Birds Around Me

The Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus), or जंगली मैना in Hindi, is a lively and engaging bird for amateur birders to observe.  Jungle Mynas are known for their ability to mimic human speech and other sounds, making them fascinating subjects for observation.   The Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus), or जंगली मैना is a  medium-sized bird measures about 23-26 cm in length. It has glossy black plumage with a bluish sheen, especially noticeable on the head and upperparts. The bright orange-yellow bill and eye-patch stand out against its dark feathers. A small tufted crest above the base of the bill and yellow legs add to its distinctive appearance. Contrary to its name, it is usually found in open areas such as farmland, fields, and parks. Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus) जंगली मैना Devtal, Jabalpur, MP, India October 2023 Jungle Mynas are social birds often seen in small flocks. They are highly vocal and can mimic various sounds. Their calls are a series of varied notes, often...

Black-crowned Night-heron वाक्, नख्त ताल बगुला , नख्त बाक, रात बगुला (Nycticorax nycticorax) adults overall pale greyish with black cap and back and conspicuous red eyes. Juveniles are noticeably different and often confused with  0026. Indian Pond Heron ( अंधा   बगुला ) / Ardeola grayii  or 0091. Striated Heron (Butorides striata) , brown and streaky with yellow eyes.  Black-crowned Night-heron वाक्, नख्त ताल बगुला , नख्त बाक, रात बगुला (Nycticorax nycticorax) Jabalpur, April 2024 I nteresting Fact: "nycticorax" is from Ancient Greek and combines nux, nuktos meaning "night" and korax meaning "raven", often used in the past for "bird of ill omen".   Hindi Names of Black-crowned Night-heron:  वाक्, नख्त ताल बगुला , नख्त बाक, रात बगुला Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण  सूची)  https://birds.rekabira.in/p/this-is-list-of-birds-i-clicked-since.html   Ashutosh Jhureley  @BirdsAroundMe Black-crowned Night-heron वाक...

The Red avadavat or Red Munia (Estrilda amandava) लाल मुनिया is smaller than a sparrow. The male is crimson with sparse white spots. In non-breeding plumage the male and female are alike: brownish, sparse white spots, and only bill and rump crimson. The tail is rounded, not pointed as in  0040. Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata) . It is a typical munia in habits and behavior, keeping in flocks in tall flowering grass and reeds in damp localities such as the margins of the jheels. It lives on grass seeds and insects.  Red avadavat or Red Munia (Estrilda amandava) लाल मुनिया Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur Breeding   Red avadavat or Red Munia (Estrilda amandava) लाल मुनिया  males utter a low continuous twittering song. Although a popular caged bird is considered a bad omen in some places, anyone shooing them off is destined to die soon.  Hindi name of Red avadavat or Red Munia (Estrilda amandava): लाल मुनिया -- Ashutosh Jhureley  @BirdsAroundMe Un...

There is a small pond in front of our home in Jabalpur called Shahi Talab, all year round. In our garden we see all sort of common garden birds but one day we caught thief who was eating all the feed for little aves. It was White-breasted Waterhen (जलमुर्गी, डौक) - Amaurornis phoenicurus that frequented our garden every morning snacking on the feed before anyone got up. White-breasted Waterhen (जलमुर्गी, डौक) - Amaurornis phoenicurus is a bird of the Rails (Rallidae) family, skulking marsh-haunting birds of small size, with stubby tails, rounded winds, and longish bare legs and toes. It is a common slaty grey stub-tailed, bare-legged marsh bird, with a prominent white face and breast, and bright rusty red under the cocked-up tail.  The White-breasted Waterhen (जलमुर्गी, डौक) is inseparable from the neighborhood of water and usually met with singly or in pairs in or near reed beds and thickets on the edge of lakes and village ponds.  White-breasted Waterhen (जलमुर्गी,...

One of the commonest species of the True Owls is the Spotted Owlet खुसटिया, चुगड़, चिट्टेदार चुगड़  (Athene brama), about the size of Common Myna but fatter. It is a squat, white-spotted greyish brown little owl with a typical large round head and forwardly directed unblinking eyes. It is seen in open plains and foothills country and s usually abundant and thoroughly at home in the midst of human habitations. Ancient mango, banyan, peepal, and similar trees with holes and fissures usually harbor a pair or two.  The birds fly fussily to a neighbouring branch where they bob and stare unblinkingly at the intruder in clownish fashion sometimes screwing the head completely around in the process. They are largely nocturnal, hiding during the daytime and seen at dusk. They may be seen in the twilight perched on fence posts, wires, and poles, pouncing on the grasshoppers and mice. The food primarily consists of beetles, grasshoppers, insects, lizards, mice, and small birds. These o...

This blog lists birds I photographed during my trip to my hometown, Jabalpur, India in 2022. Most of the birds have been photographed near my home, in parks, around Shahi Taal, from the rooftop, in the garden, or field behind our locality. 27.  Black Drongo (कोतवाल, भुजंग),  Due to this behavior of guarding its  territory aggressively,  smaller birds often nest near the nesting   Black Drongo and earned this bird name -  कोतवाल or Security Guard . Black Drongo (कोतवाल, भुजंग)   https://birds.rekabira.in/2018/01/birds-around-me-0123-black-drongo.html 26.  Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark दियोरा, दूरि, स्लेटी-सिर देओली, जोथौली (Eremopterix griseus): It was my first time I managed to photograph on them.  Ashy-crowned sparrow-lark दियोरा, दूरि, स्लेटी-सिर देओली, जोथौली (Eremopterix griseus) https://birds.rekabira.in/2023/07/birds-around-me-0195-ashy-crowned.html 25. Indian Golden Orioles पीलक (Oriolus kundoo): It is one of my favorites, u...