Mar 16
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Striated-laughing-thrush

Striated-laughing-thrush-perched-on-a-rhododendron-bush, bhutan

The striated laughingthrush (Grammatoptila striatus) is a passerine bird in the family Leiothrichidae. Large, bulky laughingthrush, brown with thin white streaks, bushy crest and stout bill. Striated laughingthrush feeds on insects, including beetles (Coleoptera); berries and seeds, including bramble (Rubus lineatus), aromatic wintergreens. It is found in the northern temperate regions of the Indian subcontinent and ranges across Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Tibet and Nepal. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Not globally threatened. Locally common in Nepal. Abundant and widespread in BhutanIt 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 bearded bee eater, Digitalfrescos, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Blue bearded bee eater a long distance image, Bhutan

The blue-bearded bee-eater (Nyctyornis athertoni) is a species of bee-eater found in much of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. This bee-eater is found in forest clearings. It is found mainly in the Malayan region but extends west into peninsular India. The blue feathers of its throat are elongated and often fluffed giving it its name. This large bee-eater has a large sickle shaped bill and the square ended tail lacks the “wires” that are typical of smaller bee-eaters. The bird is grass green with a turquoise forehead, face and chin. The feathers of the throat are elongated giving it a bearded appearance when they are fluffed out. The belly is yellowish to olive with streaks of green or blue. The peninsular Indian populations are said to be paler green than the northeast Indian populations. Although males and females appear similar, the blue throat feathers of the male show higher ultraviolet reflectivity than those of the female. It has been reported from the hill regions of the Satpuras, Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Nilgiris, Chota Nagpur and from the Sub-Himalayan forests. The species appears to feed mainly on bees. It exploits the defensive behavior of Giant honey bee (Apis […]
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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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