Apr 27
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, munia, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, white rumped munia

Whire rumped munia feeding, Bhutan

The white-rumped munia or white-rumped mannikin (Lonchura striata), sometimes called striated finch in aviculture, is a small passerine bird from the family of waxbill “finches” (Estrildidae). The white-rumped munia is approximately 10 to 11 cm in length, with a stubby grey bill and a long black pointed tail. The adults are brown above and on the breast, and lighter below; the rump is white. There is some variation between the subspecies, but the sexes are almost impossible to distinguish in all subspecies; males have a more bulky head and bill. The white-rumped munia is a common resident breeder ranging from South Asia to southern China east to Taiwan, and through Southeast Asia south to Sumatra; it frequents open woodland, grassland and scrub, and is well able to adapt to agricultural land use. It is a gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds, moving through the undergrowth in groups and sometimes accompanying other birds. As it is a drab-coloured and rather reclusive bird inhabiting dense undergrowth, the white-rumped munia is not necessarily conspicuous even where it occurs in considerable numbers. Diet is Grass seeds, mainly rice, also of other grasses (including Eragrostis), bamboo and sedge (Cyperaceae); also seeds from casuarina. Not […]
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Apr 27
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, leaf bird, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, orange bellied leaf bird

Orange bellied leaf bird, Bhutan

The orange-bellied leafbird (Chloropsis hardwickii) is a bird native to the central and eastern Himalayas, Yunnan and northern parts of Southeast Asia. It is brightly coloured with an orange belly, a green back, a blue tail and flight feathers, and a black and blue patch over its throat and chest. It has a long, curved beak. It feeds on insects, spiders and nectar. Orange-bellied leafbirds make their nests from roots and fibers which are suspended from the edges of twigs at the end of a tree branch. They do not migrate. This bird can be found in Canopy and edge of deciduous to evergreen forests, and secondary growth; also occurs in wooded areas. Diet – Generalist which includes arthropods, fruits and nectar. Forages alone or in pairs, and sometimes joins mixed-species flocks. Not globally threatened. Common throughout much of its extensive range, although overall population suspected to be decreasing in conjunction with habitat loss. It is classified as least concern by IUCN.
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Apr 27
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Blue whistling thrush, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Thrush

Blue whistling Thrush, Bhutan, Bhutan

The blue whistling thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) is a whistling thrush present in the mountains of Central Asia, China and Southeast Asia. It is known for its loud human-like whistling song at dawn and dusk. The widely distributed populations show variations in size and plumage with several of them considered as subspecies. This whistling thrush is dark violet blue with shiny spangling on the tips of the body feathers other than on the lores, abdomen and under the tail. The wing coverts are a slightly different shade of blue and the median coverts have white spots at their tips. The bill is yellow and stands in contrast. The inner webs of the flight and tail feathers is black. The sexes are similar in plumage. Like others in the genus, they feed on the ground, often along streams and in damp places foraging for snails, crabs, fruits and insects. The blue whistling thrush is usually found singly or in pairs. They hop on rocks and move about in quick spurts. They turn over leaves and small stones, cocking their head and checking for movements of prey. They feed on fruits, earthworms, insects, crabs and snails. Snails and crabs are typically battered on […]
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Apr 27
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Minivet, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, scarlett minivet

Scarlett Minivet on tree top, Bhutan

The scarlet minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus) is a small passerine bird. This minivet is found in tropical southern Asia from India to southern China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They are common resident breeding birds in forests and other well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country. While the male of most subspecies are scarlet to orange with black upper parts, the females are usually yellow with greyish olive upper parts. This minivet catches insects in trees by flycatching or while perched. It flushes insects out of foliage by beating its wings hard. Scarlet minivet will form small flocks. Its song is a pleasant whistling. This bird nests high up in the treetops. This is found in broadleaf evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous forests, and peatswamp-forest. It eats mainly insects, including caterpillars (Lepidoptera), grasshoppers and green crickets (Orthoptera) and cicadas (Cicadidae). Not globally threatened. Widespread and common in Nepal; locally common in India, Bangladesh and China; common in Bhutan and Sri Lanka; common in SE Asia. It is classified as least concern by IUCN.
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Apr 27
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Minivet, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, scarlett minivet

Scarlett Minivet on bamboo shoot, Bhutan

The scarlet minivet (Pericrocotus speciosus) is a small passerine bird. This minivet is found in tropical southern Asia from India to southern China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. They are common resident breeding birds in forests and other well-wooded habitats including gardens, especially in hilly country. While the male of most subspecies are scarlet to orange with black upper parts, the females are usually yellow with greyish olive upper parts. This minivet catches insects in trees by flycatching or while perched. It flushes insects out of foliage by beating its wings hard. Scarlet minivet will form small flocks. Its song is a pleasant whistling. This bird nests high up in the treetops. This is found in broadleaf evergreen, semi-evergreen and deciduous forests, and peatswamp-forest. It eats mainly insects, including caterpillars (Lepidoptera), grasshoppers and green crickets (Orthoptera) and cicadas (Cicadidae). Not globally threatened. Widespread and common in Nepal; locally common in India, Bangladesh and China; common in Bhutan and Sri Lanka; common in SE Asia. It is classified as least concern by IUCN.
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