Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Red jungle fowl

Red jungle fowl pair in a forest patch, Bhutan

The red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) is a tropical member of the family Phasianidae. It is the primary progenitor of the domestic chicken. The range of the wild form stretches from India, eastwards across Indochina and southern China and into Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The male’s tail is composed of long, arching feathers that initially look black, but shimmer with blue, purple, and green in bright light. The female’s plumage is typical of this family of birds in being cryptic and adapted for camouflage. She alone looks after the eggs and chicks. She also has no fleshy wattles, and a very small comb on the head. The vibrant male has long, golden-orange to deep-red crown and neck feathers, and a dark metallic-green tail with a white tuft at the base. The underparts are a dull black while the upperparts are a combination of glossy blue-green, rich dark red, maroon-red, fiery orange, rufous and blackish brown. The colourful cock also has vivid scarlet-red facial skin, throat, two lappets and heavily dented fleshy crest (comb). The red junglefowl occupies most tropical and subtropical habitats throughout its extensive range, including mangroves, scrubland and plantations, although it seems to prefer flat or gently […]
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Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Barbet, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Blue throated barbet, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Blue Throated Barbet with seeds on its beak, Bhutan

The blue-throated barbet (Psilopogon asiaticus) is an Asian barbet having bright green, blue & red plumage, seen across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Barbets and toucans are a group of near passerine birds with a worldwide tropical distribution. The barbets get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills; this species eats fruits and insects. They frequent evergreen forests, deciduous forests, gardens, orchards, teak forests and cities with fruiting trees. They are typically seen foraging in the forest canopy, but will visit lower shrubs to feed. Their staple diet consists of fruits (particularly figs), some flowers, figs and insects, such as grubs, crickets, mantises, ants, cicadas, dragonflies, locusts, beetles and moths. It is found in Primary and secondary evergreen and deciduous mountain forest, also clearings, edges, orchards. This is classified as least concern by IUCN. Not globally threatened. Common almost everywhere in range; common but local in Pakistan, where possibly expanding range; common in Nepal.
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Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, flycatcher, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Yellow-bellied fantail flycatcher

Yellow bellied fantail flycatcher, Bhutan

The yellow-bellied fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxanthus), also known as the yellow-bellied fairy-fantail, is found in the Indian subcontinent, the Himalayas, and portions of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. It is a smallish bird about 8 cm in size. It is yellow below and has a black eye-stripe, white wing-bar and broad black tail tipped white. Small flying insects, particularly flies (Diptera). Yellow-bellied fantail flycatcher  catches prey flushed by fluttering among foliage, and captured in aerobatic sallies; also seen hovering at times. It is found in various types of forest and secondary jungle, but prefers moist evergreen broadleaf forest. This is classified as least concern by IUCN. Common throughout much of range; uncommon to locally common in SE Asia. Occurs in several protected areas.
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Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, crested bunting, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Crested bunting on a dried flower, Bhutan

The Crested Bunting is from the group of Eurasian & African Perching Birds. They are mainly seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills. Their habits are similar to those of finches, with which they sometimes used to be grouped. Crested Bunting is 20 cm long in size; and plumage is very much similar to Crow Pheasant. Female is paler and browner than male, with shorter crest and less chestnut in wings and tail. The tail is browner with considerably less chestnut in females than in males of the same age. There is never any white in the tail. The belly is brown and lacks the bluish gloss. It is found from the Himalayas to southern-central China and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. This is classified as least concern by IUCN.
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Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Blue capped rock thrush, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Blue capped rock thrush male singing, Bhutan

The male has a blue head, chin and throat. The upper parts are blue and black. The rump and underparts are chestnut brown. There is a white patch on the wing that is visible during flight. The female bird is brown with a brown and white underside. This thrush-like Old World flycatcher breeds in the foothills of the Himalayas and winters in the hill forests of southern India. During winter it is found throughout Pakistan, Bangladesh (passage migrant), parts of Myanmar and India, especially in the Western Ghats region. Like thrushes, they fly up into trees and sit motionless when they are disturbed. It is a summer visitor in parts of Afghanistan and along the Himalayas from Pakistan to Arunachal Pradesh. In summer it is found in pine forests and hill slopes. In winter it is found in dense canopied forests. This species mainly feeds on Insects, snails, worms, small lizards and frogs, berries, seeds. One pair seen to bring skinks (Scincella himalayana) to nestlings. This species is treated as near least concern by IUCN.  
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