17-4-2024 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - INDIAN ROBIN (Copsychus fulicatus)

The Indian robin (Copsychus fulicatus ) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae.It is widespread in the Indian subcontinent and ranges across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The males of the northern subspecies have brown backs whose extent gradually reduces southwards, with the males of the southern subspecies having all-black backs. 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 and the chestnut undertail coverts and dark body make them easily distinguishable from pied bushchats and Oriental magpie-robins.

The Indian robin is sexually dimorphic in plumage, with the male being mainly black with a white shoulder patch or stripe whose visible extent can vary with posture. The northern populations have the upper plumage brownish, while the southern populations are black above. The males have chestnut undertail coverts and these are visible as the bird usually holds the 6–8 cm long tail raised upright. The females are brownish above, have no white shoulder stripe and are greyish below, with the vent a paler shade of chestnut than the males. Birds of the northern populations are larger than those from southern India or Sri Lanka. Juvenile birds are much like females, but the throat is mottled.

Several subspecies are named based on their plumage differences. The nominate subspecies refers to the population found across southern peninsular India. The subspecies leucopterus is found in Sri Lanka. In the two subspecies cambaiensis of northern and north-western India and erythrura (=erythrurus ) of north-eastern India (south to around Sambalpur), the males have brown backs. The subspecies intermedius includes birds in appearance between cambaiensis, erythrura and fulicata, the last one found in central India and parts of the Deccan region. The subspecies munda was named based on a specimen from the Punjab, but it is now considered synonymous with cambaiensis. Older classifications treat the population in southern India as the subspecies ptymatura while considering the type locality as Sri Lanka, although it has subsequently been restricted to Pondicherry.

Local names recorded by Jerdon include Nalanchi (Telugu), Wannatikuruvi (Tamil, Washerman bird ), Dayaal (Marathi) Kalchuri (Hindi) and Paan kiriththaa (Sinhala). The former genus name indicates that it looks similar to Saxicola, the genus of the pied bushchat, a bird often found in similar habitats.

This bird is found in open stony, grassy and scrub forest habitats. They are mainly found in dry habitats and are mostly absent from the thicker forest regions and high rainfall areas. All populations are resident and non-migratory. The species is often found close to human habitation and will frequently perch on rooftops.

The species was introduced into the New York region, but did not become established there. A vagrant or escape has been noted from the Maldives.

The breeding season is December to September, but varies according to region and usually begins with the first rains. Peak breeding in northern India is in June and is earlier in Southern India. In Sri Lanka, breeding is in March to June and August to September. Males sing during this season and display by lowering and spreading their tail feathers and strutting around the female, displaying their sides and fluffing their undertail coverts. The songs of males have variants for inviting mates and for deterring other males. Males will drive away other males and patrol their territory by flying with slow wing beats from perch to perch. They may sometimes peck at their reflections. An aggressive display involves fluffing up the feathers and holding the bill high.

Nests are built between rocks, in holes in walls or in a tree hollow and are lined with animal hair. It has been noted that many of them are also lined with pieces of snakeskin sloughs. The eggs are of regular oval form, but many are elongated and a few pointed. They have a fair amount of gloss. The ground colour is white, often tinged with faint green or pink which is rather closely spotted, speckled, streaked, or mottled with rich reddish- or umber-brown and brownish-yellow with some underlying lavender. The markings are denser at the larger end of the egg, where they form an irregular cap. Some eggs are blotched with dark reddish-brown at the large end. They are about 0.76–0.84 inches (1.9–2.1 cm) long and 0.55–0.62 inches (1.4–1.6 cm) wide. Three to four eggs is the usual clutch. An abnormal clutch of seven has been noted, although none of the eggs hatched at this nest. Only the female incubates the eggs, which then hatch in about 10–12 days. The chicks have black down. Both males and females feed the young, the male sometimes passing food to the female who, in turn, feeds the young. Nestlings may feign dead (thanatosis) when handled and may be preyed on by the rufous treepie. The same nest site may be reused in subsequent years.

An old anecdotal record of these birds laying their eggs in the nests of Turdoides babblers has not been supported by later observers. Laboratory studies have demonstrated cyclic changes in the melanin pigmentation of the tissue surrounding the testes. The dark pigmentation is lost during the breeding season and regained later.

17-4-2023 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - INDIAN VULTURE

The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old World vulture native to Asia. This species has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2002 because its population severely declined.

The Indian vulture is a medium-sized and bulky scavenger. Its body and covert feathers are pale, its flight feathers are darker. Its wings are broad and its tail feathers short. The head and neck are almost bald, and its bill is rather long. Females of this species are smaller than males.

Indian vultures are native to India, Pakistan, and Nepal. They are usually found in savannas and other open habitats around villages, cities, and near cultivated areas.

 Indian vultures are social birds that often congregate in flocks. They are active during the day spending most of their time soaring over open areas looking for carcasses to gorge on. Indian vultures do not migrate but they may fly up to 100 km in a day when searching for food. They are generally silent, but when these vultures gather in groups around carcasses, they produce various grunts and hisses.

The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old World vulture native to Asia. This species has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2002 because its population severely declined.

The Indian vulture is a medium-sized and bulky scavenger. Its body and covert feathers are pale, its flight feathers are darker. Its wings are broad and its tail feathers short. The head and neck are almost bald, and its bill is rather long. Females of this species are smaller than males.

17-4-2023 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - COMMON TAILORBIRD (Orthotomus sutorius)

 

The Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius ) is a songbird found across tropical Asia. These birds are popular for their nest made of leaves "sewn" together and immortalized by Rudyard Kipling as Darzee in his Jungle Book. Although shy birds that are usually hidden within vegetation, their loud calls are familiar and give away their presence. Tailor birds in Punjab used to lay shiny red eggs but became extinct about 1975 because they lay eggs in fields used to grow fodder crops.

These are brightly colored birds, with bright green upperparts and creamy underparts. They have short rounded wings, a long tail, strong legs, and a sharp bill with a curved tip to the upper mandible. They are wren-like with a long upright tail that is often moved around. The crown is rufous and the upperparts are predominantly olive green. Their underside is creamy white. The sexes are identical, except that the male has long central tail feathers in the breeding season, although the reliability of sexing data accompanying museum specimens used in determining this sexual dimorphism has been questioned. Young birds are duller. When calling, the dark patches on the sides of the neck become visible. These are due to the dark pigmented and bare skin that is present in both sexes and sometimes gives the appearance of a dark gorget.

17-4-2023 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - ASIAN GREEN BEE-EATER (Merops orientalis)

The Asian green bee-eater (Merops orientalis) is a brightly-colored bird in the bee-eater family. It performs some seasonal movements and is found widely distributed across Asia. Populations in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that were formerly assigned to this species (under the name green bee-eater) are now considered distinct species: the African green bee-eater and the Arabian green bee-eater. Asian green bee-eaters are mainly insect eaters and prefer to live quite far from water.

Like other bee-eaters, this species is a richly colored, slender bird. The males and the females are not visually distinguishable. The entire plumage is bright green and tinged with blue, especially on the chin and throat. The crown and upper back are tinged with golden rufous. The flight feathers are rufous washed with green and tipped with blackish. A fine black line runs in front of and behind the eye. The iris is crimson and the bill is black while the legs are dark grey. The feet are weak with the three toes joined at the base. Southeast Asian birds have rufous crown and face, and green underparts. The wings are green and the beak is black. The elongated tail feathers are absent in juveniles. 

17-4-2023 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - HOUSE CRICKET (Acheta domesticus)

Acheta domesticus, commonly called the house cricket, is a cricket most likely native to Southwestern Asia, but between 1950 and 2000 it became the standard feeder insect for the pet and research industries and spread worldwide. They can be kept as pets themselves, as this has been the case in China and Japan.

The house cricket is typically gray or brownish in color, growing to 16–21 millimetres (0.63–0.83 in) in length. Males and females look similar, but females will have a brown-black, needle-like ovipositor extending from the center rear, approximately the same length as the cerci, the paired appendages towards the rear-most segment of the cricket. On males, the cerci are more prominent.

The house cricket is an omnivore that eats a range of plant and animal matter. Crickets in the wild consume flowers, leaves, fruits, grasses and other insects (including dead members of their own species). Crickets in captivity will accept fruits (e.g. apples, oranges, bananas), vegetables (e.g. potatoes, carrots, squash, leafy vegetables), grains (e.g. oatmeal, cornmeal, cooked corncobs, alfalfa, wheat germ, rice cereal), various pet foods and commercial cricket food.

House crickets take two to three months to complete their life cycle at 26 to 32 °C (79 to 90 °F). They have no special overwintering stage, but can survive cold weather in and around buildings, and in dumps where heat from fermentation may sustain them. Eggs are deposited in whatever moist substrate is available. Juveniles resemble the adults except for being smaller and wingless.

The house cricket was essentially eliminated from the cricket-breeding industries of North America and Europe by the appearance of cricket paralysis virus which spread rapidly in Europe in 2002 and then in the United States in 2010. The virus is extremely lethal to this species of cricket and a few others, and left many hobbyists and researchers without adequate feeder insects. It has been replaced by the Jamaican field cricket, which is resistant to cricket paralysis virus and has many of the desirable features of the house cricket.

The house cricket is an edible insect. It is farmed in South-East Asia and parts of Europe and North America for human consumption. In Asia, it is said to become more popular than many native cricket species due to what consumers claimed was their superior taste and texture. Dry-roasting is common and is considered the most nutritious method of preparing them, though they are often sold deep-fried as well. Farmed house crickets are mostly freeze-dried and often processed into a powder known as cricket flour. In Europe, the house cricket is officially approved for use in food products in Switzerland (since 2017) and in the European Union member states (since 2022). In the EU, the house cricket was approved as novel food in frozen, dried and powdered forms with the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/188 of 10 February 2022. Before that, the European Food Safety Authority had published a safety assessment on August 17, 2021, stating that frozen and dried formulations from whole house crickets are safe for consumption.

House crickets are an incomplete protein source, deficient in tryptophan and lysine. They contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

17-4-2023 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - RUSTY RED FLOUR BEETLE (Genus Tribolium)

ribolium is a genus of flour beetles in the family Tenebrionidae. They are known by various common names including flour beetles, flour weevils, red weevils and bran bugs.

Adult Tribolium are beetles 3–6 mm in length and with colours ranging from reddish-brown to black. The clypeus is enlarged and has genae forming shelf-like projections extending around the sides, partly dividing the eyes. The antennae are 11-segmented and either expand towards the ends or have terminal clubs. The prothorax is nearly square in shape and rounded on the sides. The elytra are striated. They possess well-developed wings, but at least one species (T. confusum) is unable to use them to fly. The two sexes are similar in external appearance, i.e. there is no sexual dimorphism.

The eggs are 0.6 mm long, oblong in shape and whitish to nearly transparent in colour.

The larvae are elongate and approximately 6–7 mm long when mature. They can be distinguished from some other tenebrionid larvae by the last abdominal segment ending in two points (urogomphi). They are mostly yellowish-white except for: the dorsal part of the head, the tips of the claws and the tergites, which are slightly darkened; and the urogomphi and the tips of the mandibles, which are reddish-brown.

The pupae are initially white, but turn yellow after a day or two, then gradually turn darker.

In the wild, Tribolium occur under bark and in old logs. A number of species have adapted to living in stored plant products.

Tribolium lay their eggs in a food source such as flour. These hatch into larvae which proceed to feed and grow within the food, avoiding light. There are usually 7 or 8 larval instars, but there can be as few as 5 or as many as 11 depending on food, temperature and humidity. The larval stage can take 22 days to over 100 days, depending on food, temperature and species (T. confusum takes longer to develop than T. castaneum). Once development is complete, larvae come to the surface of their food or to some sheltered space or crack, where they become pupae. They use empty pupal cells left behind by Mediterranean flour moths when available. The pupal stage lasts for 5–12 days depending on temperature and light. Adults emerge from pupae to continue the next generation. Adults are among the longest-lived of stored product insects, able to survive for over three years. Males (but not females) can continue reproducing even after their third year.

The original distribution of Tribolium is suspected to be in the region of India, southwestern Asia and the eastern Mediterranean. The genus has since spread worldwide via human trade. 

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - INDIAN BLUE PEAFOWL (MALE) (Pavo cristatus)

The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus), also known as the common peafowl, and blue peafowl, is a peafowl species native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been introduced to many other countries. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are referred to as peahens, although both sexes are often referred to colloquially as a "peacock".

Indian peafowl display a marked form of sexual dimorphism. The peacock is brightly coloured, with a predominantly blue fan-like crest of spatula-tipped wire-like feathers and is best known for the long train made up of elongated upper-tail covert feathers which bear colourful eyespots. These stiff feathers are raised into a fan and quivered in a display during courtship. Despite the length and size of these covert feathers, peacocks are still capable of flight. Peahens lack the train, have a white face and iridescent green lower neck, and dull brown plumage. The Indian peafowl lives mainly on the ground in open forest or on land under cultivation where they forage for berries, grains but also prey on snakes, lizards, and small rodents. Their loud calls make them easy to detect, and in forest areas often indicate the presence of a predator such as a tiger. They forage on the ground in small groups and usually try to escape on foot through undergrowth and avoid flying, though they fly into tall trees to roost.

The function of the peacock's elaborate train has been debated for over a century. In the 19th century, Charles Darwin found it a puzzle, hard to explain through ordinary natural selection. His later explanation, sexual selection, is widely but not universally accepted. In the 20th century, Amotz Zahavi argued that the train was a handicap, and that males were honestly signalling their fitness in proportion to the splendour of their trains. Despite extensive study, opinions remain divided on the mechanisms involved.

The bird is celebrated in Hindu and Greek mythology, and is the national bird of India.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - SRI LANKAN SAMBAR DEER (Rusa unicolor ssp. Unicolor)

The sambar (Rusa unicolor) is a large deer native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The name "sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine deer called the "Philippine sambar", and the Javan rusa called the "Sunda sambar".

Sambar deer are light brown or dark with a grayish or yellowish tinge. The underparts are paler. Old sambars turn very dark brown, almost the color black. Their coat of dark short hair is coarse, and their undersides have creamy white to light brown hair. The color of the coat is usually consistent around the body, but it can vary from almost dark gray to yellowish-brown.

Males have unique stout, rugged antlers with three points, or tines. Their tail is quite long for deer, generally black on top and dirty white or whitish underneath. Sambars have long, strong legs, the upper color being dark brown, with the inner parts of the legs a paler or dirty white. Their brownish-gray ears are long. Adult males and pregnant or lactating females possess an unusual hairless, blood-red spot located about halfway down the underside of their throats. This sometimes oozes a white liquid and is apparently glandular in nature.

Sambar deer are native in India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Sri Lanka, Burma, the Philippines, southern China, Taiwan, Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java. They inhabit both the gentle slopes and the steeper parts of forested hillsides. Sambar prefer to live in tropical dry forests, open scrub, tropical seasonal forests, subtropical mixed forests with stands of conifers and montane grasslands, broadleaved deciduous and broadleaved evergreen trees, to tropical rainforests, and seldom move far from water sources. These deer can also be found near cultivated areas like gardens and plantations, where they can find food.

20-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - BLACK DRONGO (Dicrurus macrocercus)

The Black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a small Asian passerine bird The species is known for its aggressive behavior towards much larger birds that invade its territory. The Black drongo has been introduced to some Pacific islands, where it has thrived and become abundant to the point of threatening and causing the extinction of native and endemic bird species there.

Black drongos are glossy black birds with a wide fork to the tail. Adults usually have a small white spot at the base of the gape. The iris is dark brown (not crimson as in the similar ashy drongo). The sexes cannot be told apart in the field. Juveniles are brownish and may have some white barring or speckling towards the belly and vent, and can be mistaken for the white-bellied drongo. First-year birds have white tips to the feathers of the belly, while second-years have these white-tipped feathers restricted to the vent. Black drongos fly with strong flaps of the wing and are capable of fast maneuvers that enable them to capture flying insects. With short legs, they sit upright on thorny bushes, bare perches, or electricity wires. They may also perch on grazing animals.

Black drongos are found as summer visitors to northeastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan but are residents from the Indus Valley until Bangladesh and into India and Sri Lanka. Some populations make seasonal movements that are poorly understood; populations in Korea are known to be migratory. Black drongos inhabit open habitats such as savannas, shrublands, grasslands, fields, and urban areas.

Black drongos become active very early at dawn and roost later than many other birds. They feed late in the evening or night, often on insects attracted to artificial lights. Black drongos can often be seen sitting upright on thorny bushes, bare perches, or electricity wires. They may also perch on grazing animals. They usually perch and hunt close to the ground. Black drongos are mostly aerial predators of insects but also glean from the ground or off vegetation. They sometimes fly close to tree branches, attempting to disturb any insects that may be present. They congregate in fields being ploughed, picking up exposed caterpillars and beetle grubs. As many as 35 birds have been seen at such congregations. They are also attracted to fires in scrub and grasslands habitats where insects are disturbed. Black drongos often associate with Common mynas, Cattle egrets, and other birds that share a similar diet and habitat. Drongos benefit from this association and are more successful in their foraging. It is said that they imitate the call of the shikra so as to put mynas to flight and then steal prey. Black drongos are aggressive and fearless birds and will attack much larger species that enter their nesting territory, including crows and even birds of prey. This behavior led to their former name of “king crow”. Black drongos have a wide range of calls but their most common call is a two-note ‘tee-hee’ call.

 

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - INDIAN ROLLER (Coracias benghalensis)

The Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis) is a colorful bird best known for its aerobatic displays of males during the breeding season. It is often seen perched along roadside trees and wires and is commonly seen in open grassland and scrub forest habitats. The largest population occurs in India, and several states in India have chosen it as their state bird.

The Indian roller is a bulky and broad-winged bird with a large head short neck and legs. The bare skin around the eyes is dull orange, and the legs and feet are yellow-brown. The bill is tinged with brown at the base. The iris is grey-brown. The plumage on the forehead, chin and lores are pinkish buff, the ear coverts are darker red-brown with pale cream or pinkish streaks, while the throat is a dull wine-red with narrow cream streaks. The crown and nape are a darker dull turquoise.

The back and rump are bright turquoise, and the belly is pale blue. The tail coverts are dark purple-blue with turquoise tips. The middle two tail feathers are greyish blue-olive with black shafts, while the surrounding tail feathers are an intense purple-blue with a broad pale blue band and greenish tinge towards the tips. The flight feathers on the wings have the same purple-blue colour of those on the tail, with a similar pale blue band across the most distal five or six primaries. The underwing coverts and axillary feathers are pale blue, while the upperwing coverts are a dull green-blue.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - RUFOUS TREEPIE (Dendrocitta vagabunda)

The Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) is a bird similar to magpie native to South Asia and adjoining parts of Southeast Asia. It is a member of the crow family and like other corvids, it is very adaptable, omnivorous, and opportunistic in feeding. A local name for the Rufous treepie 'kotri' is derived from its typical call; it is also known locally as Handi Chancha and taka chor meaning "coin thief".

The main colour of the body is cinnamon with a black head and the long graduated tail is bluish grey and is tipped in black. The wing has a white patch. The only confusable species is the Grey treepie which however lacks the bright rufous mantle. The bill is stout with a hooked tip. The underparts and lower back are warm tawny-brown to orange-brown in color with white wing coverts and black primaries. The bill, legs, and feet are black. The male and the female of this species look similar.

Rufous treepies are found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. They live in open forests consisting of scrub, dry forests, wet forests, montane forests, plantations, gardens, and urban parks. In the Garhwal Himalayas, Rufous treepies migrate seasonally between different elevations.

Rufous treepies are arboreal diurnal birds. They are usually seen in pairs or family groups and may gather in flocks in areas with plentiful food sources. Rufous treepies are agile foragers, clinging and clambering through the branches and sometimes joining mixed hunting parties along with species such as drongos and babblers. Like many other corvids, they cache food. Rufous treepies also feed on ectoparasites of sambar which permit them to perch and position themselves to invite the birds to examine specific parts. These birds have a wide repertoire of calls, but a 'bob-o-link' or 'ko-tree' call is most common. They also make various harsh calls, squawks, and musical notes.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - CHITAL (Axis axis) (JUVENILE)

The Axis deer (Axis axis) is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Polycarp Erxleben in 1777.

The Axis deer is a beautiful mammal with a spotted body and short tail. Both males and females have markings on their bodies; the markings are white, running in rows along the length of their bodies. The body of Axis deer is bright golden brown in color while the head is a bit lighter shade of the same color. Around their eyes, they have stripes of fur that are paler in color. Males have black spots on their faces and three tines on each of their magnificent antlers. These deer have a dark stripe, running along the length of their back and bordered by a row of spots. The outer parts of their legs are light brown in color while the underparts can be both white and creamy. The Axis deer has a white spot on its throat, which is more noticeable in males. In addition, the tail of the Axis deer has a white underpart. 

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN (Copsychus saularis)

The Oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis ) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. These birds are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds.

The Oriental magpie-robin is 19 cm (7.5 in) long, including the long tail, which is usually held cocked upright when hopping on the ground. It is similar in shape to the smaller European robin, but is longer-tailed. The male has black upperparts, head, and throat apart from a white shoulder patch. The underparts and the sides of the long tail are white. Females are greyish black above and greyish white. Young birds have scaly brown upperparts and heads.

Oriental magpie-robins are resident breeders in tropical southern Asia from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and eastern Pakistan, eastern Indonesia, Thailand, south China, Malaysia, and Singapore. They inhabit open woodlands, mangroves, and cultivated areas often close to human habitations.

 This magpie-robin is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and eastern Pakistan, eastern Indonesia, Thailand, south China, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The Oriental magpie-robin is found in open woodland and cultivated areas often close to human habitations.

Magpie-robins breed mainly from March to July in India and January to June in south-east Asia. Males sing from high perches during courtship. The display of the male involves puffing up the feathers, raising the bill, fanning the tail and strutting. They nest in tree hollows or niches in walls or building, often adopting nest boxes. They line the cavity with grass. The female is involved in most of the nest building, which happens about a week before the eggs are laid. Four or five eggs are laid at intervals of 24 hours and these are oval and usually pale blue green with brownish speckles that match the color of hay. The eggs are incubated by the female alone for 8 to 14 days. The nests are said to have a characteristic odour.

Females spend more effort on feeding the young than males. Males are quite aggressive in the breeding season and will defend their territory. They respond to the singing of intruders and even their reflections. Males spend more time on nest defense. Studies of the bird song show dialects with neighbours varying in their songs. The calls of many other species may be imitated as part of their song. This may indicate that birds disperse and are not philopatric. Females may sing briefly in the presence of a male. Apart from their song, they use a range of calls including territorial calls, emergence and roosting calls, threat calls, submissive calls, begging calls and distress calls. The typical mobbing calls is a harsh hissing krshhh.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - NORTHERN PLAINS GREY LANGUR (Semnopithecus entellus)

The northern plains gray langur (Semnopithecus entellus ), also known as the sacred langur, Bengal sacred langur and Hanuman langur, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae.

The fur of adults is mostly light colored, with darker fur on the back and limbs, and the face, ears, hands and feet are all black. Infants are brown. Body size excluding tail ranges from 45.1 cm (17.8 in) to 78.4 cm (30.9 in) long, and the tail length is between 80.3 cm (31.6 in) and 111.8 cm (44.0 in). Adult males weigh between 16.9 kg (37 lb) and 19.5 kg (43 lb) while adult females weigh between 9.5 kg (21 lb) and 16.1 kg (35 lb).

The range of the northern plains gray langur covers a large portion of India south of the Himalayas south to the Tapti River and the Krishna River.It is thought to have been introduced to western Bangladesh by Hindu pilgrims on the bank of the Jalangi River.

The northern plains gray langur is diurnal, and is both terrestrial and arboreal. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Females groom members of both sexes but males do not groom others.

The northern plains gray langur can live in several different types of groups. It can live in groups of multiple males and females, one male and multiple females or multiple males with no females, and males can also live alone without a group. Single male groups are most common. Group size can exceed 100 monkeys. Upon reaching maturity, males typically emigrate from their natal group while females typically remain. Young adult females are typically dominant over older females. When a new male takes over a group it may engage in infanticide of young fathered by the previous male or males, but this is less common when the takeover occurs slowly over several months.

The northern plains gray langur eats primarily fruits and leaves. It is able to survive on mature leaves, which is a key to its ability to survive throughout the dry season. It also eats seeds, flowers, buds, bark and insects, including caterpillars. It is also fed fruits and vegetables by humans, and some groups get a substantial portion of their diets from food provided by temples and from raiding crops.

Groups that have access to abundant food year-round, for example those that are provisioned by temples or are able to raid crops year-round, also breed throughout the year. Other groups, such as those living in forests, typically give birth between December and May. The gestation period is about 200 days. Females other than the mother alloparent the infant for the first month of its life. Weaning occurs at about 1 year and males reach maturity at about 6 to 7 year old.

The northern plains gray langur often associates with chital deer. Both species respond to each other's alarm calls. The chital seem to benefit from the vigilance of male langurs watching for predators in the trees, while the langurs seem to benefit from the chital's better senses of smell and hearing. It also has been observed engaging in grooming sessions with rhesus macaques.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - YELLOW CROWNED WOODPECKER (MALE) (Leiopicus mahrattensis)

The yellow-crowned woodpecker (Leiopicus mahrattensis ) or Mahratta woodpecker is a species of small pied woodpecker found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the only species placed in the genus Leiopicus.

A medium-small (17.5 cm, 6.9 inches, 28-46 grams, 1–1.6 ounces), pale-headed, pied woodpecker. Upper-parts black, heavily spotted and barred white. Underparts dark, streaked dingy white with red belly patch. Irregular brown cheek and neck patches. Female has yellowish crown and nape. In male nape scarlet and fore-crown yellow.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - RED VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus cafer)

The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer ) is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world and has established itself in New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Fiji, as well as parts of Samoa, Australia, USA and Cook Islands. It is included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species.

The Red-vented bulbul is a medium-sized songbird that can be found across the Indian subcontinent. It can be easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish appearance. The body of this bird is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is darker or black. The rump is white while the vent is red. It has a long black tail, tipped in white. The males and the females of this species look similar, but young birds are duller than adults.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - WHITE BROWED WAGTAIL (Motacilla maderaspatensis)

The white-browed wagtail or large pied wagtail (Motacilla maderaspatensis ) is a medium-sized bird and is the largest member of the wagtail family. They are conspicuously patterned with black above and white below, a prominent white brow, shoulder stripe and outer tail feathers. White-browed wagtails are native to South Asia, common near small water bodies and have adapted to urban environments where they often nest on roof tops. The specific name is derived from the Indian city of Madras (now Chennai).

In older times in India, the species was sometimes kept as a cage-bird and was acclaimed for its singing ability. The native name of khanjan is used in the phrase "khanjan-eyed" to describe someone with beautiful eyes. The Khanjan was held sacred and considered a good omen in India as it supposedly bore an impression of Vishnu's shaligram on its breast. A variety of beliefs on the future predicted by where the bird sat and what it did have been documented by Saratchandra Mitra. Another local name for wagtails in India is dhobin (or washerwoman).

The white-browed wagtail is the largest species of wagtail at 21 cm (8.3 in) length. It is a slender bird, with the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. It has black upperparts, head and breast, with a white supercilium and large white wingbar. Unlike white wagtails it never has white on the forehead. The rest of the underparts are white. The female has the black less intense than in the male. Juveniles are like the females brown-grey where the adult is black.

The white-browed wagtail is a resident breeder in India and is endemic to the Indian subcontinent. It is found south of the Himalayas, east of the Indus system and to the west of Bangladesh. It is rare in the higher altitude regions but has been seen in Ladakh on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. In most of India it is found below 1000 m but in southern India it goes up into the hills up to 2200 m. It is very rare in the Indus valley area. It is absent from the Sind region of Pakistan. It is found in open freshwater wetland habitats. It is one of the few Motacilla wagtails that has adapted well to urban habitats and is often found perched on overhead water storages in residential buildings.

 It is a rare winter visitor to Sri Lanka and have possibly extended their range in recent times.

Usually seen in pairs or small groups near open water. They call often especially in the mornings and are active like most other wagtails. They will perch on the ground as well as on wires or on buildings. The song is long and loud with many different notes. The usual call is a wheezy "wheech". They can fly fairly rapidly for long distances and they fly with a bounding (dipping and rising) flight pattern and have been recorded to travel at the speed of about 40 km/h.

Endoparasitic filarial parasites of the species Splendidofilaria singhi have been recorded in individuals of the species.

18-4-2024 PANNA TIGER LODGE, INDIA - STORK BILLED KINGFISHER (Pelargopsis capensis)

It is a very large kingfisher, measuring 35 cm (14 in) in length. The adult has a green back, blue wings and tail, and olive-brown head. Its underparts and neck are buff. The very large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the stork-billed kingfisher is laboured and flapping, but direct. Sexes are similar. There are 13 races or subspecies, differing mostly in plumage detail, but P. c. gigantea of the Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines has a white head, neck and underparts. The call of this noisy kingfisher is a low and far reaching peer-por-por repeated about every 5 seconds, as well cackling ke-ke-ke-ke-ke-ke.

The stork-billed kingfisher lives in a variety of well-wooded habitats near lakes, rivers, or coasts. It perches quietly whilst seeking food, and is often inconspicuous despite its size. It is territorial and will chase away eagles and other large predators. This species hunts fish, frogs, crabs, rodents and young birds.

Adults dig their nests in river banks, decaying trees, or tree termite nests. A clutch of two to five round white eggs is typical.

19-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - RED VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus cafer)

The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer ) is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world and has established itself in New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Fiji, as well as parts of Samoa, Australia, USA and Cook Islands. It is included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species.

The Red-vented bulbul is a medium-sized songbird that can be found across the Indian subcontinent. It can be easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish appearance. The body of this bird is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is darker or black. The rump is white while the vent is red. It has a long black tail, tipped in white. The males and the females of this species look similar, but young birds are duller than adults.

12-5-2024 SOLLANA SOUTH, ALBUFERA - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)

The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus ) is a water bird in the order Pelecaniformes and the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin, falcis, both meaning "sickle" and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill.

The Glossy ibis is a medium-sized wading bird. They have long, slender, down-curved bill and magnificent plumage with shiny feathers. Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and shiny bottle-green wings. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller bodies. These birds have dark facial skin bordered above and below in blue-gray (non-breeding) to cobalt blue (breeding) and red-brown legs.

The Glossy ibis is the most widespread ibis species; it breeds in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. This species is migratory; most European birds winter in Africa, and in North America birds from north of the Carolinas winter farther south. Though generally suspected to be a migratory species in India, the Glossy ibis is a resident in western India. Birds from other populations may disperse widely outside the breeding season. Glossy ibises inhabit wetlands with tall dense stands of emergent vegetation such as reeds, papyrus or rushes, and low trees or bushes. They show a preference for marshes at the margins of lakes and rivers but can also be found at lagoons, flood-plains, wet meadows, swamps, reservoirs, sewage ponds, paddies, and irrigated farmland. These birds are less commonly found in coastal locations such as estuaries, deltas, salt marshes, and coastal lagoons.

12-5-2024 CREU DE LONGA, ALBUFERA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

The squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides ) is a small heron, 44–47 cm (17+1⁄2–18+1⁄2 in) long, of which the body is 20–23 cm (8–9 in), with 80–92 cm (31+1⁄2–36 in) wingspan. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Europe and the Greater Middle East.

The English common name squacco comes via Francis Willughby (c. 1672) quoting a local Italian name sguacco. The current spelling comes from John Hill in 1752.

The scientific name comes from Latin ardeola, a small heron (ardea ), and ralloides, Latin rallus, a rail and Greek -oides, "resembling".

The squacco heron is a migrant, wintering in Africa. It is rare north of its breeding range. The species has been recorded in Fernando de Noronha islands, and more rarely in mainland South America, as a vagrant. This is a stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings.

The squacco heron's breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries. The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to four eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects.

13-5-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ROUGH HAIRED LAGRIA BEETLE (Lagria hirta)

Lagria hirta is a species of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae.

The species name hirta comes from the Latin hirtus meaning rough hair or rough wool, referring to the coarse, fuzzy appearance of the beetle.

This species is present in Europe, in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco), in Russia (Western and Eastern Siberia), in Israel, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Paraguay, South America, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

It prefers areas with sandy soils. It can be found in open woods, in deciduous forests, in forest clearings, forest edges, in grasslands and wet meadows, but also in dry valleys and wet areas.

Lagria hirta can reach a length of 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 in). These beetles have a soft and elongated body and a head and thorax brown or shiny black. The relatively elongated elytra are yellowish-brown and covered by dense fine light yellowish-brown hairs. The rest of the body is also hairy, but they are less clearly visible. Antennae, underside of body and legs are black. The eyes are remarkably large and round. Antennae are composed with eleven segments.

The elytra of the females are more extended backward than in the males and the female's abdomen looks from above wider than in the males. The male, in addition to its slimmer body, is distinguished from the females by their larger eyes and by the length of the last segment of the antennae, which is nearly twice the corresponding segment in the female. The hind wings are transparent.

The fully formed beetles can be seen from late May to September. The adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen. Females lay the eggs in the soil where they hatch after about eight days. The larvae live in the humus where they feed on decaying vegetables. After having overwintered larvae pupate in early summer of the next year and a new generation of beetles will then develop.

19-4-2024 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - YELLOW THROATED SPARROW (Gymnoris xanthocollis)

The yellow-throated sparrow or chestnut-shouldered petronia (Gymnoris xanthocollis ) is a species of sparrow found in southern Asia.

It has a finer bill than typical sparrows of the genus Passer and unlike them has no streaks on the plumage. The white double wing bar on the shoulder is diagnostic on the otherwise dull grey-brown sparrow. Males have a chestnut shoulder patch which can sometimes be hard to see. They also have a pale yellow spot on the throat in fresh plumage. Females are duller and lack the chestnut shoulder patch. The yellow spot is much reduced or lacking in females.

This species is tree-loving although sometimes seen on wires and on the ground, where it has a hopping gait. The usual call is a chirrup but the song is distinctive and repetitive chilp chalp cholp. It has a bounding flight and dips deeply before rising up.

 The chestnut-shouldered petronia is found from Turkey into Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and as a vagrant in Sri Lanka and possibly parts of Myanmar. It is found in forest, gardens and open scrub habitats.

use of the holes made by primary hole-nesting birds such as barbets and woodpeckers. They may also make use of hollows on buildings. The nest is built mainly by the female, but males may sometimes assist. The female alone incubates the eggs, sometimes leaving the nest during the hotter parts of the day. The eggs hatch after about 12 to 14 days.

They roost communally in low bushes. Some populations are migratory, moving in response to rains.

They feed mainly on grains but also on insects, nectar and berries. An unusual food item is the petals of flowers such as those of Madhuca indica. When they visit flowers such as those of Capparis, Salmalia, Erythrina and Bassia, their foreheads are covered with pollen.

19-4-2024 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - INDIAN GREY HORNBILL (Dicrurus leucophaeus)

The Indian gray hornbill (Ocyceros birostris) is a tropical bird that can be found on the Indian subcontinent. It is mostly arboreal and is commonly seen in pairs. It is one of the few hornbill species found in urban areas in many cities where they can make use of large trees in avenues.

The Indian grey hornbill is a medium-sized bird with greyish-brown upper parts and a slight trace of a pale supercilium. The ear coverts are darker. The flight feathers of the wing are dark brown with a whitish tip. The tail has a white tip and a dark subterminal band. These birds have a red iris and the eyelids have eyelashes. The casque is short and pointed. 

The male has a larger casque on a dark bill, and the culmen and lower mandible are yellowish. The bare skin around the eye is dark in the male, but sometimes pale reddish in females. The female has a more yellowish bill with black on the basal half and on the casque. The juveniles lack the casque, and the bare skin around the eye is dull orange.

Indian grey hornbills are found from the foothills of the Himalayas southwards, bounded to the west by the Indus system and to the east by the Ganges Delta. They don't migrate but may make local movements in the drier western region. Indian grey hornbills live in dry forests, savannas, rural gardens, and even in cities that have old avenue trees.

19-4-2024 KEN RIVERSIDE LODGE, INDIA - ASIAN GREEN BEE-EATER (Merops orientalis)

The Asian green bee-eater (Merops orientalis) is a brightly-colored bird in the bee-eater family. It performs some seasonal movements and is found widely distributed across Asia. Populations in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that were formerly assigned to this species (under the name green bee-eater) are now considered distinct species: the African green bee-eater and the Arabian green bee-eater. Asian green bee-eaters are mainly insect eaters and prefer to live quite far from water.

Like other bee-eaters, this species is a richly colored, slender bird. The males and the females are not visually distinguishable. The entire plumage is bright green and tinged with blue, especially on the chin and throat. The crown and upper back are tinged with golden rufous. The flight feathers are rufous washed with green and tipped with blackish. A fine black line runs in front of and behind the eye. The iris is crimson and the bill is black while the legs are dark grey. The feet are weak with the three toes joined at the base. Southeast Asian birds have rufous crown and face, and green underparts. The wings are green and the beak is black. The elongated tail feathers are absent in juveniles.

The Asian green bee-eater’s vast range stretches from Mauritania in West Africa, to sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the Middle East and India as far in the north as Nepal; in Southeast Asia, it is found in central China, Thailand, and Vietnam. This species frequents wooded areas where there are scattered trees and bushes, keeping near streams and shores, but also occurs in arid areas that have acacia and date palms, and in dunes, near cultivated areas and big gardens. It likes bare and sandy soils. Asian green bee-eaters are not known to perform migrations but they make seasonal movements in response to rainfall.

Asian green bee-eaters are fairly gregarious birds, with 30-300 individuals roosting next to each other on a branch, and as many as 20 gathering to dust bathe together, this activity is believed to help remove excess oil from the feathers and dislodge harmful parasites. Flocks sleep together at roosts, high in trees. Except for at nighttime, they perch fairly low. They forage either alone or with a group of 15 to 20 birds. These elegant birds usually hunt low to the ground, making short swoops before returning to their perch. They sometimes perch on the backs of cattle or grazing antelope and make sallies into vegetation close to the ground to catch insects. Before eating their prey, they remove any dirt by striking the insect several times against a hard surface. These birds make soft trilling calls, ‘trree-trree-trree’, or short, sharp alarm calls that sound like ‘ti-ic’ or ‘ti-ti-ti’.

Asian green bee-eaters are thought to be monogamous breeders, which means that a male will mate with only one female and a female will mate with only one male. The breeding season ranges from March to June or sometimes July to August, depending on the range. These birds are solitary nesters in Arabia and Africa, whereas small colonies are found in India, with larger colonies (10 to 30 breeding pairs) in Myanmar and Pakistan. These birds nest in burrows that are dug by both males and females into the flat ground or a gentle slope in Africa, while in Asia it is often on a low shore. The burrow measures one to two meters in length, with the nest chamber of around 15 cm at its end. 4-8 white eggs are laid in the chamber and incubation is 18 to 22 days, mainly carried out by the female. The young stay in the nest for 22 to 31 days while being fed by both their parents.