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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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Crow, Digitalfrescos, eagle, MHE, Mountain hawk eagle, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Mountain hawk eagle in flight, Bhutan

The mountain hawk-eagle or Hodgson’s hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis, earlier treated under Spizaetus) is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in the Indian subcontinent, from India, Nepal (hence the epithet nipalensis) through Bangladesh to Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. The mountain hawk-eagle is a medium-large raptor. The typical adult has brown upperparts and pale underparts, with barring on the undersides of the flight feathers and tail. The breast and belly and underwing coverts are heavily streaked. The wings are broad with a curved trailing edge, and are held in a shallow V in flight. Sexes are similar, but young birds are often whiter-headed. The heavier underpart streaking and wing shape help to distinguish this species from the similar crested hawk-eagle. This eagle is It is a bird of mountain woodland and mostly found in dense foothill and montane evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, mostly from 600–4000 meters. Mountain hawk-eagles eat small mammals, birds and reptiles. It takes a wide variety of small to medium-sized mammals, especially hares and including even monkeys. Both adults have similar appearance, but the female is larger than male. The juvenile is much paler with pale to light […]
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Jan 14
by Admin in Bhutan 0 comments tags: Alwan, art, Avian, Bangalore, Bhutan, Bird, birds, Crow, Digitalfrescos, eagle, MHE, Mountain hawk eagle, Nikkor, Nikkor 500, Nikon, Nikon D500

Mountain hawk eagle takeoff, Bhutan

The mountain hawk-eagle or Hodgson’s hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis, earlier treated under Spizaetus) is a bird of prey. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. It breeds in the Indian subcontinent, from India, Nepal (hence the epithet nipalensis) through Bangladesh to Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. The mountain hawk-eagle is a medium-large raptor. The typical adult has brown upperparts and pale underparts, with barring on the undersides of the flight feathers and tail. The breast and belly and underwing coverts are heavily streaked. The wings are broad with a curved trailing edge, and are held in a shallow V in flight. Sexes are similar, but young birds are often whiter-headed. The heavier underpart streaking and wing shape help to distinguish this species from the similar crested hawk-eagle. This eagle is It is a bird of mountain woodland and mostly found in dense foothill and montane evergreen and mixed deciduous forests, mostly from 600–4000 meters. Mountain hawk-eagles eat small mammals, birds and reptiles. It takes a wide variety of small to medium-sized mammals, especially hares and including even monkeys. Both adults have similar appearance, but the female is larger than male. The juvenile is much paler with pale to light […]
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