Birds of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh || Creatures that Brighten Our Day

Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Blue-throated Barbet
Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. 
Related Blogpost - Winged Wonder of California - Birding tours around San Francisco Bay Area, CA

Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Blue-throated Barbet


The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. 

 Related Blogpost - Bar Headed Goose flying near Pong Wetland in Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh, India

Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Blue-throated Barbet
Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. 


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Indian Robin
The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.

Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail
It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. 


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
White-browed Fantail
The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera.  


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Grey-hooded Warbler
The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. 


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Grey-hooded Warbler
The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. 


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Grey-hooded Warbler
The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. 


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Common Tailorbird
We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time.

 Related Blogpost - The Winged Models || Birds of Badahin, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Grey Bushchat
The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds.  


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail
The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.


Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Blue Whistling Thrush
One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush.

 Related Blogpost - Birds of Ayuthhaya, Thailand
Blue-throated Barbet, Birds add a lot of charm to our visits to our hometown in Himachal Pradesh. In fact, one of the most exciting aspects is the sheer variety of birds that one can spot there, right from our terrace. The secret behind this is the little stream that flows right behind our house. A dense vegetation that comprises of various types of trees, vines, and shrubs. Apart from leafy trees that provide shade and nesting opportunities, there were fruit trees and vines that provide food. There are also several types of insects that attract flycatchers, thrushes etc. Some of the trees have been trimmed recently so the warblers were very few. Blue-throated Barbet, The Blue-throated Barbet made a reappearance this time. The Chayote vine that my father-in-law had planted has spread across the stream and the Barbets are apparently nesting there and feeding on the chayotes every day. We had to be patient as the Barbets preferred to stay hidden in the vegetation, but finally our patience yielded results and it struck some nice poses. Blue-throated Barbet. Throughout our stay the only activity we saw this bird do was eating. And it made absolutely zero noise. Another observation was that this was a really restless bird and wouldn't stay at a single place for more than a few seconds. It would keep hopping to higher branches till it got out of the range of our basic camera and then relax. It would keep sitting there for hours, out in full view, keeping absolutely still. But yes, just out of the range of our camera. Indian Robin, The Indian Robin is a passerine bird that is widespread in the Indian subcontinent. The males of northern populations have a brown back, whereas those of the southern population are almost entirely black. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up to reveal the the chestnut undertail coverts.Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. It is a misnomer to refer to this bird as a Fantail because the DNA analysis has placed this bird closer to the family of fairy flycatchers. And if you happen to observe the bird in action you will definitely realize that it is a flycatcher. The way it perches is very similar to the white-browed fantail, but a fantail behaves in a very different way. White-browed Fantail. The yellow-bellied fantail is actually a very cute little bird. It is tiny, only about 8cm long. It has a black eyeband, a bright yellow belly and dark brown / black upper parts. This is another quick bird that is not easy to capture in a camera. It took us quite a few tries and required a lot of patience to capture it on a camera. Grey-hooded Warbler. The White-browed Fantail, on the other hand, is almost 18cm long, more than double the size of the yellow-bellied fantail. This fan tail flits from branch to branch and is so called because it is often seen with its tail spread like a Japanese hand fan. This is an insectivorous bird. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler is a 10-12 cm long leaf warbler that has a sweet and cheerful call, which is music to one's ears. This little warbler eats everything from tiny spiders, catterpillars, insects, berries. It is found foraging for food in leafy branches. Grey-hooded Warbler. The grey-hooded warbler has bright yellow underparts and yellow streaks on wings and tail. It has white and grey stripes on its head and grey shades on its neck and tips of the wing and the tail. It is a pretty little bird and is a joy to have around your home. Common Tailorbird. We were at our grandparents' house and I happened to be looking out of their kitchen door when I spotted these cute little tailorbirds. At first I thought it was some sort of a warbler but wasn't sure. The birds flew away by the time I got my camera. However, one thing that I have come to appreciate about the mountains is that life there is mostly simple and often predictable. Therefore, I was fairly confident that the birds will be back at the same time the next day. I positioned myself close to the spot the next day at the same time, this time equipped with the camera and our inadequate lens. And as predicted, the birds were back at the same time. Grey Bushchat. The Grey Bushchat is a small passerine bird that is often seen perched on high wires. The male of the species is easily identifiable because of its black eyeband and white belly. The female is rufous brown in color and with much lighter eyeband. It feeds mostly on small insects, grasshoppers, etc, and is also known to occasionally feed on seeds. Yellow-bellied Fairy Fantail. The Grey Bushchat is found in the Himalayas, southern China, Taiwan, Nepal and mainland Southeast Asia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Blue Whistling Thrush. One bird that we had seen often but hadn't really been able to identify was a large one that appeared black from a distance and was usually found very close to the stream. It had a yellow beak. This time we happened to spot it in sunlight and noticed that it wasn't actually black, but dark blue in color. And when it took flight, we got to hear its call as well. It was a shrill whistle-like sound. I guess this is where it gets its name - Blue Whistling Thrush. Great Barbet. The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.
Great Barbet
The Great Barbet made another appearance behind our home. It too was attracted by the ripe Lonku fruits that lay scattered near the stream that flows behind our home. This time we managed to capture it in our camera. The bird is much more beautiful in reality though. This is really the largest Barbet you can find, and it sports all the colors Barbets are famous for - a little bit of green, a bit of blue, some purple, orange, yellow and also red.


Related Blogposts -

As winter approaches North India, various wetlands start seeing thousands of Migratory Birds and Bharatpur's Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary is one of the most popular wetlands around National Capital region of India and hence sees lot of tourists from Delhi/Noida/Gurgaon region. And it's not limited to nearby tourists. Lot of serious birders visit Bharatpur during Winters from various parts of the country as well as foreigner tourists. This blog-post shares tips to plan a successful trip to Bharatpur from Delhi and what kind of things to take care while planning this birding trip. One day Road-Trip to Bharatpur Birds Sanctuary from Delhi : Winters Special
























We were definitely fortunate when it comes to the number of Herons and Egrets we were able to sight during our visit to the Keoladeo National Park in November. However, at that time, we did not know which was which. These two birds are so similar when it comes to their behavior that it takes an expert to identify them separately. We referred to our birding companion - A Pictorial Field Guide to Birds of India. However, I am sure we have made some mistakes in case of a few birds. In case you can spot any, please do point them out. We would be eternally grateful. Great Egrets.Both Herons and Egrets, and also the Bitterns, belong to the family Ardeidae. Though some argue that these are actually same birds with the only differences being that Egrets usually have white or buff plumage and develop distinctive white plumes during the breeding season. Otherwise, both these birds seek the same kind of habitat - wetlands. They breed in trees close to the wetlands, and they fly with their necks retracted, unlike storks and cranes who fly with their necks outstretched. Grey Heron in Flight. Experts are still undecided about what makes a heron, a heron and an egret, an egret. So much so that though these birds are classified under separate genera - Ardea and Egretta - the only marked difference in the definition of these genera is the size. Ardea consists of larger of the Herons whereas Egretta consists of the smaller ones. Though the size difference is often indistinct. Both the birds typically have a large wingspan and look very graceful in flight. Great Egret in Flight. You will often see these birds standing still with one leg raised and their necks outstretched carefully watching out for prey to come close enough so that they can snap it up with a quick movement of their neck and beaks. These birds are carnivorous and feed mainly on fish, frogs, lizards, and molluscs. Some herons, such as the cattle egret, often move away from the wetlands and follow cattle. These egrets feed on the insects that are disturbed by the movement of cattle in bushes. Juvenile Purple Heron(?) in the foreground with Great Egrets in the Distance. Another aspect that is unique about Herons is that they have powder down. These peculiar down feathers that often disintegrate into a powdery substance are thought to be of special significance to these birds because of their wet habitat and damp surroundings. It is also believed that these birds use the powder to preen and coat the feathers that cover the rest of their body. It is supposed to protect these feathers from slime and dirt. Purple Heron. It took us a while to associate these tall, graceful birds with the little cattle egrets we are used to seeing in the city. Initially I thought that these were cranes. However, when upon further research I discovered that though cranes and herons may look alike at a glance, they are indeed two very different birds. While Herons belong to the order Pelecaniformes, Cranes are part of the Gruiformes order. Unlike Herons who hold their necks in an "S" shape and completely retract them during flight, cranes old their necks straight. Herons have longer beaks and necks than cranes, though cranes typically are bigger in size. Indian Pond Heron. We were unfortunately not able to spot any cranes during our visit to Keoladeo. Cranes that are supposed to flock in Keoladeo during winters are Siberian Crane, Sarus Crane, Demoiselle Crane, and Common Crane. Of these, Siberian Crane does not visit India any more. A single pair of these critically endangered birds was last seen in Keoladeo National Park in 2002. Since then there is no recorded sighting of these birds in India. This is sad. If you think you have seen a Siberian crane during your visit to Keoladeo National Park, you are either mistaken or unbelievably fortunate and on the verge of being famous. Grey Heron keeping company with Black-Headed and Glossy Ibises. Herons and Egrets keep company with other water birds such as ducks, coots, waterhens etc. You will often spot one or two individuals standing tall among a flock of other smaller birds. In the above photograph, a grey heron is seen peacefully existing with the much smaller ibises. The ibises in this picture are the black-necked Ibis and the Glossy Ibis, which are often mistaken as white Ibis and Black Ibis, respectively. Though the black-necked Ibis is nearly threatened, they were a common sight in Keoladeo National Park. Grey Heron up close. The dotted line running down then neck of a grey heron creates an illusion of stitch marks and you may be forgiven if you confuse the bird with a stuff toy. From a distance and also at various stages of this heron's life, it may resemble the Great Egret quite a bit. However, two of the most distinctive identifying characteristics of the Egret are its dark legs and yellow beaks, which are also almost always easily identifiable from a distance, unless the legs are hidden behind the bushes or under water. Juvenile Cinnamon Bittern. A smaller member of the Ardeidae family, the bittern is classified into a separate subfamily Botaurinae. Typically smaller than the other herons, bitterns also exhibit slightly different behavior patterns. Bitterns are smaller and plumper than a typical Heron. They also have shorter necks, though they too can retract and elongate their necks. Unlike Herons who patiently wait for their prey to wander close enough, bitterns, and also pond herons, at times are known to chase down their prey. This kind of active hunting is not seen in other Herons. The bittern seen above has a similar plumage to the Indian Pond Heron (scroll up to see), but has a cinnamon colored underbelly as opposed to a white one in the pond heron. Grey Heron with Cattle Egret (?). In the photograph above, you can see a Grey Heron in close vicinity of a cattle egret. While structurally, both the birds seem similar, there are clear differences that can help you distinguish one from the other. While the Heron (on the left) has light-colored legs, the egret has darker, almost black, legs. Also, the beak in case of a Heron is pinkish, whereas an egret has a yellow beak. Both these birds, in the photograph above, are quite interested in something that is happening on their left. Intermediate Egret (?). This looks like a cattle egret though I cannot be sure. It's neck is too short for a great egret, though admittedly the bird looks a bit bigger than the egrets we see in the city. So may be it is an intermediate Egret. I will leave it to the experts to judge. However, such a picture of an egret standing still at the edge of water looks deceptively peaceful. I also found out what is known as the bagula in India (bagula bhagat for its unique habit of standing with one leg folded) is the same bird as the Great Egret. Purple Heron with Great Egret in the distance. Here are two of the larger birds in the same frame. The bird in the foreground is the purple heron and the one in the far distance is the great egret. You can see the thick "S" shaped neck of the Great Egret, while the purple heron up close has a slender neck, though this bird too can retract its neck when it so feels like. We were really grateful to spot these graceful birds in their natural habitat. The Keoladeo National Park is one of the very few walled wetlands where migratory and resident birds are safe from human interference. Cattle Egret. The sheer variety of birds at Keoladeo National Park is overwhelming. More than 400 different species have been observed here. Of those, we were only able to see a handful. At the time, we thought some of these herons and egrets and storks were migratory, but it turns out that they are all resident. The only migratory birds we saw were the smaller ones. The park is already lively, and I wonder how much more lively it would be once the migratory birds arrive. Anyhow, I think February would be a good time for another visit.
Juvenile Purple Heron(?) in the foreground with Great Egrets in the Distance

Herons and Egrets at Keoladeo National Park || Waterbirds and Waders at Bharatpur











Comments

rupam sarma said…
So beautiful birds. Great clicks.
February 24, 2020 at 9:18 PM
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