Common Hill Myna

The Common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa), sometimes spelled "mynah" and formerly simply known as Hill Myna, is the myna most commonly seen in aviculture, where it is often simply referred to by the latter two names. It is a member of the starling family (Sturnidae), resident in hill regions of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The Sri Lanka Hill Myna, a former subspecies of G. religiosa, is now generally accepted as a separate species G. ptilogenys. The Enggano Hill Myna (G. enganensis) and Nias Hill Myna (G. robusta) are also widely accepted as specifically distinct, and many authors favor treating the Southern Hill Myna (G. indica) from the Nilgiris and elsewhere in the Western Ghats of India as a separate species.

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Hill_Myna
 

Common Hoopoe

 

The Hoopoe (Upupa epops) is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Saint Helena Hoopoe, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes elevated to a full species. Like the Latin name upupa, the English name is an onomatopoeic form which imitates the cry of the bird.

 

For more info http://www.avianweb.com/hoopoes.html

Greater Coucal

 

The Greater Coucals or the Crow Pheasants (Centropus sinensis) are non-parasitic cuckoos (unlike other cuckoos, they raise their own chicks). Locally, they are known by numerous names, including: Hindi: Mahoka; Punjabi: Kamadi kukkar; Bengali: Kuka Assamese: Kukoo sorai, Kukuha sorai, Dabahi kukuha; Cachar: Dao di dai; Manipuri: Nongkoubi; Gujarati: Hokko, Ghoyaro, Ghumkiyo; Kutch: Hooka; Marathi: Bharadwaj, Kumbhar kaola, Kukkudkumbha, Sonkawla'; Oriya: Dahuka; Tamil: Kalli kaka, Chembakam; Telugu: Jemudu kaki, Chemara, Mahoka kaki, Samba kaki; Malayalam: Uppan, Chemboth; Kannada: Kembootha; and Sinhalese: Atti kukkula, Bu kukkula.

 

 

 

 

The Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant (Centropus sinensis) is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China and Indonesia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species. They are large, crow-like with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range.

BAYA WEAVER

 

 

 

The Baya Weaver (Ploceus philippinus) is a weaverbird found across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Flocks of these birds are found in grasslands, cultivated areas, scrub and secondary growth and they are best known for their hanging retort shaped nests woven from leaves. These nest colonies are usually found on thorny trees or palm fronds and the nests are often built near water or hanging over water where predators cannot reach easily. They are widespread and common within their range but are prone to local, seasonal movements mainly in response to rain and food availability.

 

Description

These are sparrow-sized (15 cm) and in their non-breeding plumage, both males and females resemble female house sparrows. They have a stout conical bill and a short square tail. Non-breeding males and females look alike, dark brown streaked fulvous buff above, plain (unstreaked) whitish fulvous below, eyebrow long and buff coloured, bill is horn coloured and no mask. Breeding males have a bright yellow crown, dark brown mask, blackish brown bill, upper parts are dark brown streaked with yellow, with a yellow breast and cream buff belo.

Behaviour and ecology

Baya Weavers are social and gregarious birds. They forage in flocks for seeds, both on the plants and on the ground. Flocks fly in close formations, often performing complicated manoeuvres. They are known to glean paddy and other grain in harvested fields, and occasionally damage ripening crops and are therefore sometimes considered as pests.They roost in reed-beds bordering waterbodies. They depend on wild grasses such as Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) as well as crops like rice for both their food (feeding on seedlings in the germination stage as well as on early stages of grain) and nesting material. They also feed on insects (including butterflies), sometimes taking small frogs, geckos^] and molluscs, especially to feed their young. Their seasonal movements are governed by food availability. Their calls are a continuous chit-chit-... sometimes ending in a wheezy cheee-eee-ee that is produced by males in a chorus. A lower intensity call is produced in the non-breeding season.

Breeding

The breeding season of the Baya Weavers is during the monsoons. The breeding condition is initiated by environmental characters such as day length and comes to an end after summer although this termination is not influenced by short day length as in temperate birds. They nest in colonies typically of up to 20-30, close to the source of food, nesting material and water. Baya Weavers are best known for the elaborately woven nests constructed by the males.

Flame-throated Bulbul

 

 

The Flame-throated Bulbul, (Pycnonotus gularis), is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is found in southwest India.

Identification
19cm Very short erectile crest Orange-scarlet throat-patch Glossy black head Orange-yellow breast Bright olive tail, rounded, with small whitish corner-tips
Sexes similar
This is a bird of forest and dense scrub. It builds its nest in a bush; two to four eggs is a typical clutch. The Flame-throated Bulbul feeds on fruit and insects. It is virtually crestless, has an orange-red throat and whitish eyes.
Distribution Endemic to south-western India (western Karnataka to Kerala and Tamil Nadu) Locally common .

Taxonomy

 This is a monotypic species. It was formerly included in Black-crested Bulbul.

Habitat

 Evergreen foothill forest, thorny bamboo brakes, lantana thickets

Behaviour
Often seen in small parties in fruiting trees and shrubs with other bulbuls. Usually delivers its slurred song from low branches or telephone wires in bamboo groves and at hill stations.

Breeding
 It builds its nest in a bush; the clutch consisting of 2-4 eggs.

Diet
The diet includes fruit and insects