Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, grosbeak, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Spot winged grosbeak

Spot winged grosbeak pair – female and male, Bhutan

The spot-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae, found in middle to higher elevations. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Its range includes Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The male is identified by Slate-grey head, upper breast and upperparts. The underparts are yellow. The female birds have black streaking on the yellow head and body.  This image shows the male and female where the female is to the left and in the lower part of the frame. They eat seeds and berries, including cherries. According to Captain Hutton this species “comes to Mussooree in flocks during March and April, and remains as long as it can find plenty of cherry stones to crack, after which it disappears. They have a curious chattering note, and love to sit in the tops of the tallest trees. When at work on a wild cherry tree they are easily detected by the constant cracking sound of the cherrystones, which they never break, but open most dexterously at the joining of the […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, grosbeak, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Spot winged grosbeak

Spot winged grosbeak female, Bhutan

The spot-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae, found in middle to higher elevations. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Its range includes Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The male is identified by Slate-grey head, upper breast and upperparts. The underparts are yellow. The female birds have black streaking on the yellow head and body.  This image shows the female bird. They eat seeds and berries, including cherries. According to Captain Hutton this species “comes to Mussooree in flocks during March and April, and remains as long as it can find plenty of cherry stones to crack, after which it disappears. They have a curious chattering note, and love to sit in the tops of the tallest trees. When at work on a wild cherry tree they are easily detected by the constant cracking sound of the cherrystones, which they never break, but open most dexterously at the joining of the halves. The ground beneath the trees is strewed with the opened shells”. It is classified as […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, grosbeak, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Spot winged grosbeak

Spot winged grosbeak brothers, Bhutan

The spot-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae, found in middle to higher elevations. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Its range includes Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The male is identified by Slate-grey head, upper breast and upperparts. The underparts are yellow. The female birds have black streaking on the yellow head and body.  This image shows the male birds. They eat seeds and berries, including cherries. According to Captain Hutton this species “comes to Mussooree in flocks during March and April, and remains as long as it can find plenty of cherry stones to crack, after which it disappears. They have a curious chattering note, and love to sit in the tops of the tallest trees. When at work on a wild cherry tree they are easily detected by the constant cracking sound of the cherrystones, which they never break, but open most dexterously at the joining of the halves. The ground beneath the trees is strewed with the opened shells”. It is classified as […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Digitalfrescos, grosbeak, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500, Spot winged grosbeak

Spot winged grosbeak brothers with insects flying

The spot-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae, found in middle to higher elevations. It is found in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. Its range includes Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The male is identified by Slate-grey head, upper breast and upperparts. The underparts are yellow. The female birds have black streaking on the yellow head and body.  This image shows the male birds. They eat seeds and berries, including cherries. According to Captain Hutton this species “comes to Mussooree in flocks during March and April, and remains as long as it can find plenty of cherry stones to crack, after which it disappears. They have a curious chattering note, and love to sit in the tops of the tallest trees. When at work on a wild cherry tree they are easily detected by the constant cracking sound of the cherrystones, which they never break, but open most dexterously at the joining of the halves. The ground beneath the trees is strewed with the opened shells”. It is classified as […]
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Jun 18
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, collared, collared grosbeak, Digitalfrescos, grosbeak, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Collared grosbeak Male – in rain, Bhutan

The collared grosbeak may be the largest species in the diverse finch family, but several other species, including others in the genus Mycerobas, may rival it in size. The collared grosbeak ranges from fairly common to scarce within its range. The species summers and breeds at an elevation of 2,700 to 4,200 m (8,900 to 13,800 ft). It engages in altitudinal movements, by winter traveling to as low as 1,800 m (5,900 ft) or even to 1,060 m (3,480 ft). This grosbeak occurs in mixed and coniferous forests, commonly around stands of maple, oak or rhododendron. It also may occur during the summer in dwarf juniper above the tree line in the mountains. Pairs or small parties usually perch near the tops of tall trees but forage often in lower vegetation or even on the ground. Its range encompasses the northern regions of the Indian Subcontinent, mainly the Himalayas, along with some adjoining regions. It is found in Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand. Its natural habitat is mountainous deciduous or mixed forests. This is lassified as least concern by IUCN
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