Black giant squirrel resting, bhutan, Bhutan

The beautiful Black Giant Squirrel is one of the largest squirrels in the world. It inhabits tall primary forest and generally remains high in the canopy, but at times may be found at lower levels when feeding. It is largely solitary in habits and extremely shy, rarely coming to ground. It can confidently make huge leaps from branch to branch in the high canopy. The black giant squirrel rarely enters plantations or settlements, preferring the wild forest. Its diet consists of seeds, pine cones, fruits, and leaves. It is primarily solitary, and has a litter of from 1 to 2 young, which it raises in a drey (or nest), often located within a hollow space of a tree. Its upperparts and tail are jet black, but the cheeks, chest, front of the forelimbs and underparts are cream or orange. The tail is long and dorso-ventrally flattened. It is found in forests from northern Bangladesh, northeast India, eastern Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and western Indonesia. However, in recent decades, Black Giant Squirrel’s habitat has been steadily encroached upon by human settlement, timber harvesting and agriculture, which along with overhunting by human predation in parts of […]

Great hornbill male on a ficus tree, Bhutan, Bhutan

Great Hornbills also known as the great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. They are the largest hornbills in India (112-150 cm), males: 2.6 to 3.9 kg; females: 2.16 – 3.35 kg. It has a white tail with a horizontal black band, white neck and wing bars, wing edges are white-tipped. Eye colour: males: red, with black skin; females: white eyes with red skin around the eyes. The yellow beak is topped by a casque. The male has a flat casque forked in front and edged with black; the female’s casque is smaller with no black. The white plumage on the head, neck, wing coverts and tail base are often stained yellow with oil from the preen gland. It flies with heavy wing beats, a few flaps and a long glide. The most prominent feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque appears U-shaped when viewed from the front, and the top is concave, with two ridges along the sides that form points in the front, whence the Latin species epithet bicornis (two-horned). The back of the casque is […]

Great hornbill pair habitat shot, Bhutan

Great Hornbills also known as the great Indian hornbill or great pied hornbill, is one of the larger members of the hornbill family. They are the largest hornbills in India (112-150 cm), males: 2.6 to 3.9 kg; females: 2.16 – 3.35 kg. It has a white tail with a horizontal black band, white neck and wing bars, wing edges are white-tipped. Eye colour: males: red, with black skin; females: white eyes with red skin around the eyes. The yellow beak is topped by a casque. The male has a flat casque forked in front and edged with black; the female’s casque is smaller with no black. The white plumage on the head, neck, wing coverts and tail base are often stained yellow with oil from the preen gland. It flies with heavy wing beats, a few flaps and a long glide. The most prominent feature of the hornbill is the bright yellow and black casque on top of its massive bill. The casque appears U-shaped when viewed from the front, and the top is concave, with two ridges along the sides that form points in the front, whence the Latin species epithet bicornis (two-horned). The back of the casque is […]

Pin tailed green pigeon pair, Bhutan

The pin-tailed green pigeon (Treron apicauda) is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. Its plumage is mostly yellowish green and it has pointed tail feathers. Fruits and berries are its main food. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is clasified as least concern by IUCN.

Lesser rufous headed parrotbill, Bhutan

The pale-billed parrotbill (Chleuasicus atrosuperciliaris), also known as the black-browed parrotbill or lesser rufous-headed parrotbill, is a species of parrotbill in the Sylviidae family. Distinctive parrot­bill with noticeably peaked crown and rather short, deep-based bill. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Bamboo in or near broadleaf evergreen forest, forest edge, tall grass are typical places to find this parrotbill. Feeds on small seeds, also insects and their pupae, including small beetles (Coleoptera) and grasshoppers (Orthoptera), and spiders. Not globally threatened. Generally rather uncommon throughout much of its rather restricted and patchy range; fairly common at some scattered sites. It is classified as least concern by IUCN.