28-4-2024 RAIPUR, INDIA - LIME SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio demoleus)

Papilio demoleus is a common and widespread swallowtail butterfly. The butterfly is also known as the lime butterfly, lemon butterfly, lime swallowtail, and chequered swallowtail. These common names refer to their host plants, which are usually citrus species such as the cultivated lime. Unlike most swallowtail butterflies, it does not have a prominent tail. When the adult stage is taken into consideration, the lime swallowtail is the shortest-lived butterfly, with male adults dying after four days and females after a week. The butterfly is native to Asia and Australia, and can be considered an invasive pest in other parts of the world. The butterfly has spread to Hispaniola island (Dominican Republic) in the Western Hemisphere, and to Mahé, Seychelles.

27-4-2024 KANHA, INDIA - WHITE RUMPED SHARMA (Copsychus malabaricus)

The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus ) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indiani subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere.

They typically weigh between 28 and 34 g (1.0 and 1.2 oz) and are around 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in length. Males are glossy black with a chestnut belly and white feathers on the rump and outer tail. Females are more greyish-brown, and are typically shorter than males. Both sexes have a black bill and pink feet. Juveniles have a greyish-brown colouration, similar to that of the females, with a blotchy or spotted chest.

They are native across scrub and secondary forests in South and Southeast Asia, but have been introduced to Kauai, Hawaii, in early 1931 from Malaysia (by Alexander Isenberger), and to Oahu in 1940 (by the Hui Manu Society). Their popularity as a cage bird has led to many escaped birds establishing themselves. They have been introduced to Taiwan where they are considered an invasive species, eating native insect species and showing aggression towards native bird species.

In Asia, their habitat is dense undergrowth especially in bamboo forests. In Hawaii, they are common in valley forests or on the ridges of the southern Koolaus, and tend to nest in undergrowth or low trees of lowland broadleaf forests.

They feed on insects in the wild but in captivity they may be fed on a diet of boiled, dried legumes with egg y1 

The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus ) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere.

The white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus ) is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere. 

They typically weigh between 28 and 34 g (1.0 and 1.2 oz) and are around 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in length. Males are glossy black with a chestnut belly and white feathers on the rump and outer tail. Females are more greyish-brown, and are typically shorter than males. Both sexes have a black bill and pink feet. Juveniles have a greyish-brown colouration, similar to that of the females, with a blotchy or spotted chest.

They are native across scrub and secondary forests in South and Southeast Asia, but have been introduced to Kauai, Hawaii, in early 1931 from Malaysia (by Alexander Isenberger), and to Oahu in 1940 (by the Hui Manu Society). Their popularity as a cage bird has led to many escaped birds establishing themselves. They have been introduced to Taiwan where they are considered an invasive species, eating native insect species and showing aggression towards native bird species.

In Asia, their habitat is dense undergrowth especially in bamboo forests. In Hawaii, they are common in valley forests or on the ridges of the southern Koolaus, and tend to nest in undergrowth or low trees of lowland broadleaf forests.

They feed on insects in the wild but in captivity they may be fed on a diet of boiled, dried legumes with egg yolk and raw meat.

HThe white-rumped shama is shy and somewhat crepuscular but very territorial. The territories include a male and female during the breeding season with the males defending the territory averaging 0.09 ha in size, but each sex may have different territories when they are not breeding.

In South Asia, they breed from January to September but mainly in April to June laying a clutch of four or five eggs in a nest placed in the hollow of a tree. During courtship, males pursue the female, alight above the female, give a shrill call, and then flick and fan out their tail feathers. This is followed by a rising and falling flight pattern by both sexes. If the male is unsuccessful, the female will threaten the male, gesturing with the mouth open.

The nest is built by the female alone while the male stands guard. The nests are mainly made of roots, leaves, ferns, and stems, and incubation lasts between 12 and 15 days and the nestling period averaged 12.4 days. Both adults feed the young although only the female incubates and broods. The eggs are white to light aqua, with variable shades of brown blotching, with dimensions of about 18 and 23 mm (0.7 and 0.9 in).

They typically weigh between 28 and 34 g (1.0 and 1.2 oz) and are around 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in length. Males are glossy black with a chestnut belly and white feathers on the rump and outer tail. Females are more greyish-brown, and are typically shorter than males. Both sexes have a black bill and pink feet. Juveniles have a greyish-brown colouration, similar to that of the females, with a blotchy or spotted chest.

They are native across scrub and secondary forests in South and Southeast Asia, but have been introduced to Kauai, Hawaii, in early 1931 from Malaysia (by Alexander Isenberger), and to Oahu in 1940 (by the Hui Manu Society). Their popularity as a cage bird has led to many escaped birds establishing themselves. They have been introduced to Taiwan where they are considered an invasive species, eating native insect species and showing aggression towards native bird species.

In Asia, their habitat is dense undergrowth especially in bamboo forests. In Hawaii, they are common in valley forests or on the ridges of the southern Koolaus, and tend to nest in undergrowth or low trees of lowland broadleaf forests.

They feed on insects in the wild but in captivity they may be fed on a diet of boiled, dried legumes with egg yolk and raw meat.

The white-rumped shama is shy and somewhat crepuscular but very territorial. The territories include a male and female during the breeding season with the males defending the territory averaging 0.09 ha in size, but each sex may have different territories when they are not breeding.

In South Asia, they breed from January to September but mainly in April to June laying a clutch of four or five eggs in a nest placed in the hollow of a tree. During courtship, males pursue the female, alight above the female, give a shrill call, and then flick and fan out their tail feathers. This is followed by a rising and falling flight pattern by both sexes. If the male is unsuccessful, the female will threaten the male, gesturing with the mouth open.

The nest is built by the female alone while the male stands guard. The nests are mainly made of roots, leaves, ferns, and stems, and incubation lasts between 12 and 15 days and the nestling period averaged 12.4 days. Both adults feed the young although only the female incubates and broods. The eggs are white to light aqua, with variable shades of brown blotching, with dimensions of about 18 and 23 mm (0.7 and 0.9 in).

27-4-2024 KANHA, INDIA - PUFF THROATED BABBLER (Pellorneum ruficeps)

The puff-throated babbler or spotted babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps ) is a species of passerine bird found in Asia. They are found in scrub and moist forest mainly in hilly regions. They forage in small groups on the forest floor, turning around leaf litter to find their prey and usually staying low in the undergrowth where they can be hard to spot. However, they have loud and distinct calls, including a morning song, contact and alarm calls. It is the type species of the genus Pellorneum which may, however, currently include multiple lineages.

Puff-throated babblers are brown above, and white below with heavily brown streaks towards the breast and belly. They have a chestnut crown, long buff supercilium and dusky cheeks. The throat is white, and is sometimes puffed out giving it the English name. Puff-throated babblers have strong legs, and spend a lot of time on the forest floor. They can often be seen creeping through undergrowth in search of their insect food, looking at first glance like a song thrush. Some subspecies have streaks on the mantle while others, especially in Peninsular India, are unstreaked.

The widespread distribution with population variations has led to nearly thirty subspecies being described. The nominate population is found in peninsular India (excluding the Western Ghats). The population in the northern Eastern Ghats is paler and has been called pallidum while a well-marked dark form occurs in the southern Western Ghats, which has been named granti (includes olivaceum ). The western Himalayas population is punctatum (includes jonesi ) and in the east is mandellii, which has streaking on the back and nape as well as having call differences. In the east of India, south of the Brahmaputra River occurs chamelum while ripley is found in a small region in eastern Assam (Margherita). Further east in Manipur is vocale and pectorale in Arunachal Pradesh and northern Burma with stageri further south, followed by hilarum, victoriae and minus. Further east are found shanense, subochraceum, insularum, indistinctum, chtonium, elbeli, acrum, oreum, dusiti, vividum, ubonense, euroum, deignani, dilloni and smithi. Several others have been described and many populations are difficult to assign to subspecies. This is the type species for the genus Pellorneum and its generic placement is assured, although other species currently included in the genus may be reassigned.

27-4-2024 KANHA, INDIA - GOLDEN FRONTED LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis aurifrons)

The golden-fronted leafbird (Chloropsis aurifrons ) is a species of leafbird. It is found from the Indian subcontinent and south-western China, to south-east Asia and Sumatra.

It builds its nest in a tree, laying 2-3 eggs. This species eats insects and berries.

The adult is green-bodied with a black face and throat bordered with yellow. It has dark brown irises and blackish feet and bill. It has a yellowish orange forehead and blue moustachial line (but lacks the blue flight feathers and tail sides of blue-winged leafbird). Young birds have a plain green head and lack the black on their face and throat. The black of the face and throat appears slightly duller in females.

The southern Indian race, C. a. frontalis, has a narrower yellow border to black face. The throat is black and it has a blue sub-moustachial stripe and duller orange forehead. Towards the extreme south of India and Sri Lanka the race insularis occurs which is slightly smaller than frontalis.

The golden-fronted leafbird is a common resident breeder in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and parts of Southeast Asia. Its habitat is forest and scrub.

27-4-2024 KANHA, INDIA - BLACK HOODED ORIOLE (Oriolus xanthornus)

The black-hooded oriole (Oriolus xanthornus ) is a member of the oriole family of passerine birds and is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia.

It is a bird of open woodland and cultivation. The nest is built in a tree, and contains two eggs. Its food is insects and fruit, especially figs, found in the tree canopies where they spend much of their time.

The male is striking, with the typical oriole black and yellow colouration. The plumage is predominantly yellow, with a solid black hood, and black also in the wings and tail centre.

The female black-hooded oriole is a drabber bird with greenish underparts, but still has the black hood. Young birds are like the female, but have dark streaking on the underparts, and their hood is not solidly black, especially on the throat.

The black head of this species is an obvious distinction from the Indian golden oriole, which is a summer visitor to northern India. Orioles can be shy, and even the male may be difficult to see in the dappled yellow and green leaves of the canopy.

The black-hooded oriole's flight is somewhat like a thrush, strong and direct with some shallow dips over longer distances.

While foraging the species uses foliage-gleening, wood-gleening, or sallying methods.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - MALABAR PIED HORNBILL (Anthracoceros coronatus)

The Malabar pied hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus), also known as lesser pied hornbill, is a bird in the hornbill family, a family of tropical near-passerine birds found in the Old World.

The Malabar pied hornbill is a large hornbill, at 65 cm (26 in) in length. It has mainly black plumage, apart from its white belly, throat patch, tail sides and trailing edge to the wings. The bill is yellow with a large, mainly black casque. Females have white orbital skin, which the males lack. Juveniles have no casque. It might be confused with the oriental pied hornbill. They weigh around 1kg (2.2 pounds).

The Malabar pied hornbill is a common resident breeder in India and Sri Lanka. Its habitat is evergreen and moist deciduous forests, often near human settlements. It is distributed across three main regions within the Indian sub-continent: Central and Eastern India, along the Western Ghats, and in Sri Lanka. In Central and Eastern India, it ranges from western West Bengal through parts of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, northern and eastern Maharashtra, northern Andhra Pradesh, and north-east tip of Telangana. Along the Western Ghats, the species is distributed in pockets along the eastern slopes and in the Konkan belt and west coast from western Maharashtra through Goa, western Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and in Kerala. In Sri Lanka, the species occurs mainly in the low country and dry zone forests as well as home gardens.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - RHESUS MONKEY (FEMALE)

 The Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is a species of Old World monkey. It lives both in trees and on the ground. It mainly eats fruit, but will also include 100 different plant species in its diet. It spends most of its day feeding and resting, the rest is occupied with traveling, grooming, and playing.

Rhesus macaques are either pale brown or gray, usually with pink faces. Their tails are quite long, they have a rib cage that is wider than average, with dorsal scapulae, and they have thirty-two teeth. They are charismatic monkeys and like to have fun and can be cheeky. Their coats have faded undertones on the underside. Their faces are furless and in adults - bright red, and adults also have bright red rumps. They have large cheek pouches for storing food while out foraging.

Rhesus macaques are native to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam, southern China, and some neighboring areas. They have the widest geographic ranges of any non-human primate, occupying a great diversity of altitudes throughout Central, South, and Southeast Asia. Rhesus macaques may be found in forests, mangroves, scrub, grasslands, and mountainous regions. They also adapt well to human presence and form larger troops in human-dominated landscapes than in forests.

Rhesus macaques are social, diurnal, and both terrestrial and arboreal animals. They walk using four limbs, walking on the ground on both their toes and on the soles of their feet. They are very active and loud. They like being in the water and can swim well. They form groups of as many as 200 individuals, and when the size of a group reaches 80 to 100, a subgroup of females can split off to create a new group. Generally, groups are made up of several unrelated males, with many closely related females. Males and females within a group demonstrate a preference for high-ranking individuals of the opposite sex. Rhesus monkeys are not territorial. Every group of individuals generally has its own sleeping area. Confrontations between different groups are rare. When groups meet, usually the weaker group avoids the stronger one.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - CHITAL (MALE) (Axis axis)

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.

Most of the Axis deer population is concentrated in the forests of India. The major area of their distribution is Sri Lanka and India, though they are introduced to USA and Australia as well. They live in dense forests, forested valleys and also prefer open grasslands, savannas, and plantations. 

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - LITTLE CORMORANT (Microcarbo niger)

The little cormorant (Microcarbo niger ) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. Slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant it lacks a peaked head and has a shorter beak. It is widely distributed across the Indian Subcontinent and extends east to Java, where it is sometimes called the Javanese cormorant. It forages singly or sometimes in loose groups in lowland freshwater bodies, including small ponds, large lakes, streams and sometimes coastal estuaries. Like other cormorants, it is often found perched on a waterside rock with its wings spread out after coming out of the water. The entire body is black in the breeding season but the plumage is brownish, and the throat has a small whitish patch in the non-breeding season. These birds breed gregariously in trees, often joining other waterbirds at heronries.

 The little cormorant is about 50 centimetres (20 in) long and only slightly smaller than the Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis ). The Indian cormorant has a narrower and longer bill which ends in a prominent hook tip, blue iris and a more pointed head profile. The breeding adult bird has a glistening all black plumage with some white spots and filoplumes on the face. There is also a short crest on the back of the head. The eyes, gular skin and face are dark. In the non-breeding bird or juvenile, the plumage is brownish and the bill and gular skin can appear more fleshy. The crest becomes inconspicuous and a small and well-marked white patch on the throat is sometimes visible. Towards the west of the Indus River valley, its range can overlap with vagrant pygmy cormorants (Microcarbo pygmaeus ), which can be difficult to differentiate in the field and are sometimes even considered conspecific. The sexes are indistinguishable in the field, but males tend to be larger. Some abnormal silvery-grey plumages have been described.

The species was described by Vieillot in 1817 as Hydrocorax niger. The genus Hydrocorax literally means water crow. It was later included with the other cormorants in the genus Phalacrocorax but some studies place the smaller "microcormorants" under the genus Microcarbo.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - PLAIN PRINIA (Prinia inornata)

The plain prinia (Prinia inornata), also known as the plain wren-warbler or white-browed wren-warbler, is a small cisticolid warbler found in southeast Asia. It is a resident breeder from Pakistan and India to south China and southeast Asia. It was formerly included in the tawny-flanked prinia (Prinia subflava), resident in Africa south of the Sahara. The two are now usually considered to be separate species.

These 13–14-cm long warblers have short rounded wings, a longish tail, strong legs and a short black bill. In breeding plumage, adults are grey-brown above, with a short white supercilium and rufous fringes on the closed wings. The underparts are whitish-buff. The sexes are identical.

In winter, the upperparts are a warmer brown, and the underparts more buff. The tail is longer than in summer. There are a number of races differing in plumage shade. The endemic race in Sri Lanka retains summer plumage, including the shorter tail, all year round.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, 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.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - INDIAN ROLLER (Coracias benghalensis)

 The Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis) is a bird of the family Coraciidae. It is 30–34 cm (12–13 in) long with a wingspan of 65–74 cm (26–29 in) and weighs 166–176 g (5.9–6.2 oz). The face and throat are pinkish, the head and back are brown, with blue on the rump and contrasting light and dark blue on the wings and tail. The bright blue markings on the wing are prominent in flight. The sexes are similar in appearance. Two subspecies are recognised.

The Indian roller occurs widely from West Asia to the Indian subcontinent. Often found perched on roadside trees and wires, it is common in open grassland and scrub forest habitats, and has adapted well to human-modified landscapes. It mainly feeds on insects, especially beetles. The species is best known for the aerobatic displays of males during the breeding season. Adult males and females form pair bonds and raise the young together. The female lays 3–5 eggs in a cavity or crevice, which is lined with a thin mat of straw or feathers. The roller is the state bird of three Indian states. It is listed as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - CRESTED HONEY BUZZARD (Pernis ptilorhynchus)

The Crested honey buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) is a medium-sized bird of prey that belongs to the family of other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. The name of this species is derived from its unusual diet which consists mainly of the larvae of bees and wasps extracted from honey combs.

The Crested honey buzzard appears long-necked with a small head resembling that of a pigeon. It has a long tail and a short head crest. It is brown above, but not as dark as the European honey buzzard, and paler below. A dark throat stripe is present. Unusually for a large bird of prey, the sexes can be distinguished. The male has a blue-grey head with a brown iris, while the female's head is brown and the iris is yellow. She is slightly larger and darker than the male. The male has two black bands in the tail and three black underwing bands, while the female has three black tail bands and four narrower black underwing bands. The juvenile has extensive black primary tips with narrower underwing bands. It has a yellow cere at the base of the bill, and a dark iris. The coloration and the tail pattern of the species are highly variable.

Crested honey buzzards spend summer in Siberia and Japan, and winter in tropical Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Elsewhere, these birds are more or less resident. Crested honey buzzards prefer to live in well-forested lowland and hilly areas that are broken by open glades. In South and Southeast Asia, they are sometimes found in small groves near villages.

26-4-2024 KANHA,INDIA - INDIAN SPOTTED DOVE (Streptopelia chinensis ssp. suratensis)

 The Spotted dove (Spilopelia chinensis) is a small pigeon that is a common across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and in Southeast Asia. These birds are also called the Mountain dove, Pearl-necked dove, Lace-necked dove, and Spotted turtle-dove.

The ground color of this long and slim dove is rosy buff below shading into grey on the head and belly. There is a half collar on the back and sides of the neck made of black feathers that bifurcate and have white spots at the two tips. The median coverts have brown feathers tipped with rufous spots in the Indian and Sri Lankan subspecies which are divided at the tip by a widening grey shaft streak. The wing feathers are dark brown with grey edges. The center of the abdomen and vent are white. The outer tail feathers are tipped in white and become visible when the bird takes off. The male and the female are similar, but juveniles are duller than adults and do not acquire the neck spots until they are mature.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - BENGAL TIGER (MALE) (Panthera tigris)

 The tiger (Panthera tigris) is the largest living cat species and a member of thei genus Panthera. It is among the most recognizable and popular of the world's charismatic megafauna. It featured prominently in the ancient mythology and folklore of cultures throughout its historic range and continues to be depicted in modern films and literature, appearing on many flags, coats of arms, and as mascots for sporting teams. The tiger is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and South Korea.

The coat of tigers is a reddish-orange coat and there are vertical black stripes on the shoulders and flanks that vary in size, spacing, and length. Some subspecies have fur that is paler, some being almost completely white with either dark brown or black stripes along their flanks and shoulders. The muzzle, throat, chest, belly, and underside of the limbs are white or light. Above the eyes, of these beautiful animals, there is a white color that extends to the cheeks. On the back of their ears, there is a white spot. Their tail is reddish-orange in color and ringed by several dark bands.

26-4-2024 KANHA,INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

 Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

26-4-2024 KANHA,INDIA - CRIMSON MARSH GLIDER DRAGONFLY (Trithemis aurora)

Trithemis aurora, the crimson marsh glider, is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. It is a common and widely distributed species found throughout the year across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

The male of this small species is distinctly different from the female. The male has a reddish-brown face, with eyes that are crimson above and brown on the sides. The thorax is red with a fine, purple pruinescence. The abdomen, the base of which is swollen, is crimson with a violet tinge. The wings are transparent with crimson venation and the base has a broad amber patch. The wing spots are a dark reddish-brown and the legs are black.

The female has an olivaceous or bright reddish-brown face with eyes that are purplish-brown above and grey below. The thorax is olivaceous with brown median and black lateral stripes. The abdomen is reddish-brown with median and lateral black markings. The black markings are confluent at the end of each segment and enclose a reddish-brown spot. The wings are transparent with brown tips. The venation is bright yellow to brown and basal amber markings are pale. The wing spots are a dark brown and the lags are dark grey with narrow yellow stripes.

It is commonly found in weedy tanks and ponds, marshes, channels, and slow flowing streams and rivers in the lowlands and mid-hills. It breeds in streams, rivers, canals, ponds and tank.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - GARDEN ORBWEAVER SPIDER (Genus Argiope)

The genus Argiope includes rather large spiders that often have a strikingly coloured abdomen. These spiders are distributed throughout the world. Most countries in tropical or temperate climates host one or more species that are similar in appearance. The etymology of Argiope is from a Latin word argentum meaning silver. The carapace of Argiope species is typically covered in silvery hairs, and when crawling in the sun, they reflect it in a way that gives them a metallic, white appearance.

As most orb weavers, they own a third claw which is used to weave their complex webs. As most spiders, there is also a significant amount of sexual dimorphism, females measuring 19 to 28mm and males measuring 5 to 9mm. Their webs are relatively big, usually with zigzag patterns in them. They own black and yellow patterning all around their body, occasionally on their legs. Their legs mainly being black, with red or yellow patterning closer to the body. Their cephalothorax is covered with short silver hairs, and they own an egg shape abdomen.

25-4-2024 KANHA TIGER PARK, INDIA - BENGAL TIGER (FEMALE) (Panthera tigris)

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the nominate Tiger subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna. The Bengal tiger is estimated to have been present in the Indian subcontinent since the Late Pleistocene, for about 12,000 to 16,500 years. Today, it is threatened by a number of threats caused by humans.

The Bengal tiger's coat is yellow to light orange, with stripes ranging from dark brown to black; the belly and the interior parts of the limbs are white, and the tail is orange with black rings. The white tiger is a recessive mutant, which is reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar, and especially in the former State of Rewa. However, it is not an occurrence of albinism. The Bengal tiger has exceptionally stout teeth. Its canines are 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in) long and thus the longest among all cats.

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the nominate Tiger subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna. The Bengal tiger is estimated to have been present in the Indian subcontinent since the Late Pleistocene, for about 12,000 to 16,500 years.

 Today, it is threatened by a number of threats caused by humans.

The Bengal tiger's coat is yellow to light orange, with stripes ranging from dark brown to black; the belly and the interior parts of the limbs are white, and the tail is orange with black rings. The white tiger is a recessive mutant, which is reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar, and especially in the former State of Rewa. However, it is not an occurrence of albinism. The Bengal tiger has exceptionally stout teeth. Its canines are 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in) long and thus the longest among all cats.

Bengal tigers lead solitary lives and congregate only temporarily when special conditions permit, such as plentiful supplies of food. The basic social unit of the tiger is composed of a female and her offspring. Resident adults of either sex maintain home ranges, confining their movements to definite habitats within which they satisfy their needs and those of their cubs, which include prey, water, and shelter. On this site, they also maintain contact with other tigers, especially those of the opposite sex. Those sharing the same ground are well aware of each other's movements and activities. A male tiger keeps a large territory in order to include the home ranges of several females within its bounds, so that he may maintain mating rights with them. Territory disputes are usually solved by intimidation rather than outright violence. Once dominance has been established, a male may tolerate a subordinate within his range, as long as they do not live in too close quarters. Tigers are thought to be mainly nocturnal predators, but they may also hunt in daylight. They generally hunt alone and ambush their prey as most other cats do. In most cases, tigers approach their victim from the side or behind from as close a distance as possible and grasp the prey's throat to kill it. Then they drag the carcass into cover, occasionally over several hundred meters, to consume it. Tigers are strong swimmers and often bathe in ponds, lakes, and rivers, thus keeping cool in the heat of the day. They roar to signal their presence to other individuals over long distances and can be heard 3 km (1.9 mi) away. When tense, tigers will moan. For aggressive encounters, tigers growl, snarl, and hiss. Chuffing is heard in more friendly situations. Other vocalizations include grunts, woofs, and miaows.

Tigers are carnivores and prefer hunting large ungulates such as gaur, sambar, chital, barasingha, Water buffalo, nilgai, serow, and takin. Medium-sized prey includes Wild boar, Indian Hog deer, Indian muntjac, and Northern plains gray langur. Small prey such as porcupines, hares, and peafowl form a small part of their diet. Bengal tigers may sometimes hunt and kill predators such as the Indian leopard, mugger crocodile, Asian black bear, Sloth bear, and dhole.

 Tigers are polygynous meaning that males mate with multiple females during the breeding season. In India, Bengal tigers have no definite mating and birth seasons. Most young are born in December and April. Young have also been found in March, May, October, and November. After a gestation period of 104-106 days, females give birth to 1-4 cubs in a shelter in tall grass, thick bush, or in caves. Newborn cubs weigh 780 to 1,600 g (1.72 to 3.53 lb) and they have thick woolly fur that is shed after 3.5-5 months. Their eyes and ears are closed. Their milk teeth start to erupt at about 2-3 weeks after birth and are slowly replaced by permanent dentition from 8.5 to 9.5 weeks of age onwards. They suckle for 3-6 months and begin to eat small amounts of solid food at about 2 months of age. At this time, they follow their mothers on their hunting expeditions and begin to take part in hunting at 5-6 months of age. At the age of 2-3 years, they slowly start to separate from the family group and become transient, looking out for an area, where they can establish their own home range. Young males move farther away from their native home range than young females. Once the family group has split, the mothers are ready to mate again. Young males reach maturity between 4 and 5 years of age, and females at 3-4 years.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - LESSER ADJUTANT (Leptoptilos javanicus)

The lesser adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus ) is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Like other members of its genus, it has a bare neck and head. It is however more closely associated with wetland habitats where it is solitary and is less likely to scavenge than the related greater adjutant. It is a widespread species found from India through Southeast Asia to Java.

A large stork with an upright stance, a bare head and neck without a pendant pouch, it has a length of 87–93 cm (34–37 in) (outstretched from bill-to-tail measurement), weighs from 4 to 5.71 kg (8.8 to 12.6 lb) and stands about 110–120 cm (43–47 in) tall. The only confusable species is the greater adjutant, but this species is generally smaller and has a straight upper bill edge (culmen), measuring 25.8–30.8 cm (10.2–12.1 in) in length, with a paler base and appears slightly trimmer and less hunch-backed. The skullcap is paler and the upper plumage is uniformly dark, appearing almost all black. The nearly naked head and neck have a few scattered hair-like feathers. The upper shank or tibia is grey rather than pink, the tarsus measures 22.5–26.8 cm (8.9–10.6 in). The belly and undertail are white. Juveniles are a duller version of the adult but have more feathers on the nape. During the breeding season, the face is reddish and the neck is orange. The larger median wing coverts are tipped with copper spots and the inner secondary coverts and tertials have narrow white edging. The wing chord measures 57.5–66 cm (22.6–26.0 in) in length. Like others in the genus, they retract their necks in flight. In flight, the folded neck can appear like the pouch of the greater adjutant. Males and females appear similar in plumage but males tend to be larger and heavier billed. 

24-4-24 KANHA, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

24-4-24 KANHA, INDIA - GREATER COUCAL (Centropus sinensis)

The Greater coucal (Centropus sinensis) is a large member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. 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.

The head of the Greater coucal is black, upper mantle and underside are black glossed with purple. The back and wings are chestnut brown. There are no pale shaft streaks on the coverts. The eyes are ruby red. Juveniles are duller black with spots on the crown and there are whitish bars on the underside and tail. The males and the females are similar in plumage but females are slightly larger.

Greater coucals occur in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They don't migrate and can be found in mangroves, shrublands, grasslands near rivers, marshes, or creeks. They also frequently visit cultivated areas and rural gardens.

Greater coucals are most active in the warm hours of the morning and in the late afternoon. They sunbathe in the mornings singly or in pairs on the top of vegetation with their wings spread out. They communicate with each other using various calls. The common calls are a booming low 'coop-coop-coops' repeated and with variations and some duets between individuals. When duetting the female has a lower pitched call. Other calls include a rapid rattling 'lotok, lotok ...' and a harsh scolding 'skeeaaaw' and a hissing threat call.

24-4-24 KANHA, INDIA - COMMON CROW BUTTERFLY (Euploea lewiniip)

Euploea core, the common crow is a common butterfly found in South Asia to Australia. In India it is also sometimes referred to as the common Indian crow, and in Australia as the Australian crow. It belongs to the crows and tigers subfamily Danainae (tribe Danaini).

E. core is a glossy-black, medium-sized 85–95 mm (3.3–3.7 in) butterfly with rows of white spots on the margins of its wings. E. core is a slow, steady flier. Due to its unpalatability it is usually observed gliding through the air with a minimum of effort. As caterpillars, this species sequesters toxins from its food plant which are passed on from larva to pupa to the adult. While feeding, it is a very bold butterfly, taking a long time at each bunch of flowers. It can also be found mud-puddling with others of its species and often in mixed groups. The males of this species visit plants like Crotalaria and Heliotropium to replenish pheromone stocks which are used to attract a female during courtship.

The common crow is the most common representative of its genus, Euploea. Like the tigers (genus Danaus), the crows are inedible and thus mimicked by other Indian butterflies (see Batesian mimicry). In addition, the Indian species of the genus Euploea show another kind of mimicry, Müllerian mimicry. Accordingly, this species has been studied in greater detail than other members of its genus in India.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - PIONEER WHITE BUTTERFLY (Belenois aurota)

Belenois aurota, the pioneer or pioneer white or caper white, is a small to medium-sized butterfly of the family Pieridae, that is, the yellows and whites, which is found in South Asia and Africa. In Africa, it is also known as the brown-veined white, and is well known during summer and autumn when large numbers migrate north-east over the interior.

The species lives in Sri Lanka, the Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at elevations below 6,000 feet (1,800 m), and through the plains to southern India. In the Nilgiris observed up to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) (George Hampson). To the west it spreads through Persia and Arabia to East Africa. The species occurs over the greater part of Sub-Saharan Africa.

  

Food plants of the larvae include Capparis zeylanica. In Africa, the host plants are almost exclusively from the family Capparaceae and in particular the genera Boscia, Maerua and Capparis. Eggs are laid in batches of 20 or so, while the newly hatched larvae are gregarious.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - CRESTED SERPENT EAGLE (Gyps indicus)

The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela ) is a medium-sized bird of prey that is found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Within its widespread range across the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and East Asia, there are considerable variations and some authorities prefer to treat several of its subspecies as completely separate species. In the past, several species including the Philippine serpent eagle (S. holospila ), Andaman serpent eagle (S. elgini ) and South Nicobar serpent eagle (S. klossi ) were treated as subspecies of the Crested serpent eagle. All members within the species complex have a large looking head with long feathers on the back of the head giving them a maned and crested appearance. The face is bare and yellow joining up with the ceres while the powerful feet are unfeathered and heavily scaled. They fly over the forest canopy on broad wings and tail have wide white and black bars. They call often with a loud, piercing and familiar three or two-note call. They often feed on snakes, giving them their name and are placed along with the Circaetus snake-eagles in the subfamily Circaetinae.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - ASIAN WOOLLY NECKED STORK (Ciconia episcopus)

The Asian woolly-necked stork or Asian woollyneck (Ciconia episcopus) is a species of large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds singly, or in small loose colonies. It is distributed in a wide variety of habitats including marshes in forests, agricultural areas, and freshwater wetlands across Asia.

The woolly-necked stork is a medium-sized stork at 75–92 cm tall. The iris is deep crimson or wine-red. The stork is glistening black overall with a black "skull cap", a downy white neck which gives it its name. The lower belly and under-tail coverts are white, standing out from the rest of the dark coloured plumage. Feathers on the fore-neck are iridescent with a coppery-purple tinge. These feathers are elongated and can be erected during displays. The tail is deeply forked and is white, usually covered by the black long under tail coverts. It has long red legs and a heavy, blackish bill, though some specimens have largely dark-red bills with only the basal one-third being black. Sexes are alike. Juvenile birds are duller versions of the adult with a feathered forehead that is sometimes streaked black-and-white. The African birds are described as having the edges of the black cap diffused or with a jagged border compared to a sharp and clean border in the Asian birds. Sexes are identical, though males are thought to be larger. When the wings are opened either during displays or for flight, a narrow band of very bright unfeathered skin is visible along the underside of the forearm. This band has been variously described as being "neon, orange-red", "like a red-gold jewel", and "almost glowing" when seen at close range.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - INDIAN VULTURE (Gyps indicus)

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.

23-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, 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.

22-4-2024 BANDHAVGARH, INDIA - INDIAN BISON (Bos gaurus)

The gaur (Bos gaurus; /ɡaʊər/), also known as the Indian bison, is a bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986. The global population was estimated at a maximum of 21,000 mature individuals in 2016, with the majority of those existing in India.

It is the largest species among the wild cattle and the Bovidae. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal (Bos frontalis) or mithun.

Being one of the largest cattle species, the gaur has a massive head, deep body, and solid limbs. The color of their body varies from reddish or brown to black while the limbs are pale colored. Both males and females have upwardly curved horns, growing from the sides of their heads. Their horns have a yellow base and black tip. These animals have a hump on their shoulders, which is especially prominent in adult males. In addition, they have a distinct "dewlap" of skin, stretching from their throat to their forelegs.

Gaurs are found throughout mainland South and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, and Nepal. These animals don’t migrate and live in evergreen forests or semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests and also occur in deciduous forest areas at the periphery of their range. Gaur prefer large, relatively undisturbed forest tracts, hilly terrain, availability of water, and an abundance of forage in the form of grasses, bamboo, shrubs, and trees.

Generally, gaur are most active in the morning and evening. However, they can be active by day or even become nocturnal, when living nearby human settlements. These sociable animals gather into herds, containing 8-11 or more individuals. A gaur herd includes females and one dominant male. The home range of each herd covers about 78 sq. kilometers (30 sq. miles) territory. Bulls often congregate into bachelor herds while older males occasionally prefer living solitarily. Against a threat, the bull usually lowers its head and hind side, attacking the rival from the broadside with its horns. When alarmed, these animals give out a call known as a "whistling snort".

Gaur are herbivorous animals. Being both grazers and browsers, these bovine feed mainly upon grass while leaves, forbs, coarse and dry grasses are a good supplement to its usual diet.

Gaur have a polygynous mating system, where one male mates with a number of females. During the mating season, males give out calls of clear resonant tones, in order to attract receptive females. Meanwhile, bigger males are more successful in capturing the attention of females. They breed all year round with a peak period, lasting from December to June. Female Gaurs usually have an interval of 12-15 months between births. The gestation period lasts about 270-280 days, yielding a single baby. A newborn gaur calf weighs 23 kgs (50 Ibs) on average. At the age of 9 months, the calf is weaned and becomes reproductively mature when it is 2-3 years old.

One of the most considerable threats is the loss of habitat throughout most of their range. Another serious concern is susceptibility to domestic cattle diseases like rinderpest, hoof, or mouth disease. In addition, this animal attracts hunters for its horns and is hunted for sport.

According to the IUCN Red List, the total gaur population varies from 15,000 to 35,000 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.