather than articulated to the vertebrae. The bird ancestor`s bipedal stance caused the forelimb to evolve into a wing that is structurally independent of the legs. This has helped birds to evolve in such a way as to free the legs for perching, walking, running, swimming and, catching and manipulating prey. To aid in flight, birds have a different respiratory system as compared to mammals. In the absence of a diaphragm, air sacs act as a `bellows` to ventilate the lungs. The lungs are small, with "air capillaries" through which air is drawn into a system of air sacs beyond the lungs. A bird`s "aerobic capacity" is determined by the capacity of its heart and lungs. Only Hummingbirds have sufficient aerobic capacity to hover continuously, although many small birds can hover non-aerobically for short periods. Some large birds have insufficient aerobic capacity for sustained level flight at any speed, and are forced to soar. Flying, birds lose heat by sending blood to thinly insulated areas of skin that are exposed to the airflow.

songbirdsAs everyone knows, birds lay eggs -- specifically, they lay very typical amniote eggs with calcified shells. Birds brood their eggs until hatching. Some bird species are naked and helpless at birth, and must be fed by their parents; these birds are said to be altricial. Many common songbirds, such as the American robin, are altricial species. Precocial birds, on the other hand, are born feathered, and are able to walk and to feed on their own shortly after hatching -- ducks and chickens are well-known precocial birds. Whether precocial or altricial, birds grow rapidly, reaching adult size within one year.

Birds have a keen eyesight and good hearing but their sense of taste and smell is poor. Birds are generally diurnal (active during the day), some are nocturnal (active during the night), some crepuscular (active during twilight hours) and some nocturnal & crepuscular both. Bird food includes honey, nectar, seeds, grains, vegetable matter, insects, larva, spiders, fish, molluscs, rodents, reptiles, small mammals, carrion or other birds. Birds lack teeth, and the jaws are covered by a horny beak, which often shows adaptation to the bird`s particular diet: long, slender beaks for probing for insects, flat or paddle-shaped beaks for sieving food out of the water, heavy beaks for cracking and crushing seeds, or sharp, hooked beaks -- like that of the vulture depicted at right -- for tearing flesh.

Various scientific research and classifications show that there are over 9000 species of birds, as of today. Of these almost 1250 of the various species are found in India. Hunting of rare species, either for collection or sadistic pleasure of humans or for insatiable hunger, has led to extinction of a number of rare and beautiful species of birds. Birds are brought from their native places to be kept in a zoo or used in a circus or used for any other form of human entertainment. This kind of treatment disturbs the ecological balance of nature. Birds removed from their habitat are not able to adjust to the new habitat and they soon die. Almost 150 of them have become extinct after the human intrusion.

Usefulness of Birds:
Birds are remarkably important, and play a vital role, within their ecosystem, as well as for the environment as a whole. Birds are sensitive indicators of biological richness and the health of our environment. Birds play a vital role in our natural ecosystem. Birds have direct and indirect economic and cultural values for people. Because few humans care enough to acknowledge and appreciate birds` deep intelligence and feelings, these animals suffer terribly. If more people appreciated how rich and complex birds` lives are in the wild, humans` exploitation of birds, fuelled by the illegal "pet" trade, would decrease. In their natural habitats, birds talk to each other just as humans do. Some bird species, such as crows, have hundreds of different calls that ornithological researchers can tell apart. Birds also make sounds that we don`t usually hear, like the hushed chatter and whispering between two nesting birds. They take turns talking, just as we do in conversation.

Birds are beautiful and inspirational, a source of happiness and pleasure for people everywhere. Birds` herald the seasons, from arriving swallows in spring, cookcoo sounds in summer, to visiting waders and departing visitors in autumn and winter. Birds, through the ages have been source of considerable fascination and folklore and have profound symbolic potency. They are arguably the most universally celebrated from of nature, found in pictures, photographs, sculptures, word and song. The song of birds` gives humans great pleasure and also inspires humans to write their own songs, poetries and stories, to draw, paint and sculpt their likeness. Birds bring humans close to nature.

Birds provide a means to improve our scientific knowledge and understanding of our environment. Birds are ideal for promoting conservation and environmental awareness, both as a species in their own right, and the habitats they share with other flora and fauna.

Red Tailed Hawk Birds play important roles in the control of insects and, perhaps more importantly, in the pollination and dispersal of flowering plants. A number of flowering plants have flowers, which are structurally modified for bird pollination. These flowers typically are colored bright red, which is visible to birds, and produce large quantities of sugar-rich nectar on which the visiting birds feed. Nectar sippers, like the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, help pollinate the flowers they visit for nectar. Insect and invertebrate eaters, like woodpeckers, help keep down large populations of insect pests. Large Carnivores like the Red Tailed Hawk help keep down the populations of mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels, and fish. Waterfowl like ducks, geese and swans, keep down populations of amphibians (frogs, toads, and tadpoles)- therefore- maintaining ecological balance. Scavengers such as turkey vultures, crows and bald eagles, keep our forests; parks, streets and rivers clean by eating the dead animals they find.

In addition to pollination, birds are important dispersers of many plant seeds. These plants ripen fruits, which again are a bright red, and have thick coats on their seeds to protect them should they be swallowed. Seed, berries and fruit eaters help distribute tree seeds and weed and wildflower seeds. Waterfowl distribute seeds of water plants. Other birds or animals can eat almost all birds. Birds are an important part of the food chains of many animals including humans!

Bird Migration:
Bird MigrationBird Migration, or undertaking seasonal journeys of various lengths, is a natural phenomenon found universally in various species of birds. In India and South Asia, out of over 2000 species and sub-species, about 350 are extralimital migrants. Generally, in birds, migration is seasonal, and in the Indian subcontinent the majority of migratory birds are winter migrants. Migration of birds can be classified into:

1. Permanent residents, or just "residents," which are non-migrating birds who remain in their home area all year round.
2. Summer residents are migratory birds, which arrive north during the summer, and return south to wintering grounds in the fall.
3. Winter residents are migratory birds that have "come south" for the winter.
4. Transients are migratory species who can be seen only during the migratory period.

Birds generally begin migration when they have a favorable tailwind. Once started however, only very bad weather will stop them. Many birds fly high when migrating because of prevailing winds at higher altitudes and also because the cold at these altitudes helps them disperse heat being generated by their flight muscles.

Migrations mostly consist of birds flying south for the winter and north in spring to breed. To a large extent this reflects the distribution of the continents on the planets. There is a lot more temperate and tundra landscape in the north than in the south. During northern winters there`s little food, and cold temperatures make life hard. Farther south, there`s more food and less cold. The Mediterranean and other seas present a major obstacle to soaring birds, which are forced to cross at the narrowest points. Other barriers, such as mountain ranges, can also cause funnelling, particularly of large diurnal migrants. many species move shorter distances, but may do so only in response to harsh weather conditions.

Thus mountain and moorland breeders, such as Wallcreeper and White-throated Dipper, may move only altitudinally to escape the cold higher ground. Other species such as Merlin and Skylark will move further to the coast or to a more southerly region. There are a few species, notably cuckoos, which are genuine long-distance migrants within the tropics. An example is the Lesser Cuckoo, which breeds in India and spends the non-breeding season in Africa.

In the high mountains, such as the Himalayas and the Andes, there are also seasonal altitudinal movements in many species.

Birds

What generally comes into ones mind when one thinks of `birds`? A soft-bodied creature, which lays eggs, which can fly great distances, found in a variety of species and various colors, having a beak instead of a normal mouth. Well, there is obviously more to Birds than the former mentioned points.

Sarus CraneBirds are warm-blooded bipedal vertebrates characterized by bony beaks, hollow bones, feathers and forelimbs modified as wings. They lay hard-shelled eggs. Being a warm-blooded creature, their body is covered with insulating feathers to maintain an even temperature. The size of the birds can vary from the tiny flowerpeckers & hummingbirds, to the huge Ostrich and the Sarus Crane. In India, other than the Sarus Crane, the Himalayan Bearded Vulture or Lammergeier is the biggest bird and the tiny Tickell`s Flowerpecker is hardly bigger than a human thumb!

Most birds can fly. Most birds can walk and run and, many can swim and dive. Migrating birds can fly great distances. Migration takes place with change in seasons to maximize feeding hours and/or to breed in suitable habitats. Arctic Terns migrate twice every year from Arctic to Antarctica and back (over 15,000 km one way!). Some birds, like the Wandering Albatross, spend most of their time at sea. Some, such as frigatebirds, stay aloft for days at a time, even sleeping on the wing. Some larger birds like Penguins, Ostrich and Kiwi are flightless.

HummingbirdThe expanded and elongated pelvis of all birds is fused rather than articulated to the vertebrae. The bird ancestor`s bipedal stance caused the forelimb to evolve into a wing that is structurally independent of the legs. This has helped birds to evolve in such a way as to free the legs for perching, walking, running, swimming and, catching and manipulating prey. To aid in flight, birds have a different respiratory system as compared to mammals. In the absence of a diaphragm, air sacs act as a `bellows` to ventilate the lungs. The lungs are small, with "air capillaries" through which air is drawn into a system of air sacs beyond the lungs. A bird`s "aerobic capacity" is determined by the capacity of its heart and lungs. Only Hummingbirds have sufficient aerobic capacity to hover continuously, although many small birds can hover non-aerobically for short periods. Some large birds have insufficient aerobic capacity for sustained level flight at any speed, and are forced to soar. Flying, birds lose heat by sending blood to thinly insulated areas of skin that are exposed to the airflow.

songbirdsAs everyone knows, birds lay eggs -- specifically, they lay very typical amniote eggs with calcified shells. Birds brood their eggs until hatching. Some bird species are naked and helpless at birth, and must be fed by their parents; these birds are said to be altricial. Many common songbirds, such as the American robin, are altricial species. Precocial birds, on the other hand, are born feathered, and are able to walk and to feed on their own shortly after hatching -- ducks and chickens are well-known precocial birds. Whether precocial or altricial, birds grow rapidly, reaching adult size within one year.

Birds have a keen eyesight and good hearing but their sense of taste and smell is poor. Birds are generally diurnal (active during the day), some are nocturnal (active during the night), some crepuscular (active during twilight hours) and some nocturnal & crepuscular both. Bird food includes honey, nectar, seeds, grains, vegetable matter, insects, larva, spiders, fish, molluscs, rodents, reptiles, small mammals, carrion or other birds. Birds lack teeth, and the jaws are covered by a horny beak, which often shows adaptation to the bird`s particular diet: long, slender beaks for probing for insects, flat or paddle-shaped beaks for sieving food out of the water, heavy beaks for cracking and crushing seeds, or sharp, hooked beaks -- like that of the vulture depicted at right -- for tearing flesh.

Various scientific research and classifications show that there are over 9000 species of birds, as of today. Of these almost 1250 of the various species are found in India. Hunting of rare species, either for collection or sadistic pleasure of humans or for insatiable hunger, has led to extinction of a number of rare and beautiful species of birds. Birds are brought from their native places to be kept in a zoo or used in a circus or used for any other form of human entertainment. This kind of treatment disturbs the ecological balance of nature. Birds removed from their habitat are not able to adjust to the new habitat and they soon die. Almost 150 of them have become extinct after the human intrusion.

Usefulness of Birds:
Birds are remarkably important, and play a vital role, within their ecosystem, as well as for the environment as a whole. Birds are sensitive indicators of biological richness and the health of our environment. Birds play a vital role in our natural ecosystem. Birds have direct and indirect economic and cultural values for people. Because few humans care enough to acknowledge and appreciate birds` deep intelligence and feelings, these animals suffer terribly. If more people appreciated how rich and complex birds` lives are in the wild, humans` exploitation of birds, fuelled by the illegal "pet" trade, would decrease. In their natural habitats, birds talk to each other just as humans do. Some bird species, such as crows, have hundreds of different calls that ornithological researchers can tell apart. Birds also make sounds that we don`t usually hear, like the hushed chatter and whispering between two nesting birds. They take turns talking, just as we do in conversation.

Birds are beautiful and inspirational, a source of happiness and pleasure for people everywhere. Birds` herald the seasons, from arriving swallows in spring, cookcoo sounds in summer, to visiting waders and departing visitors in autumn and winter. Birds, through the ages have been source of considerable fascination and folklore and have profound symbolic potency. They are arguably the most universally celebrated from of nature, found in pictures, photographs, sculptures, word and song. The song of birds` gives humans great pleasure and also inspires humans to write their own songs, poetries and stories, to draw, paint and sculpt their likeness. Birds bring humans close to nature.

Birds provide a means to improve our scientific knowledge and understanding of our environment. Birds are ideal for promoting conservation and environmental awareness, both as a species in their own right, and the habitats they share with other flora and fauna.

Red Tailed Hawk Birds play important roles in the control of insects and, perhaps more importantly, in the pollination and dispersal of flowering plants. A number of flowering plants have flowers, which are structurally modified for bird pollination. These flowers typically are colored bright red, which is visible to birds, and produce large quantities of sugar-rich nectar on which the visiting birds feed. Nectar sippers, like the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, help pollinate the flowers they visit for nectar. Insect and invertebrate eaters, like woodpeckers, help keep down large populations of insect pests. Large Carnivores like the Red Tailed Hawk help keep down the populations of mice, voles, rabbits, squirrels, and fish. Waterfowl like ducks, geese and swans, keep down populations of amphibians (frogs, toads, and tadpoles)- therefore- maintaining ecological balance. Scavengers such as turkey vultures, crows and bald eagles, keep our forests; parks, streets and rivers clean by eating the dead animals they find.

In addition to pollination, birds are important dispersers of many plant seeds. These plants ripen fruits, which again are a bright red, and have thick coats on their seeds to protect them should they be swallowed. Seed, berries and fruit eaters help distribute tree seeds and weed and wildflower seeds. Waterfowl distribute seeds of water plants. Other birds or animals can eat almost all birds. Birds are an important part of the food chains of many animals including humans!

Bird Migration:
Bird MigrationBird Migration, or undertaking seasonal journeys of various lengths, is a natural phenomenon found universally in various species of birds. In India and South Asia, out of over 2000 species and sub-species, about 350 are extralimital migrants. Generally, in birds, migration is seasonal, and in the Indian subcontinent the majority of migratory birds are winter migrants. Migration of birds can be classified into:

1. Permanent residents, or just "residents," which are non-migrating birds who remain in their home area all year round.
2. Summer residents are migratory birds, which arrive north during the summer, and return south to wintering grounds in the fall.
3. Winter residents are migratory birds that have "come south" for the winter.
4. Transients are migratory species who can be seen only during the migratory period.

Birds generally begin migration when they have a favorable tailwind. Once started however, only very bad weather will stop them. Many birds fly high when migrating because of prevailing winds at higher altitudes and also because the cold at these altitudes helps them disperse heat being generated by their flight muscles.

Migrations mostly consist of birds flying south for the winter and north in spring to breed. To a large extent this reflects the distribution of the continents on the planets. There is a lot more temperate and tundra landscape in the north than in the south. During northern winters there`s little food, and cold temperatures make life hard. Farther south, there`s more food and less cold. The Mediterranean and other seas present a major obstacle to soaring birds, which are forced to cross at the narrowest points. Other barriers, such as mountain ranges, can also cause funnelling, particularly of large diurnal migrants. many species move shorter distances, but may do so only in response to harsh weather conditions.

Thus mountain and moorland breeders, such as Wallcreeper and White-throated Dipper, may move only altitudinally to escape the cold higher ground. Other species such as Merlin and Skylark will move further to the coast or to a more southerly region. There are a few species, notably cuckoos, which are genuine long-distance migrants within the tropics. An example is the Lesser Cuckoo, which breeds in India and spends the non-breeding season in Africa.

In the high mountains, such as the Himalayas and the Andes, there are also seasonal altitudinal movements in many species.