Nikkor 500 Archives • Page 23 of 99 • DigitalFrescos

Oct 12

by Admin in Dandeli, Karnataka 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Dandeli, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Southern hill myna

Southern hill myna, Dandeli

The southern hill myna (Gracula indica) is a member of the starling family. It is a resident of southwest India and Sri Lanka. This was formerly considered conspecific with Common hill myna G. religiosa, but maintained as a separate species differing in its long, narrow serrated wattle on hindcrown; much shorter wings than closest form of G. religiosa; proportionately finer bill; “striking vocal differences”. 23–25 cm; 126 g. Medium-sized black myna with bare patch below eye clearly separated from bare postorbital skin, which extends back to nape, where there is a yellow-orange wattle. The habitat of the southern hill myna is Wooded country, including evergreen forest and well-wooded cultivated areas. This myna is almost entirely arboreal, moving in large, noisy groups of half a dozen or so, in tree-tops at the edge of the forest. It hops sideways along the branch, unlike the characteristic jaunty walk of other mynas. Like most starlings, the hill myna is fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects. The main diet includes fruit and nectar: fruit of figs (Ficus) and berries of sapu tree. Not globally threatened classified as Least Concern by IUCN. Often treated as a race of G. religiosa. Probably not globally […]

Oct 12

by Admin in Dandeli, Karnataka 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, bulbul, Dandeli, Digitalfrescos, flame throated bulbul, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Flame throated bulbul on a moss perch, Dandeli

The flame-throated bulbul (Pycnonotus gularis) is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found only in the forests of the Western Ghats in southern India. Formerly included as a subspecies of Pycnonotus flaviventris it has since been elevated to the status of a full species. They are olive backed with yellow undersides, a triangular orange-red throat and a white iris that stands out against the contrasting black head. They are usually seen foraging in groups in the forest canopy for berries and small insects. They have a call often with two or three tinkling notes that can sound similar to those produced by the red-whiskered bulbul. The species has been referred to by names in the past such as ruby-throated bulbul and black-headed bulbul. The flame-throated bulbul keeps in small flocks and feeds on berries, including those of Lantana sp. It inhabits evergreen forests often along streams and valleys. The flame-throated bulbul feeds on fruit and insects, sometime in mixed species foraging flocks. Feeds on figs (Ficus ) and other fruit, and insects often in small flocks, which seem to keep more to dense cover. Populations appear to move seasonally within the Western Ghats. The breeding […]

Oct 12

by Admin in Bangalore, Karnataka 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, black-breasted quail, Dandeli, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, quail, Rain quail

Rainquail male in the bushes, Bangalore

The rain quail or black-breasted quail (Coturnix coromandelica) is a species of quail found in the Indian subcontinent, its range including Pakistan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Grassland, cropped fields, and scrubs in the Indus valley of central Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan, ranging across the Gangetic plains, and parts of peninsular continental India. Mostly seen in winter further south.The male has a black breast-patch and distinctive head pattern of black and white. the male has a very noticeable stripe on the crown and supercilium with a black and white pattern on the head and neck, a black ‘anchor’ mark on the throat and a prominent black patch on the breast. A black border highlights the white neck. The flanks are streaked with black. The female is difficult to separate from female common quail and Japanese quail, although the spots on the breast are more delicate. The call is a metallic chrink-chrink, constantly repeated mornings and evenings, and in the breeding season also during the night. The rain quail has a very large range and the population is stable. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated […]

Oct 12

by Admin in Dandeli, Karnataka 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Dandeli, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Puff throated babbler

Puff throated babbler, Dandeli

Puff-throated babblers are brown above, and white below with heavily brown streaks towards the breast and belly. They have a chestnut crown, long buff supercilium and dusky cheeks. The throat is white, and is sometimes puffed out giving it the English name. Puff-throated babblers have strong legs, and spend a lot of time on the forest floor. They can often be seen creeping through undergrowth in search of their insect food, looking at first glance like a song thrush. Some subspecies have streaks on the mantle while others, especially in Peninsular India, are unstreaked. This bird is a common resident breeder in the Himalayas and the forests of Asia. Like most babblers, it is not migratory, and has short rounded wings and a weak flight. Its habitat is scrub and bamboo thickets and forages by turning over leaves to find insects.Puff-throated babblers vocalize often. Their calls are a series of whistling notes ascending in scale. Some calls have been transcribed as he’ll beat you, pret-ty-sweet. The calling can be persistent. The breeding season is mainly during the rainy season. They build a nest on the ground at the base of bush and is a dome of leaves and twigs […]

Sep 25

by Admin in Dandeli, Karnataka 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bird, birds, Dandeli, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Oriental magpie robin

Orientalmagpie robin male , Dandeli

Oriental magpie robin (Copsychus saularis) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. Occurring across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, they are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds. The oriental magpie robin is the national bird of Bangladesh. This species is 19 centimetres (7.5 in) long, including the long tail, which is usually held cocked upright when hopping on the ground. When they are singing a song the tail is normal like other birds. It is similar in shape to the smaller European robin, but is longer-tailed. The male has black upperparts, head and throat apart from a white shoulder patch as in the picture here. The underparts and the sides of the long tail are white. Females are greyish black above and greyish white. Young birds have scaly brown upperparts and head. This magpie-robin is a […]