Jan 19
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Maroon Oriole, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Oriole

Female Maroon Oriole a record shot, Bhutan

The maroon oriole is a species of bird in the family Oriolidae. It is found in Southeast Asia. The maroon oriole has maroon and black plumage with a black head, neck and wings with a blueish beak. The females have slightly darker bodies and the juveniles have lighter bodies. The adult male is glossy crimson-maroon in color, with black head, neck and wings and a chestnut-maroon tail. The females and immature males have a greyish-white underpart with black streaks. Colouration varies somewhat across the range, with those in the Indian Subcontinent having duller colours and those in Southeast Asia having brighter colours, also tending to somewhat reddish tones. The maroon oriole is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam. In India, it is found from Himachal Pradesh east to Arunachal Pradesh and the hills of Manipur. Its natural habitat is Dense moist deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen forests and forest edge – subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The maroon oriole eats Nectar, berries, fruits, especially figs (Ficus), and invertebrates, e.g. caterpillars. Not globally threatened. Fairly common to common in most parts of its range and is classified as least concern by IUCN.  
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, fire tailed myzornis, myzornis, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Fire-tailed-myzornis-male-with-busy-back-ground

The species is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a common species in the upper ridges of the Sikkim and Arunachal Himalayas; mostly between 9,000 ft to 13,000 according to climatic conditions and seasonal variation. It prefers bamboo thickets, Rhododendron shrubs, birches, and junipers. The fire-tailed myzornis is a small species of warbler, 11 to 13 cm long and weighing 10–13 g. It has bright green plumage with a black mask around the eyes and black scalloping on the crown. The wing is black and white with a streak of bright red and the sides of the tail are red too. The bill is long, slightly curved and black. Calls include extremely thin, high-pitched, often quickly repeated “si” notes. Capable of sustained stationary hovering flight much like sunbirds, can also be seen running up moss-covered tree trunks like a creeper. Diet mainly consists of Spiders (Araneae), small flies (Diptera) and other insects; also berries, including raspberries, flower nectar and tree sap. Resident; altitudinal descent evident from Oct, return movement from Mar during winter. Apr–Jun in India and Nepal, but pair with juveniles in mid-Sept at 3400 […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, fire tailed myzornis, myzornis, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Fire tailed myzornis female in a clutter, Bhutan

The species is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is a common species in the upper ridges of the Sikkim and Arunachal Himalayas; mostly between 9,000 ft to 13,000 according to climatic conditions and seasonal variation. It prefers bamboo thickets, Rhododendron shrubs, birches, and junipers. The fire-tailed myzornis is a small species of warbler, 11 to 13 cm long and weighing 10–13 g. It has bright green plumage with a black mask around the eyes and black scalloping on the crown. The wing is black and white with a streak of bright red and the sides of the tail are red too. The bill is long, slightly curved and black. Calls include extremely thin, high-pitched, often quickly repeated “si” notes. Capable of sustained stationary hovering flight much like sunbirds, can also be seen running up moss-covered tree trunks like a creeper. Diet mainly consists of Spiders (Araneae), small flies (Diptera) and other insects; also berries, including raspberries, flower nectar and tree sap. Resident; altitudinal descent evident from Oct, return movement from Mar during winter. Apr–Jun in India and Nepal, but pair with juveniles in mid-Sept at 3400 […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Chestnut crowned laughing thrush, Digitalfrescos, laughing thrush, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Thrush

Chestnut crowned laughing thrush on a log by the field, Bhutan

The chestnut-crowned laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. Also known as the Red-headed Laughing Thrush is a pretty noisome bird. It is a local resident in Himalayas, north-east India and Bhutan, China, and Nepal. It is about 24 – 26cm a medium-sized, variable laughingthrush. It has brownish plumage, brilliant green-gold panels on wings and sides of tail. There are heavy black spots on upper mantle and scales on breast. It has a chestnut forehead and nape, blackish lores and throat with a Dark eye. The chestnut-crowned laughingthrush is found in understorey and bamboo in broadleaf evergreen forest. Also in mixed forest, secondary growth and rhododendron scrub. Found at an altitude of 1000m to 3400m. It is a resident species with some altitudinal movement in the Himalayas. It feeds mainly on inscects, berries, seeds and other vegetable matter. Forages on or close to the ground in pairs or small groups, sometimes together with other laughingthrushes. It is classified as least concern by IUCN however and not globally threatened.
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Common Kestrel, Digitalfrescos, Kestrel, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Lady common kestrel on pine top, Bhutan

The common kestrel is a bird of prey species belonging to the kestrel group of the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In Britain, where no other kestrel species occurs, it is generally just called “the kestrel”. Their plumage is mainly light chestnut brown with blackish spots on the upperside and buff with narrow blackish streaks on the underside; the remiges are also blackish. Unlike most raptors, they display sexual colour dimorphism with the male having fewer black spots and streaks, as well as a blue-grey cap and tail. The tail is brown with black bars in females, and has a black tip with a narrow white rim in both sexes. All common kestrels have a prominent black malar stripe like their closest relatives. The cere, feet, and a narrow ring around the eye are bright yellow; the toenails, bill and iris are dark. Juveniles look like adult females, but the underside streaks are wider; the yellow of their bare parts is paler. Hatchlings are covered in white down feathers, changing to a buff-grey second down coat before they grow their first true plumage. When hunting, the common kestrel […]
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