Flying beauties of Himachal Pradesh

The Male common stonechat(about 15 cm) is a black headed bird with white rump, orange-brown breast and black neck. There are conspicuous white patches on sides of the neck and on the wings.    Female has dark streaks on the upperparts which are rufous brown in colour. It has also got a white wing patch and the throat is whitish in colour. Common stonechat can be seen in dry fields with bushes, in scrub areas, grasslands and cultivations between altitudes of about 700m-3000m.

It is a small bird about 18cm in size with a White crown, black wings and rusty under parts. The tail is rusty with black tip. The bird is usually found on rocks in mountain streams and rivers. In summers it can be seen between altitudes of 1500m to 5000m. Whereas in winters it descends down to foothills and plains.

It is a small(about 12cm in size) active bird with grayish head, neck and breast.With greenish upperparts and bright yellow under parts both the sexes look similar. Abundant in forests and open wooded areas it breeds at an altitude of about 1200-2500m and can be seen in lower areas as well during winters. In Himalayas it is generally a short distance altitudinal migrant. The bird is very restless and can be seen turning and twisting in the air after insects and flies.

Ultramarine flycatcher is a beautiful bird(about 11cm in size) with male having deep blue upper parts. The sides of the head and neck are also deep blue with white eyebrow. A prominent white patch runs from centre of throat, through breast to belly. Female has grayish upperparts with blackish coloured edge of the tail. Sides of the neck and the breast are grayish white in colour. Occurring at an altitudinal range of about 1500-3200m, the bird keeps largely to low trees and bushes in open forests, bushy areas, grooves and gardens.

Spotted dove(about 30cm) is a long tailed slim bird with white s potted, pinkish and grey upperparts. The head and underparts are pinkish with a greyish shade on the face and lower portion of the belly. Both the sexes are similar and the black and white patchy (chess board type) band on the hind neck is the unique distinguishing feature of the bird. The legs are reddish in colour. It is quite common in open well wooded forests,cultivations and near habitations as well. Often seen alone or in pairs the spotted dove has got a very swift and strong flight like other doves.

About 10 cm in size the male has a metallic purple, coloured body. The female has got light yellowish underparts and the upper parts are dark greyish in colour. In non-breeding plumage the male is similar to the female but the wings are comparatively dark and a broad black stripe runs down middle of the breast. The bird is quite common in open forests and gardens and can be seen upto an altitude of about 1600 mtrs in Himalayas. It is fond of the flower nectar but is also dependent on insects.Its slender curved bill is adapted for probing flower tubes and sucking the nectar. This way the bird helps a great deal in cross-polination.

About 26cms in size the Eurasian Golden Oriole is a bright golden yellow bird with black colour in the wings and the tail. There is a conspicuous black streak through the eye.It nests upto an altitude of about 1800 mtrs during April-July but has been noticed at higher altitudes as well.  Having a very sweet fluit like call the bird is common in  open but well wooded areas. It can be seen on  trees around villages and cultivations The female is comparatively dull and greener with striated/lined underparts.The nest built by the bird is very well woven cup shaped nest hidden by the leaves of the broadleaved trees.

   Black drongo  is a glossy black bird(about 26cm in size) which is very agile, with a long, deeply forked tail. Both the sexes are similar.Being a common bird of the open areas arround cultivations it can be seen on the wires and tree branches looking out for the insects. The Drongo can be seen riding the backs of grazing  cattle, looking forward to catch insects disturbed by the movement of the animals. Fires in the grass patches or the agricultural fields attract a large number of drongos for the want of insects running away from fire.     Drongo is very aggressive towards many birds which are much larger in size. It is known for chasing away birds of prey who try to invade its territory. This is the reason that many smaller birds nest in the well protected neighbourhood of the Black Drongo.

With a wing span of about 50-60mm it is the most common butterfly in the hills.It migrates to lower areas during winters.the cabbage is its favorite plant which probably gives its name. 

With a wingspan of about  70mm it is very common butterfly which flies between 800-4000 meters in the Himalayas. 

T he  White-throated Kingfisher also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher   is quite large in size(about 26cm) and is widely distributed.The bird has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut coloured while the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red.  The female is similar to the male but the colours of juveniles are relatively dull.           The bird can  also be found away from water   in  open country,  cultivation and gardens  upto  an altitude of about 2200 meters.  It is known as Kil-Kila in Hindi.

This beautiful butterfly rich in colours with a wingspan of about 60mm  flies up to 2000m  on hills but it is more comfortable in plains.The upper wings with tawny orange colour have prominent eye spots on both wings. The Eyespot on the Hindwings is very large wheras the Forewings have two smaller Eyespots.  The hind wing looks like a dry leaf in its Dry Season form(DSF).  The dry leaf like appearance of the UnderWings  gives a very good camouflaging effect.                                                                                

This beautiful bird is named after its typical shade of Copper Sulphate-blue. About 15cm in size the bird is black lored i.e. it has a dark patch between the eyes and the bill. It is widely distributed in open forests especially the broad-leave forests.the bird breeds between 1200-3000 meters but it moves down to the lower areas during winters.

T he oriental turtle dove is mainly found in higher altitudes. It breeds up to a height of about 4000 meters above sea level and is found in open forests especially near agricultural fields. Like all pigeons and doves it lays two eggs in a nest made up of twigs. The birds in the extreme northern latitudes migrate south during winters whereas those breeding in southern latitudes are mostly residents.

Asian Paradise flycatcher can again be seen dancing like a kite as the spring spreads the wings. The bird is called  Dudhraj  in Hindi due to milky white colour of its body. The long white tail of the bird looks even more beautiful when it flies in a wavy motion up and down, manoeuvring in the sky to catch insects.The long tail is used to impress the female and may be for balancing the body during frequent changes of direction in flight.       The female on the other hand has got a short tail and the colour of the body is brown.The sub-adult males resemble the female, but the long tail makes the differentiation easier. The coming of Asian Paradise flycatcher highlights the struggle for existence among the birds.Being monogamous,both the female and male contribute in nest building,incubation, feeding and guarding the nest against predators.They can be seen scaring away the Yellow Billed Blue-Magpies wh...

Shikra has come again for nesting  on the Khirak ( Celtis australis ) tree in my backyard. Today in the morning,i heard the typical light,shrilling call of the bird.Last year it had come late in the month of April. Perhaps the summer is a bit early this year or may be Shikra is feeling the heat of Global warming. Anyway the bird is here preparing to nest on the same tree where it had been last year. Thats the most amazing thing about the birds. How do they they manage to locate the place and come back year after year to the same tree almost? Shikra is a Raptor(bird of prey) and is fond of smaller birds and their young ones. When Shikra arrives here,the Himalayan crows are the first line of defense who try to scare it away by forming groups. But Shikra is quite brave and knows the nature of the crows and it does't leave.  This fight for existence keeps on going till the Shikra is here. While Shikra comes, the other smaller birds ...

Alexandrine parakeet can be easily distinguished from other parakeets due to its large size(about 55cm) and the maroon patch on its shoulders. The male has got a black strip on the chin and a pink collar. the voice is deep and heavy as compared to other parakeets. The beak of Alexandrine parakeet is quite large and strong. I have seen it breaking wallnuts with its strong beak. interestingly it uses its feet as hands. it can also be seen using its beak as a support while going down on the branches. its really interesting to watch this bird breaking hard nuts by using its strong beak and feets. alexandrine parakeet is also fond of Jacaranda pods.

High in the tranquil forests of the Western Himalaya, where pine needles carpet the ground and oak canopies filter the morning light, a soft ringing call occasionally echoes through the trees — klee-klee-klee . If you pause and look carefully along a mossy trunk or a quiet forest clearing, you might spot the source: the Grey-headed Woodpecker . Unlike some of its more flamboyant relatives, the Grey-headed Woodpecker is not a bird that immediately commands attention. Its beauty lies in subtlety. With its gentle green plumage and quiet behaviour, it blends seamlessly into the forest, becoming part of the landscape rather than standing out from it. For patient birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts, encountering this understated bird is always a rewarding experience. A Woodpecker in Soft Greens The Grey-headed Woodpecker ( Picus canus ) is a medium-sized woodpecker , typically measuring around 25–27 centimetres in length . Its plumage is dominated by soft shades of green, which allow it t...