Revision as of 16:08, 4 December 2015

Birds: India M-Z

MONAL PHEASANT

Monal Pheasant, state bird of Himachal Pradesh, with its metallic greenish blue plumage is a sight to watch. They are ground birds, related to domestic fowl, confined to coniferous forest of Himalayan region. Females are duller with no beautiful metallic shin. They feed upon insects, fresh shoots and plants among ground litter. They are active at dawn and dusk. Monals live in small parties. They roost in the trees and nest on the ground. Large scale hunting is the main reason for their depleting population.

MAGPIE ROBIN

The first avian melody that you can hear at dawn anywhere in the countryside or forested area could be the magpie robin. They are always found in pairs. The male is black and white and the female has a gray colour on it. They hop around trees and bushes with an upturned tail and this sight can not be missed by anyone.

NIGHT JAR

As the name suggests, it is a nocturnal bird. At the onset of night you can know their presence by a loud call - talk. They prefer to sit on the open ground and occasionally take off to catch insects in flight. If you drive by during night along the country sides, their big eyes reflect like bright jewels. They are common in most of the protected areas.

OPEN-BILL STORK

Open-bill Stork is the smallest among storks and can be easily identified with gap between upper and lower mandibles which enables it to catch snails. They are found in marshes and shallow water bodies. Open bill Storks are colonial in their nesting habit, where both the parents look after offsprings.

As they are confined to marshes and shallow water bodies, habitats under tremendous pressure, the protection of wetlands alone can ensure their safety.

PIED HORNBILL

With large or oversized beak, the Pied Hornbill looks very formidable but in reality its beak is not strong enough to be a weapon for its protection. They cannot fly for long distance because of its over-sized beak and weakflying mechanism. They feed mainly on fruits and berries.

Its nest is unique. Nest is in the hollow of an old tree. Its entrance is sealed with mud and fibrous material where female and eggs are secured inside with only small opening through which male feeds female and young ones. When young ones are big enough to fly, the mud wall is broken.

Pied Hornbill are killed in large numbers as it is believed that their fat and meat has medicinal value. Large scale deforestation and disturbance in the habitat are also responsible for their declining population. Manas is one of the places in India where Pied Hornbills are protected properly.

ROSE RINGED PARAKEET

Rose Ringed Parakeet is the most common among parakeets, they are well distributed throughout India. They are popular as pets and if trained, can learn to imitate human language.

The rose ringed parakeet is a gregarious species and prefer to roost in close proximity to human habitation. A visit to Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, will give you an opportunity to see thousands of birds roosting in the heart of the city, vying to get a foothold on every possible patch on the busy road side trees.

SARUS CRANE

Sarus Crane, found always in pairs, is the tallest among Indian birds. The pairing is of permanent nature and separation is only with death of a partner. Their elaborate courtship, dance and trumpet like call has inspired many a writers, besides it has become a symbol of faithful relationship between husband and wife, which is reflected in the Indian culture.

These long legged birds are seen along water fronts and agricultural fields, where they feed on small animals and grass tubers. Their nests are clumsy and shallow where both take part in parental care. Large scale disturbance in their habitat is the main factor for their dwindling population.

SIBERIAN CRANE

In recent times, Siberian Crane being one of the important winter visitor to Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary has come in limelight. Related to commonly known Sarus Crane, it is smaller in size and is overall white except red bare portion of neck and head. Siberian Crane, as the name suggests comes from Siberian region during winter, when the extreme cold conditions force them to look for more comfortable climatic conditions. For many years they were regular visitors to Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary. During peak period a large number of birds used to visit in the earlier times but in recent years their numbers have gone down to few birds. Efforts are on to save these winter visitors.

SNOWCOCK

Snowcock is a ground bird, related to domestic fowl, found in high altitude alpine region. It feeds on small insects, seeds, and tender shoots. It is unique in a way that normally colouration is brown mottled with dark and belly is white, but during winter seasons when the habitat is snow covered, its winter plumage becomes white mottled with darker streaks to merge with changing surroundings.

Excessive grazing activities, trampling of nests and hunting for food, have affected their habitat. Nandadevi National Park provides shelter to this endangered species.

SPOONBILL

Spoonbill visits Indiana subcontinent from northern Europe during the winter season. It derives its name from the typical spoon like beak which is used to disturb the muddy bottom in order to dislodge small worms hidden within so that it can feed upon them. They are colonial and so aggressive that in dwindling wetlands they are known for dislodging the resident waders and taking over their feeding grounds.

WHITE IBIS

White Ibis, long legged bird with down-curved beak, is an aquatic bird. It feeds on worms and small animals in marshes and shallow water bodies. It is a colonial bird and lives in small flocks. Ibis had a prominent place in ancient Egyptian culture, as they were mummified along with Pharaoh and were presumed to be sacred. Pollution of water bodies due to wrong agricultural practices and dumping domestic industrial affluents is affecting life of White Ibis along with majority of other waders.

See also

Birds: India

Birds: India A-F

Birds: India G-L