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Shikra : An epitome of courage

March 05, 2021

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Jungle Babbler : The Chatterbox

We often come across a group of noisy, playful birds hopping on the ground and marking their presence by a loud and harsh squeaking and chirping. Babblers announce their arrival before actually arriving. They never go unnoticed and make themselves heard. Jungle babblers are generally seen in a group of 3 to 7 (or more) birds , celebrating their take-off, flight and arrival with a (loud) blast. The group of jungle babblers perfectly portray a classic Indian family gathering. Here are some details about the ever babbling Jungle babbler: Jungle babbler Common names: Jungle babbler, seven sisters, saat bhai (seven brothers). Scientific name: Turdoides striata Identification: Male and female look similar. Plumage is grayish in colour. They have a yellow bill (beak). The eyes are white (pale) in colour. They produce harsh and continuous calls. Habitat: They inhabit open woodlands, cultivation la

Oriental magpie robin : The songster

The oriental magpie robin is known to have a varied and wonderful collection of songs. These birds are so vocal that they have a variety of calls for almost every state of affairs, viz. territorial calls, roosting calls, threat calls, submissive calls, begging calls, mobbing calls and distress calls. But sometimes this boon turns out to be a bane, because these birds are often caged for their brilliant singing skills. Here are some details about the singing sensation: Oriental magpie robin (male) Common names: oriental magpie robin , doyel , doel , dayal. Scientific name: Copsychus saularis Identification: The male has black upperparts, head and throat. The underparts and shoulder patch are white in colour. The female has grayish upperparts, head and throat. The underparts and shoulder patch are pale white in colour. Habitat: It often inhabits open woodland and cultivation areas cl

Rock pigeon: The commoner

From an epitome of a naive creature in nursery rhymes to a messenger of love and peace in bollywood songs , pigeons have been a part of our lives, since ages. This (often ignored) bird is said to have strong homing instincts. They can always find their way back home. The pigeon's navigational skills were well exploited during the world wars. Another study suggests that, if trained properly, pegions can recognize different art pieces, visual patterns and can even understand space and time. White rock pigeon Here are some details about this ordinary bird with extraordinary skills: Common name: Rock pigeon, rock dove, pigeon, kabootar. Scientific name: Columba livia Identification: Both male and female look almost similar. There are metallic green and purple shining feathers on the neck. Males have a more lustrous neck than females. The plumage is bluish-gray in colour with two black bars on each wing. Iris is r

Indian robin : The bird next door

With its tail cocked up, the Indian robin is often seen whipping from pillar to post. It is one of the most common garden birds which prefer being close to humans. Like other robins, they also sing and produce varied calls. This bird is generally seen alone and only pairs up in breeding season. Here are some details about this solitary forager: Common name: Indian robin, kalchuri. Scientific name: Copsychus fulicatus. Identification: Indian Robin (male) The males have dark brown back while the front plumage is black in colour. (The upper plumage in northern population is brownish while that in southern population is black.) They have a white shoulder patch. Indian robin (female) The females are light brown in colour. They do not have the white shoulder patch. Both males and females have chestnut coloured vent. The eyes and bill are black in colour. Juvenile looks similar as female. Habitat: The indian robin is mostly found in open stony and grassy forest habitats. They are found in d

House Sparrow : The unsung hero

Gone are the days when sparrows were regular visitors, and feeding them was a common sight in almost every household. This may be a sight of awe to this generation but yes, we shared our lunch with these birds chirping and flickering around us. Here are some details about this once a common visitor... Common name : House sparrow , Gauraiyya Scientific name : Passer domesticus Identification: Males have brighter black , brown and white markings. Females are coloured pale brown and grey. Habitat: Closely associated to human habitat Generally avoids forests and deserts Food: They mostly eat grains ,seeds and insects IUCN Status: Least concern (Population decreasing) Photographs by: Yamini Dashora.

Baya Weaver: Beauty with brains

Along with a beautiful set of colours , this bird is extremely talented too. It has a magical ability to convert any trash into a charming , flawless nest. Baya weaver's nest Here are some details about this exceptionally intelligent bird.... Male baya weaver Common name : baya chiriya , son chiri Scientific name: Ploceus philippinus Identification: Non breeding males and females look similar.They have a pale , yellowish-brown colour. They have stout conical bill. Breeding male has bright yellow forehead and crown , a dark throat with dark streaks on the back. Habitat: Grasslands , scrub with scattered trees, cultivated areas. Food: They feed upon seeds and insects. IUCN Status: Least concern Photographs by : Yamini Dashora.

Indian peafowl : The Riot Of Colours

No matter whether you are 5 or 55(years old), gazing at a peacock is always a sight of delight. It never fails to amaze its spectators with its vibrant colours, splendid crest, pride in its walk, soothing dance moves and the glory with which it carries its graceful attire. The peacock holds immense importance in Hindu mythology. On one hand its feather is graced to be a part of Lord Krishna's crown while on the other, the peacock itself serves as a mode of conveyance to Lord Kartikeya. Despite being employed to the Almighty, it still manages to show off its serene and composed dance moves (much like a Sufi dervish). With all these qualities, the bird truly deserves to be the national bird of India. Here are some details about the terpsichorean artist: Common names: Indian peafowl, common peafowl, blue peafowl, mor. Scientific name: Pavo cristatus. Identification: An adult male peafowl / peacock. The male peafowl or peacock has shining blue neck , breast and nape. It has a blue fa

White throated kingfisher: Breaking the stereotypes

While most kingfishers are known to be purely water-birds, surviving mainly on fish, the white throated kingfisher (or white breasted kingfisher) breaks the stereotypes by inhabiting wooden areas and rarely diving into water for fish. These mannerisms puts it into the category of 'tree kingfishers'. While perched upon an electric line or pole, this bird seems to be calm and composed (giving enough time for a decent photograph), but actually it is getting prepared to attack its prey with a straight,rapid flight. Here are some details about this 'sit and wait' predator: Common names: white throated/breasted kingfisher, kilkila. Scientific name: Halcyon smyrnensis Identification: Both male and female look similar. The white throated kingfisher has bright blue back, wings and tail. It has a thick , reddish-orange bill. The head, belly, and shoulder are dark brown (chocolate brown) in colour. There is a distinctive white patch on throa

House crow : The jack of all trades

House crow is a master of many skills. From being a sincere spectator to a mischievous thief to a social being , it plays every role with utter perfection. The crows have always suffered the disgrace of stealing food from other small birds and robbing shiny pieces (like jewellery) from humans. Yet, they are among the very intelligent creatures. They display an impressive capacity of imitating several sounds like that of car horn , barking dogs and human speech. They even mourn the death of loved ones in social gatherings. The crow always stands out for its intelligence , memory and socializing skills. House crow in flight Here are some details about God's own surveillance camera: Common name: kaaga ,kaak , greynecked crow, house crow. Scientific name: Corvus splendens Identification: Both male and female look similar. The forehead, crown

Shikra : An epitome of courage

This bird derives its name from an Urdu/Hindi word shikari , meaning hunter. It displays brilliant hunting skills and hence justifies its name. Shikra was a popular choice among the falconers (falconry is now banned), due to the ease with which it could be trained, and due to its daring attitude to chase the birds that are much larger in size than itself. The very sight of a shikra leaves many creatures into a state of hustle. While some make an attempt to save themselves by hiding into thick canopies, birds like pigeons and babblers rally together to drive it away, but mostly in vain. Because a shikra dives upon its prey and takes it away, anyway. The shikra seems to have a large fan following. The drongo imitates its call while the hawk cuckoo has evolved to resemble it in plumage, to get an exclusive access to food sources. An Indian navy helicopter base ( INS SHIKRA) has been named after it, and the Singapore airforce uses shikra as an emblem for one of its squadrons. Even Shiv Ku

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