FAUNA OF INDIA : BIRDS

Upupa epops Linnaeus

(Hoopoe)

Size and Form : 31 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : Mainly rufous-orange or orange-buff, with striking black and white wings and tail, black tipped fan-like crest which is usually held flat, and long, thin downcurved bill. Broad, rounded wings in flight. Sexes alike.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India except parts of NW.

Habitat : Open country, cultivation and villages.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : March-August.

Tockus birostris Scopoli

(Common grey hornbill)

Size and Form : 50 cm.; hen.

Field Identification : Adult with broad grayish-white supercilium and dark grey ear-coverts, white tips to primaries and secondaries and white tipped tail. Female is similar to male but has smaller casque with less pronounced tip.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Widespread in India and locally common up to 1000 m.

Habitat : Open deciduous forest, groves, gardens, cultivation, roadside avenues and orchards.

Food : Fruits and insects.

Breeding : March-June.

Anthracoceros coronatus Boddaert

(Malabar pied hornbill)

Size and Form : 65 cm.; duck.

Field Identification : Axe-shaped casque with large black patch along upper ridge, white outer tail feathers, broad white trailing edge to wings and pink throat patches. Orbital skin is blue-black on male, pinkish on female.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Western ghats, E. India and Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Open forest and large fruit trees near villages.

Food : Fallen fruit, termites and other insects, also fish and nestling birds.

Breeding : March-September.

Megalaima haemacephala Muller

(Crimson-breasted barbet)

Size and Form : 17 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : A small, brightly coloured barbet, easily identified by combination of crimson forehead and patch on breast, yellow patches above and below eye contrasting with blackish hind crown and sides of head, yellow throat, dark streaking on belly and flanks, and bright legs and feet.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Deciduous forest, open wooded country, cultivation, groves.

Food : Figs and other fruits.

Breeding : November-September.

Micropternus brachyurus Vieillot

(Rufous woodpecker)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : A medium-sized, rufous-brown woodpecker with shaggy crest. It has short black bill and is heavily barred with black on mantle, wings, flanks and tail. Male has small scarlet flash on ear-coverts. Female has pale-buff ear-coverts.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Himalayas, Northwest, East and Northeast India and Bangladesh.

Habitat : Forest, secondary growth.

Food : Ants, termites, rotten logs, cow dung.

Breeding : February-June, also December.

Dinopium benghalense Linnaeus

(Lesser golden-backed woodpecker)

Size and Form : 26-29 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : A medium-sized woodpecker with golden-yellow upper parts, black and white face pattern, and black streaking or scaling on under parts. Male has scarlet crown and crest, female has white spotted black forehead and fore crown and scarlet hind crown and crest.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India.

Habitat : Light forests, plantations, groves.

Food : Mainly ants.

Breeding : Almost all year.

Dinopium javanese Ljungh

(Indian golden-backed three-toed woodpecker.)

Size and Form : 28-30 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : A medium-sized woodpecker with golden-yellow upper parts, black and white face pattern, scarlet rump and black spotting on under parts. Male has scarlet crest and female has white-spotted black crest.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Hills of Southwest and Northeast India and Bangladesh.

Habitat : Evergreen, deciduous forests.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : January-June.

Dryocopus javensis Horsfield

(Indian great black woodpecker.)

Size and Form : 48 cm.; hen.

Field Identification : A very large, mainly black woodpecker with broad white band across upper flanks and belly. Occasionally has white barring on lower flanks and lower belly. Male has scarlet moustachial stripe, forehead, crown and crest. Female has scarlet restricted to hind crown and crest.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Western and eastern ghats.

Habitat : Forest and secondary growth.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : January-March.

Picoides mahrattensis Latham

(Yellow fronted pied woodpecker)

Size and Form : 17-18 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Yellowish forehead and fore crown, white spotted upper parts, poorly defined moustachial stripe, whitish undertail-coverts and white barring on central tail feathers. Male has scarlet hind crown and nape, female has brownish hind crown and nape.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India except Himalayas and most of Northeast India.

Habitat : Open woodland, open country with scattered trees.

Food : Mainly insects.

Breeding : February-July.

Picoides nanus Vigors

(Brown-capped pygmy woodpecker.)

Size and Form : 13 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : A tiny woodpecker with white barring and spotting on upper parts, whitish supercilium and broad brown band behind eye. Throughout most of range, has streaked under parts. Male has small, often distinct, crimson patch on sides of hind crown, which is lacking on female.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : North India from Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat, east to Bangladesh, south through the peninsula and Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Light deciduous forest and trees near cultivation, bamboo and secondary forest.

Food : Mainly insects and grubs.

Breeding : January-July.

Chrysocolaptes festivus Boddaert

(Black-backed woodpecker)

Size and Form : 29 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : Adult large-sized with complex black and white head pattern, black streaked under parts and golden-yellow coverts and tertials. Female has yellow crown and crest. Male has crimson crest.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and East Gujarat east to western W. Bengal and south to Kerala and Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Light deciduous forest, scrub and scattered trees.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : September-March.

Chrysocolaptes lucidus

(Large golden-backed woodpecker)

Size and Form : 33 cm.; crow.

Field Identification : A large woodpecker with golden-yellow upper parts, striking black and white face pattern, scarlet rump and white spotting on black breast. Male has scarlet crown and crest; female has white-spotted black crest.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Himalayas from N. Uttar Pradesh east to Arunachal Pradesh; hills of Southwest, East and Northeast India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Broadleaved forest, groves.

Food : Mainly insects.

Breeding : All year.

Pitta brachyura Linnaeus

(Indian pitta)

Size and Form : 19 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has bold black stripe through eye contrasting with white throat and supercilium and buff lateral crown-stripes separated by black centre to crown. Under parts are buff, with reddish-pink lower belly and vent; upper parts are green, with shining blue uppertail-coverts and fore wing.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India.

Habitat : Deciduous and evergreen forest, bamboo and scrub jungle, thickly vegetated ravines.

Food : Insects, worms and grubs.

Breeding : May-August.

Mirafra assamica Horsfield

(Bush lark)

Size and Form : 15 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Stout bill, short tail and rufous on wing; rufous-buff on outer tail feathers, pronounced dark spotting on breast, dark spotting on ear-coverts and malar region and pale rufous buff-wash to under parts. Hind claw longer than hind toe. Sexes alike.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From Punjab east to Northeast India and Bangladesh and south through much of the Eastern and Southern peninsula and Sri Lanka.

Habitat : Stony scrub and fallow cultivation.

Food : Seeds and small insects.

Breeding : December-May.

Mirafra erythroptera Blyth

(Red-winged bush lark)

Size and Form : 14 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Stout bill and rufous on wing; rufous-buff on outer tail feathers, pronounced dark spotting on breast, dark spotting on ear-coverts and malar region and more uniform whitish under parts. Hind claw equal to hind toe, and shows more rufous on wing than other bush larks.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Plains and plateaus in Pakistan and India; unrecorded in the northeast.

Habitat : Stony scrub and fallow cultivation.

Food : Insects and seeds.

Breeding : March-October.

Eremopterix grisea Scopoli

(Ashy-crowned finch lark)

Size and Form : 12 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Male has grey crown and nape and brownish-black under parts. Female has stout greyish bill, rather uniform head and upper parts and dark grey under wing-coverts.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Widespread but apparently absent from Himalayas, Western Ghats and parts of the northwest and northeast.

Habitat : Uncultivated tracts with scattered thorn bushes and grass clumps, cultivation and fallow and ploughed fields around villages, stony scrub and dry tidal mudflats.

Food : Seeds and insects.

Breeding : Almost all year.

Galerida cristata Linnaeus

(Crested lark)

Size and Form : 18 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. A large, sandy to sandy-grey lark with prominent crest, well streaked upper parts and breast, broader rounded wings, rufous-buff outer tail feathers and underwing.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Mainly from Pakistan east through North India and South Nepal to East Bihar.

Habitat : Desert, semi-desert, dry fallow fields and cultivation in dry areas and dry coastal mudflats.

Food : Seeds and insects.

Breeding : March-August.

Alauda gulgula Franklin

(Indian small skylark)

Size and Form : 16 cm.; lark.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Variable in colouration and prominence of streaking on upper parts and under parts. Fine bill, buffish-white outer tail feathers and indistinct rufous wing panel.

Status : Resident and winter visitor.

Distribution : Throughout India, except parts of the northwest and northeast.

Habitat : Grassland, cultivation and mudflats.

Food : Seeds and insects.

Breeding : March-August and November-May.

Hirundo concolor Sykes

(Dusky crag martin)

Size and Form : 13 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Upper parts and under parts are dark brown, with breast and belly not noticeably paler than vent. Throat is a slightly warmer and paler buff-brown, with indistinct darker brown streaking.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From N. Harayana, E. Rajasthan, Gujarat and extreme SE Pakistan east to W. Bihar and south through the peninsula.

Habitat : Hilly and mountainous areas with cliffs, gorges and caves.

Food : Mainly insects.

Breeding : All year.

Hirundo smithii Leach

(Wire tailed swallow)

Size and Form : 14 cm.; swallow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Chestnut crown, glistening white under parts and underwing-coverts and fine filamentous projections to outer tail feathers (often broken or difficult to see).

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Widespread except parts of the northwest, northeast and southeast India.

Habitat : Open country and cultivation near lakes, rivers and canals, also wet paddy fields in summer.

Food : Mainly insects.

Breeding : March-September.

Hirundo fluvicola Blyth

(Indian cliff swallow)

Size and Form : 11 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. A small, compact swallow with slight fork to long broad tail, lightly streaked chestnut crown and nape, dirty off-white under parts, with brown streaking on chin, throat and breast, narrow white streaks on mantle and brownish rump.

Status : Resident and partial migrant.

Distribution : Indus plains, Pakistan, east to E. Uttar Pradesh and south to S. Karnataka.

Habitat : Cultivation and open country near water, rivers, canals, reservoirs and lakes.

Food : Mainly insects.

Breeding : Almost all year.

Hirundo daurica Linnaeus

(Red-rumped swallow)

Size and Form : 16-17 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult, with rufous-orange neck sides, rufous-orange rump, finely streaked buffish-white under parts, and black undertail-coverts.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout much of the Indian subcontinent, except parts of the northwest and northeast.

Habitat : Summer in upland cultivation and grassy hills, winters in open country and forest clearings.

Food : Mainly insects.            

Breeding : March-September.

Delichon urbica Linnaeus

(House martin)

Size and Form : 13 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has white under parts, longer and more deeply forked tail and paler underwing-coverts. Rarely, can have well defined band across breast.

Status : Passage migrant.

Distribution : Summer visitor to Himalayas from N. Pakistan, Himachal Pradesh, passage migrant east to WC Nepal and south to Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Habitat : Mountain valleys, with suitable cliffs and gorges, close to patches of terraced cultivation and villages.

Food : Mainly insects.            

Breeding : June and July in Ladakh.

Lanius excubitor Linnaeus

(Great grey shrike)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult lacks black on fore head, has a more restricted dark mask (including dusky to pale lores) and a paler grey mantle.

Status : Winter vagrant.

Distribution : Kashmir.

Habitat : Dry country, open scrub desert, open throat and dry deciduous forest and scrub.

Food : Insects, nestlings, small reptiles, mammals and birds.              

Breeding : Extralimital.

Lanius vittatus Valenciennes

(Bay-backed shrike)

Size and Form : 17 cm.; sparrow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has black forehead and mask contrasting with pale grey crown and nape, deep maroon mantle contrasting with grey nape and rufous-brown wash to breast and flanks. Also has extensive white patch at base of primaries and white sides and tip to black tail.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Mainly from Pakistan east to W. Bengal and south throughout most of the peninsula.

Habitat : Dry country, open scrub and bushes at the edge of cultivation and acacia groves.

Food : Insects, small reptiles, mammals and birds.              

Breeding : February-September.

Lanius schach Linnaeus

(Rufous-backed shrike)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has rufous scapulars and upper back contrasting with pale grey mantle, more extensive black forehead, rufous sides to black tail and more conspicuous white flash at base of primaries.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout much of the subcontinent, except parts of the northeast and northwest.

Habitat : Bushes in cultivation, gardens, canalside and roadside tree plantations, orchards, open forest and tall grassland with scattered trees.

Food : Insects, small reptiles, mammals and birds.              

Breeding : December-July.

Oriolus oriolus Linnaeus

(Golden oriole)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Adult male has small black eye patch, golden-yellow head and body, largely black wings with yellow primary coverts and tips to tertials/secondaries, and yellow and black tail. Female has yellowish-green upper parts, blackish streaking on whitish under parts, brownish-olive wings, yellow rump and brownish-olive tail with yellow corners.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Most of India.

Habitat : Deciduous woodland, groves, orchards and trees at the edge of cultivation.

Food : Seeds and insects.     

Breeding : April-August.

Oriolus chinensis Linnaeus

(Blacknaped oriole)

Size and Form : 27 cm.; myna.

Field Identification : Bright golden-yellow with black in wings and tail and a conspicuous black streak through the eye continued behind to meet over nape. Female duller and greener.

Status : Winter visitor.

Distribution : Winter visitor to Kerala and Bangladesh; resident on Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Habitat : Mixed broadleaved secondary forests, rubber plantations, well wooded gardens.

Food : Fruits, insects and nectar.             

Breeding : April-June.

Oriolus xanthornus Linnaeus

(Black-headed oriole)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Adult male has glossy black head and neck contrasting with golden-yellow body, bold yellow outer edges to black tertials and secondaries, and mainly yellow tail. Adult female similar but has olive-yellow mantle.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From Punjab, Gujarat and E. Rajasthan east through the Himalayan foothills to Arunachal Pradesh and south through most of India.

Habitat : Open broadleaved forest, groves, well wooded country and gardens.

Food : Insects and fruits.        

Breeding : Throughout the year.

Dicrurus adsimilis Bechstein

(Black drongo)

Size and Form : 28 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult is glossy blue-black, with deeply forked tail, white rectal spot, shiny blue-black throat and breast, black belly, flanks and undertail-coverts.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Most of India, except parts of the northwest, northeast and Himalayas.

Habitat : Open cultivation, around villages, towns and cities.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : February-August.

Dicrurus caerulescens Linnaeus

(White-bellied drongo)

Size and Form : 24 cm.; pigeon.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has brownish-grey throat and breast, white belly and undertail-coverts. Upper parts are glossy slate-grey and tail is shorter and fork is typically shallower.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From E. Harayana and S. Gujarat east through S. Nepal to West Bengal  and south through the subcontinent.

Habitat : Clearings and edges of light forest, well wooded country, gardens and tea and rubber plantations.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : February-June.

Dicrurus hottentottus Linnaeus

(Hair-crested drongo)

Size and Form : 32 cm.; crow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has hair-like crest, broad tail with shallow, outward and upward twisted fork, long downcurved bill, metallic spangling on crown, sides of neck, throat and breast, and highly glossed wings and tail.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Himalayan foothills from Punjab east to Arunachal Pradesh, south through the Northeast Indian hills and Bangladesh, Eastern and Western Ghats, Kerala.

Habitat : Broadleaved evergreen and moist deciduous forest.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : March-June.

Dicrurus paradiseus Linnaeus

(Greater racket-tailed drongo)

Size and Form : 32 cm.; crow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult large-sized, with larger bill, crested head, forked tail and larger, longer tail-rackets.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : From S. Gujarat and NE Harayana east to S. Nepal to NE India, Bangladesh and south through the subcontinent.

Habitat : Broadleaved forest and bamboo jungle.

Food : Insects.

Breeding : February-July.

Sturnus pagodarum Gmelin

(Black-headed myna)

Size and Form : 21 cm.; common myna.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has black on crown and crest which extends across nape, with rest of head, neck and under parts rufous-orange, grey upper parts and wings with darker flight feathers, yellowish bill with blue base, and blue or yellow skin behind eye.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Most of India, except parts of northwest and northeast.

Habitat : Cultivation, groves, open forest, grassland and dry thorny shrub.

Food : Insects, fruits and nectar.             

Breeding : February-September.

Sturnus contra Linnaeus

(Pied myna)

Size and Form : 23 cm.; common myna.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult is black and white, with orange orbital skin and large, pointed yellowish bill. It has white ear-coverts, black throat and breast contrasting with pale grey to dirty white under parts and white scapular line and inner wing-coverts contrasting with black wings.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Northeast, central and southeast India.

Habitat : Damp grassland, cultivation, near habitation or grazing animals.

Food : Insects, grain, fruit, flower nectar.  

Breeding : March-October.

Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus

(Pied myna)

Size and Form : 25 cm.; pied myna.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult with yellow orbital skin, glossy black on head and breast merging into maroon-brown of rest of body, large white patch at base of primaries, white tip to tail and white vent.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Most of India, except parts of northeast and northwest.

Habitat : Cultivation, villages, towns and cities.

Food : Insects, fruit, nectar.     

Breeding : February-December.

Acridotheres ginginianus Latham

(Bank myna)

Size and Form : 23 cm.; common myna.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult distinguished by smaller size, orange-red orbital patch, orange-yellow bill, orange-buff patch at base of primaries and on underwing-coverts and orange-buff tip to tail.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Pakistan east to Assam and Bangladesh and south to C. Maharashtra and N. Orissa.

Habitat : Cultivation, grassland, villages, towns and cities.

Food : Invertebrates and fruits.        

Breeding : March-August.

Acridotheres fuscus Wagler

(Jungle myna)

Size and Form : 23 cm.; common myna.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has prominent tuft of feathers at base of bill, white patch at base of primaries and white tip to tail and lacks bare orbital skin.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Mainly Himalayas from N. Pakistan east to Arunachal Pradesh south to Bangladesh and N. Orissa, W. India.

Habitat : Cultivation, plantation, forest edges and scrub.

Food : Insects, seeds and fruits.               

Breeding : February-July.

Dendrocitta vagabunda Latham

(Indian treepie)

Size and Form : 46-50 cm.; hen.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult with uniform slate-grey hood, rufous-brown mantle and scapulars, pale grey wing-coverts and band across tertials contrasting with black of rest of wing, fulvous-buff under parts, and black tipped silvery-grey tail.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Most of India, except parts of northwest, northeast and Himalayas.

Habitat : Open wooded country, gardens, groves, roadside avenues.

Food : Fruits, nectar, invertebrates, small animals, bird eggs and nestlings.         

Breeding : March-July.

Corvus splendens Vieillot

(House crow)

Size and Form : 40 cm.; jungle crow.

Field Identification : Sexes alike. Adult has black crown, face and throat contrasting with paler nape, neck and breast, giving rise to collared appearance. It has gloss to black of plumage.

Status : Resident.

Distribution : Throughout India except parts of northwest, northeast and Himalayas.

Habitat : Human habitation in villages, towns and cities.

Food : Grain, invertebrates, nestlings.         

Breeding : January-September.

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