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Landscape with Animals

BIRDS

The fertile river side, lush paddy fields, and verdant farm lands offer a place to call home for a variety of bird species, some of whom reside permanently, and some who migrate from faraway lands once in a while.

 

Birds are our most visible and vocal wild friends, and their unique behaviours make for fascinating viewing. Birdwatching is a great activity that allows our little ones to enjoy the environment while taking time away from screens and videogames. It is also among the best nature activities for kids if you want to teach them to appreciate wildlife, big and small.

malabar grey hornbill in wayanad

MALABAR GREY HORNBILL

Ocyceros griseus

  • Among the smallest of the Asian hornbill species

  • Distinctive laughing or cackling sound

  • Lacks the casque found on many other hornbills

  • Seed dispersal agents for many species of fruit-bearing trees

GREATER COUCAL

Centropus sinensis

  • ​Also known as crow pheasant

  • Belongs to the cuckoo family

  • They have a familiar, deep, resonant call

  • Associated with omens in many parts of the subcontinent

greater coucal in wayanad
chestnut headed bee eater in wayanad

CHESTNUT-HEADED BEE EATER

Merops leschenaulti

  • Also called bay-headed bee eater

  • These sociable birds feed and nest communally

  • They lack the two elongated central tail feathers possessed by almost all their relatives

BLACK-RUMPED FLAMEBACK

Dinopium benghalense

  • Also called lesser goldenbacks

  • Usually seen in pairs

  • Has a characteristic rattling-whinnying call

  • Typically feeds on beetle larvae and termites

black rumped flameback in wayanad
tickells blue flycatcher in wayanad

TICKELL'S BLUE FLYCATCHER

Cyornis tickelliae

  • Named after Col. Samuel Richard Tickell

  • Usually feed on flying and crawling insects

  • Lead a solitary life outside their breeding season

  • Typically lives for over 10 years in the wild

WHITE-CHEEKED BARBET

Psilopogon viridis

  • Found only in southern India

  • They are non-migratory, resident birds

  • Mainly eat fruits and, sometimes, insects

  • Breeding season is from December to June

white cheeked barbet in wayanad
yellow browed warbler in wayanad

YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER

Phylloscopus inornatus

  • Constant motion makes it difficult to observe

  • Has a shrill and loud sound belying its small size

  • Usually travel and forage for food in groups

  • Migrates through Western Europe along the North Sea

RED-WHISKERED BULBUL

Pycnonotus jocosus

  • Generally found in pairs or small groups

  • Pleasant song consists of rich warbled phrases

  • Roost communally in groups of hundred or more

  • Also feed on fruits of the yellow oleander, which are toxic to mammals

red whiskered bulbul in wayanad
crow billed drongo in wayanad

CROW-BILLED DRONGO

Dicrurus annectans

  • Has a thick bill and distinctive forked tail

  • Possess highly diverse vocalisations

  • Hunt from a perch and capture prey on the ground

  • Aggressive and territorial, particularly during breeding season

ORIENTAL MAGPIE-ROBIN

Copsychus saularis

  • Considered the national bird of Bangladesh

  • Males sport black and white plumage

  • Females are grayish brown and white

  • Known to imitate other bird calls

oriental magpie robin in wayanad
red vented bulbul in wayanad

RED-VENTED BULBUL

Pycnonotus cafer

  • Colour under the tail is often difficult to see

  • Kept for cage fighting in 19th-century India

  • Disperse the seeds of invasive plants like Lantana camara and Miconia calvescens

  • Included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species

JUNGLE BABBLER

Turdoides striata

  • Noisy bird and lives in flocks of seven to ten

  • Hence, popularly known as “Seven Sisters”

  • When threatened, they sometimes feign death

  • Known to gather and mob potential predators such as snakes

jungle babbler in wayanad
intermediate egret in wayanad

INTERMEDIATE EGRET

Ardea intermedia

  • Also called yellow-billed egret

  • Bill becomes black during breeding season

  • Often confusing and difficult to identify

  • Can be distinguished from Little Egret by their completely black feet and shorter bills

INDIAN PEAFOWL

Pavo cristatus

  • Considered the national bird of India

  • Male is more colourful than the female

  • Courtship dance of the male is a gorgeous sight

  • Loud screaming calls are heard incessantly during the rainy season

indian peafowl in wayanad
common kingfisher in wayanad

COMMON KINGFISHER

Alcedo atthis

  • Also called small blue kingfisher

  • Most often seen in very fast, low flight

  • Has a shrill and short whistling call

  • Rather shy and inconspicuous despite bright plumage

BLACK-HEADED IBIS

Threskiornis melanocephalus

  • Also called oriental white ibis or indian white ibis

  • Lacks a true voice-producing mechanism

  • Near-threatened species

  • Greyish tail feathers turn black during the breeding season

black headed ibis in wayanad
lotens sunbird in wayanad

LOTEN'S SUNBIRD

Cinnyris lotenius

  • Found only in peninsular India and Sri Lanka

  • Female has grey upperparts and white underparts

  • These sunbirds are small, only 12–13 cm long

  • Named after Joan Gideon Loten, who was the Dutch governor of colonial Ceylon

WHITE-RUMPED MUNIA

Lonchura striata

  • Measure only 10-11 cm in length

  • Stubby grey bill and a long black pointed tail

  • The sexes are almost impossible to distinguish

  • Drab-colour and reclusiveness make it rather inconspicuous

white rumped munia in wayanad
spotted dove in wayanad

SPOTTED DOVE

Spilopelia chinensis

  • Distinguishing feature is the large black and white collar on the base of the hind-neck

  • Plumage shows slight regional variations

  • Move around in pairs or small groups

  • Closely related to the laughing dove

RUFOUS TREEPIE

Dendrocitta vagabunda

  • It is a member of the crow family, Corvidae

  • Loud musical calls make it very conspicuous

  • Also called “taka chor” or coin stealer

  • Adaptable, omnivorous and opportunistic in feeding

rufous treepie in wayanad
indian paradise flycatcher in wayanad

INDIAN PARADISE FLYCATCHER

Terpsiphone paradisi

  • Medium-sized bird native to the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and Myanmar

  • Usually found in forests and well-wooded areas

  • Males feature cinnamon or white plumage with a glossy black head

  • Females sport rufous wings and a short tail

  • Diet consists of small insects, moths, and butterflies

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