Sep 29
by Admin in Rajasthan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, raptor

Montagus harrier female portrait, Talchappar

The Montagu’s harrier is a migratory bird of prey of the harrier family. Its common name commemorates the British naturalist George Montagu. Sexual dimorphism is particularly apparent in the plumage of this species. Adult males are characterized by their overall pale grey plumage contrasting with black wingtips. Compared with other harriers this species has characteristic black bands along the secondaries, both above and below the wing and rusty streaks on belly and flanks. Adult females have a broadly similar plumage to that of pallid and hen harriers. The underparts are mostly pale yellow-brown, the belly with longitudinal stripes and the wing coverts spotted. The upper parts are uniform dark brown except for the white upper tail coverts (“rump”), and the sightly paler central wing coverts. The juvenile plumage resembles that of the female, but differs by the belly and under wing coverts which are not spotted, but uniformly red brown in colour. A melanistic form occurs regularly in this species. In this form the male is much darker than usual, with a black head, brownish black above and grey underparts. The melanistic female is entirely chocolate brown except for grey flight feathers. Partially melanistic morphs can also be found. The […]
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Sep 29
by Admin in Rajasthan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Falcon, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, raptor, Red necked falcon

Red necked falcon about to take off, Talcappar

The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies isalso known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran. The red-necked falcon usually hunts in pairs, often at dawn and dusk, sometimes utilizing a technique in which one of the pair flies low and flushes up small birds while the other follows higher up and seizes the prey as it flushes from cover. They fly with a fast and dashing flight. The breeding season in India is January to March. It prefers to prey on birds found in open areas and recorded to hunt small sparrow sized birds. It is classified as  Near Threatened by IUCN.
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Sep 29
by Admin in Rajasthan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Bangalore, desert gerbil, desert jird, Digitalfrescos, fauna, Gerbil, jird, Mammal, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Desert Jird feeding out of its burrow, Jorbeed

The Indian desert jird or Indian desert gerbil (Meriones hurrianae) is a species of jird found mainly in the Thar Desert in India. Jirds are closely related to gerbils. The Indian desert jird has a grey-brown coat with yellowish-grey belly. The distinguishing characteristics include short ears, long black claws and orange incisors. Jirds inhabit desert and barren areas preferring firm soil. They are not to be found in pure sand dunes or rocky outcrops. The Indian desert jird is diurnal. It is classified as  Least Concern by IUCN.
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Sep 29
by Admin in Rajasthan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, eagle, eastern imperial eagle, imperial eagle, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, raptor

Eastern imperial eagle juvenile yawning, Jorbeed

The eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) is a large species of bird of prey that breeds from southeastern Europe to western and central Asia. Most populations are migratory and winter in northeastern Africa and southern and eastern Asia. In Europe, the eastern imperial eagle is threatened with extinction. It has nearly vanished from many areas of its former range, e.g. Hungary and Austria. The eagle’s preferred habitat is open country with small woods; unlike many other species of eagle, it does not generally live in mountains, large forests or treeless steppes. The eastern imperial eagle feeds mainly on hares, hamsters and pheasants as well as a variety of other birds and mammals. The Imperial eagle has for centuries been considered a sacred bird, because our ancestors had thought that it drives away storm clouds and saves the crops. Even today it is believed in some parts of Bulgaria that killing or harming an Imperial eagle will bring serious disaster upon people. Its popular name is the ‘cross eagle’ because of the epaulet-like white spots on its wings which are visible in flight. The juvenile birds have brown feathers, ochre in colour, which gives them their specific light brown appearance. The […]
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Sep 29
by Admin in Rajasthan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, eagle, eastern imperial eagle, imperial eagle, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, raptor

Eastern imperial eagle juvenile winking, Jorbeed

The eastern imperial eagle (Aquila heliaca) is a large species of bird of prey that breeds from southeastern Europe to western and central Asia. Most populations are migratory and winter in northeastern Africa and southern and eastern Asia. In Europe, the eastern imperial eagle is threatened with extinction. It has nearly vanished from many areas of its former range, e.g. Hungary and Austria. The eagle’s preferred habitat is open country with small woods; unlike many other species of eagle, it does not generally live in mountains, large forests or treeless steppes. The eastern imperial eagle feeds mainly on hares, hamsters and pheasants as well as a variety of other birds and mammals. The Imperial eagle has for centuries been considered a sacred bird, because our ancestors had thought that it drives away storm clouds and saves the crops. Even today it is believed in some parts of Bulgaria that killing or harming an Imperial eagle will bring serious disaster upon people. Its popular name is the ‘cross eagle’ because of the epaulet-like white spots on its wings which are visible in flight. The juvenile birds have brown feathers, ochre in colour, which gives them their specific light brown appearance. The […]
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