Flying beauties of Himachal Pradesh

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.

There is hardly a more familiar sight in the Indian countryside than a glossy black bird sitting confidently on an electric wire, a fence post or the branch of a tree. Its long, deeply forked tail is unmistakable. It watches the ground below with remarkable alertness and, the moment an insect appears, swoops down with astonishing speed before returning to its perch. This is the  Black Drongo ( Dicrurus macrocercus ) , a small bird with a surprisingly bold personality. Commonly seen across Himachal Pradesh, particularly in open countryside, agricultural fields and villages, the Black Drongo is one of those birds that people often see but rarely stop to appreciate. Its glossy black plumage may appear rather ordinary at first, but its intelligence, agility and fearless behaviour make it one of the most interesting birds of the Indian landscape. It is often called the  King Crow , a name that reflects its extraordinary courage in confronting birds much larger than itself. Quick Fa...

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.