Indian scops owl

The Indian scops owl commonly found in the Indian forests. It has small tufts on its head looking like ears. This is a small owl and is found across the Indian sub continent. A nocturnal insect feeder we were happy to see this pair in by a tree hole next to the track. The two were perched in the tree hole made it look like a family in a condo with one on each deck.

Myna – Southern hill myna

Myna is also known as Mynah. This is jet black bird with yellow and orange beak with some yellow wattles in the sides. It belongs to the starling family and is a resident of the hill region and consequently the name. In the wild myna is not known for mimicry but as a pet / caged bird these are known to imitate other bird sounds, humans and sometimes even whistle. These feed on berries, figs and seeds from a variety of trees and shrubs. The hill myna usually spends time together in a flock. Although the population is getting lesser the bird is classified as least concern as per IUCN.  

Eurasian Cuckoo – hepatic female, Bangalore

  Hepatic-morph cuckoo also refers to the red-brown coloration and this coloration is mostly on the female birds. A passage migrant through Asia, winters in Africa. The cuckoos are brood parasites – which rely on other birds to raise their young. They lay their eggs parasitically along with other birds egg in the nest by pushing out one of the hosts egg from the nest. As the egg hatches it is raised by the other bird as their own. Cuckoo also evolves to lay eggs that imitate the hosts egg. As the cuckoo egg hatches it pushes out the host birds eggs or if the hosts eggs already hatched it pushes out the chick of the host. The bird is generally found in the open land, feeding on insects and caterpillars.

Eurasian Cuckoo – male, Bangalore

A passage migrant through Asia, winters in Africa. The male eurasian cuckoo looks like sparrowhawk and this helps in protecting while the female lays eggs. The cuckoos are brood parasites – which rely on other birds to raise their young. They lay their eggs parasitically along with other birds egg in the nest by pushing out one of the hosts egg from the nest. As the egg hatches it is raised by the other bird as their own. Cuckoo also evolves to lay eggs that imitate the hosts egg. The bird is generally found in the open land, feeding on insects and caterpillars. Close

Eurasian Cuckoo – male, Bangalore

A passage migrant through Asia, winters in Africa. The male eurasian cuckoo looks like sparrowhawk and this helps in protecting while the female lays eggs. The cuckoos are brood parasites – which rely on other birds to raise their young. They lay their eggs parasitically along with other birds egg in the nest by pushing out one of the hosts egg from the nest. As the egg hatches it is raised by the other bird as their own. Cuckoo also evolves to lay eggs that imitate the hosts egg. The bird is generally found in the open land, feeding on insects and caterpillars. Close