Common Tailorbird

Factual Description:-

Common name:- Common Tailorbird

Scientific name:- Orthotomus sutorius

# The tailorbird owes its name to the female's extraordinary sewing skills. 

# The female uses her bill as a needle, she stitches one or more leaves into a pouch to form the basis of the nest.

# Brown and olive-green plumage conceals the common tailorbird as it hunts tirelessly in undergrowth for food. 

# They range in size from 10 to 14 cms and weigh 6 to 10 gms. 

# The sexes are identical, except that the male has long central tail feathers in the breeding season. 

# Feeds on insects and other small invertebrates that are abound in the tropical habitat. 

# To creep in the undergrowth, it uses its bill and eat beetles, bugs, caterpillars, spiders, leaves, stems and branches. 

# The bird hops actively among bushes, hedges and trees in its search for tiny insects, its tail cocked high above its back and wagging from side to side. 

# The feed of bird is three forward-pointing toes and a single hindtoe give the bird a firm grip as it perches. 

# IUCN status of common tailorbird is ''Least Concern''.

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Black Kite

    Factual description:-

Common name:- Black kite

Scientific name:- Milvus migrans

# Hovers all over Delhi, India. 

# With a distribution that spreads over four continents, the black kite is probably the world's most abundant bird of prey. 

# Found everywhere, has a immense range it is no surprise that the black kite occupies a wide variety of natural and artificial habitats from wetlands, river edges, woodland, to villages, towns and even big cities. 

# Black kite is likely to be the world's common raptor. 

# Black kite are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge. 

# Spends a lot of time soaring and gliding in thermals in search of food. 

# Carnivorous bird but seen foraging on human food scraps and garbage. 

# The black kite is an extremely gregarious species.
# IUCN status of black kite is ''Least Concern''.

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Spotted Owl

Factual Description:-

Common name:- Spotted owl

Scientific name:- Strix occidentalis

# The Spotted Owl is a species of true owl. 

# Spotted owl has a length of 43 cm, a wingspan of 114 cm and a weight of around 600 gm. 

# Medium-sized, nocturnal, spotted owl is primarily brown and is covered in white spots. 

# Spotted owl is not always spotted, owlets are born entirely white and only get their spots once they have matured. 

# Spotted owls are nocturnal, sit and wait predators. They often hunt from a perch and swoop or pounce on prey. They also grab arboreal prey from tree boles and limbs. They do occasionally hunt during the day and will hawk prey such as insects or bats. 

# Diet also includes wood rats, mice, reptiles, amphibians and insects. 

# Call sounds like ''hoo-hooooo-hooo'', ''hoot-hoot-hoot', ''co-weeep'.
# IUCN status of spotted owl is '' Near Threatened''.

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Jacobin Cuckoo

Facts abut Jacobin Cuckoo:-

Common name:- Jacobin cuckoo

Scientific name:- Clemator jacobinus

# Jacobin Cuckoo is also known by other names, Pied Cuckoo, or Pied Crested Cuckoo. 

# Jacobin Cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds that is found in Asia. 

# It is partially migratory and in India, it has been considered a harbinger of the Monsoon rains due to the timings of its arrival. 

# This is medium sized bird, having slim back and white cuckoo with a crest is distinctive. The white wing patch on the black wing and the pattern make it unmistakable even in flight. 

# Jacobin Cuckoo is averaging about 33 cm in length. Adults have a prominent crest and a long, graduated tail. 

# Jacobin Cuckoo feed on various insects and caterpillars. 

# Makes a persistent and loud 'pipew pipew pipew' calls. 

# IUCN status of jacobin cuckoo is ''Least Concern''.

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Crested Lark

Facts about Crested Lark:-

Common name:- Crested Lark

Scientific name:- Galerida cristata

# Crested Lark is a species of lark, distinguished from the other 81 species of lark by the crest of feathers that rise up in territorial or courtship displays and when singing. 

# Height is about 17 cm and a wingspan of 29 to 38 cm, weighing between 37 and 55g. 

# It is a small, brown bird and has a short tail with light brown outer feathers. 

# This is a common of bird of dry, open country and is often seen by roadsides or in cereal fields, although it is also found occupying small, sandy patches by railways, docks and airfields. 

# Diet is mainly vegetarian, primarily feeds on grains and seeds, such as oats, wheat and barley but will also eat insects, particularly beetles, with food either being scavenged from the ground or dug up.

# Residential bird. 

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Asian Pied Starling

Facts about Asian Pied Starling:-

Common name:- Asian Pied Starling
Scientific name:- Gracupica contra

# Asian Pied Starling, also known as 'pied starling' is a species of starling, usually found in small groups      mainly on the plains and low foothills. 

# This starling species is strikingly marked in black and white and has a yellowish bill with a reddish bill base. 

# The sexes are similar in plumage but young birds have dark brown in place of black. 

# They are found mainly in areas with access to open water. 

# The breeding season is from March to September. 

# The flight is slow and butterfly-like on round wings. 

# Omnivorous in diet. 

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Importance of Birds

# As seed dispersers:- the seed pass through the birds intestine unaffected by the digestive juice and out with the waste matter in due course. They germinate rapidly under favorable conditions and establish themselves.

#As flower-pollinating agents:-  A large number of birds of diverse families and species are responsible for the cross-fertilization of flowers, many of them possessing special adaptations in the structure and mechanism of their tongue and bill for the purpose of extracting honey. In trying to reach the nectar, the forehead or throat of the birds comes into contact with the anthers. The ripe golden pollen dust anthers to the feathers and is transported to the mature stigma of the next flower visited, which is thus fertilizes.

# As scavengers:- vultures, kites and crows are invaluable scavengers. They speedily and effectively dispose of carcasses of cattle and other refuse dumped in the precincts of our villages-notoriously lacking in any organized system of sanitation- that would otherwise putrefy and befoul the air and become veritable culture beds of disease.

#As destroyers of insect pests:- a large proportion of the normal food of birds consists of insects, including many that are in the highest degree injurious to man and his concerns.

#As destroyers of other vermin:- owls, kestrels ,hawks and the birds of prey generally- so often accused of destructiveness to poultry and game and slaughtered out of hand- are amongst the most important of nature’s check upon rats and mice, some of the most fecund and destructive pests from which man and his works suffer. These vermin do enormous damage to crops and agricultural produce, and are, besides, the carriers directly or indirectly, of diseases often fatal to man.

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INDIAN ROBIN

Facts about Indian Robin:-

1. These birds are about 13-15 cm long and weighs about 18 gm.
2. Indian robin are 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. 
3. They are often found close to human habitations. 
4. Indian robin feeds on insects but seen taking up the young one's of lizard,frogs. 
5. Indian robin built their nest between rocks, in holes of building, in hollow trees. 
6. Indian robin is terrestrial, hopping along the ground with cocked tail. 
7. The male sings a few melodic notes during the courtship.
8. Indian robin is completely glossy black apart from a white shoulder patch and a reddish lower belly.  

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Extension

From now onwards, we will be updating about the avifaunal diversity of whole Delhi region, India. Earlier, it was only limited to a specific region, which is- Dwarka. But with our increased field work and study, we are able to cover the whole Delhi. So for our blog viewers and readers, it is good news for therm as they will be getting more updates from ourside through this blog. That is the reason we have changed the name of the blog from ''Flyingmachinesofdwarka.blogspot.in'' to ''Flyingmachinesofdelhi-india.blogspot.in''.

Cheers to Camera. 

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Rufous Treepie

Facts about Rufous Treepie :-

1. Rufous Treepie is an Asian treepie, a member of the Corvidae family. 
2. The underparts and lower back are a warm tawny-brown to orange-brown in colour with white wing coverts and black primaries. 
3. The tail long, light bluish-grey with a thick black band on the tip. 
4. Makes loud musical calls which makes it conspicuous. 
5. It is found commonly in open scrub, agricultural areas, forests as well as urban gardens. 
6. The bill is stout with a hooked tip. 
7. The Rufous Treepie is an arboreal omnivore feeding almost completely in trees on fruits, seeds, invertebrates, small reptiles and the eggs and young of birds. 
8. They have been considered to be beneficial to palm cultivation in southern India due to their foraging on the grubs of the destructive weevil- Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. 

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Shikra

Facts about Shikra :-

1. Shikra is a small raptor (26-30 cm long), has short rounded wings and a narrow and somewhat long tail. 
2. The female is larger than the male and has dark orange eyes, whereas the male has red eyes. 
3. Shikra feeds on lizards, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and squirrels. 
4. Shirka is sometime seen feeding on small birds also. 
5. They are diurnal, hunting only during the day. 
6. They are found in woodlands, savannas, sub-tropical, tropical areas and even in populated areas like urban areas.  
7. The breeding season in India is in summer from March to June. 

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Indian Grey Hornbill

Facts about Indian Grey Hornbill :-

1. Found usually in pairs in Dwarka. 
2. It is mostly arboreal.
3. They have grey feathers all over the body with a light grey or dull white belly. 
4. The horn is black or dark grey with a casque extending up to the point of curvature in the horn.
5. They are one of few hornbill species found wihtin urban areas in many cities where they are able to make use of large avenue trees.
6. They are medium-sized hornbill, measuring around 61 cm in length. 
7. Feeds on fruiting trees. Also, known to take molluscs, scorpions, insects, small birds. 

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Yellow-wattled Lapwing

                                               Facts about Yellow-wattled Lapwing :-

1. Not as abundant as Red-wattled Lapwing.
2. Population is low as compared to Red-wattled Lapwing.
3. Found in the agricultural fields, open grasslands, mainly found in undisturbed areas of Dwarka.
4. They are dull grey brown with a black cap, yellow legs and a triangular yellow wattle at the base of the beak.
5. Like other lapwings and plovers, they are ground birds and their nest is a mere collection of tiny pebbles within which their well camouflaged eggs are laid. 
6. They do not migrate, but known to make seasonal movements in response to rains. 
7. It is a ground feeder and the diet includes insects and other vertebrates.
8. It is confined to Indian Subcontinent.

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Bank Myna

Facts about Bank Myna :-

1. Commonly found in road side, open fields, near water bodies, in gardens in Dwarka. 
2. It is smalller but similar in coloration to the Common Myna but differs in having a brick red bare skin behind the eye in place of yellow. 
3. It is greyer on the underside.
4. They found in flocks. 
5. The name is derived from their habit of nesting almost exclusively near banks of river where they excavate holes and breed in large colonies. 
6. Bank myna feed on grain, insects and fruits. Like Common myna, they sometimes follow grazing animals picking up disturbed insects or even ticks on the animals. 
7. Bank myna generally breeds between May and August.

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Oriental Magpie-Robin

                                           Facts about Oriental Magpie-Robin :-                                    

1. Oriental Magpie-Robin is a small passerine bird that is 19 cm in size, considered as Old World flycatcher.
2. They are black and white birds with a long tail that is usually held cocked upright.
3. They are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. 
4. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cage-birds. 
5. It is the national bird of Bangladesh. 
6. They have a varied diet of fruits and animals but are particularly fond of insects and worms. 
7. They forage in trees as well as on the ground, where they hop with their tail raised. They also sip nectar. 
8. They prefer open areas such as mongroves, gardens, cultivated areas. 
9. Oriental Magpie-Robin don't migrate. 
10. Commonly found in Dwarka's cultivated areas and in the open field. 

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Asian Koel

Facts about Asian Koel

1. Not easy to find Koel in Dwarka, but can be noticed by its calls which it usually makes, and from that call we can found the location of the bird. 
2. Asian Koel is a large, long-tailed measuring 39-46 cm in length and weighting 190-327 gm. 
3. The male is glossy bluish-black, with a pale greenish grey bill, the iris is creamson, and it has grey lags and feet. 
4. Lives mainly in thickets of trees, shrubby areas with tall trees, gardens and woods. 
5. Asian Koel performs direct flight as other cuckoos. They have strainght and swift flight with raped wing beats. 
6. Feeds mainly on fruits, especially figs. Also consumes insects and caterpillars. 
7. Resident bird.

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Laughing Dove

Facts about Laughing Dove :-

1. Often found in Dwarka. 
2. The laughing Dove is smallish dove. The head and back are pinky-brown, the wings blue-grey and the belly whitish. 
3. To identify, look for the blue-grey wings and a brown band across the lower fore-neck that is spotted with black. 
4. Laughing Dove feeds on grain, seeds from garden plants and weeds, and bread scraps. 
5. The birds typically feed on the ground and can be seen gathered at food sources as split grain beside roads. 
6. The laughing dove gets its name from its particularly characteristic call, which sounds like human laughter. 
7. Size is about 25 cm in length. 
8. Prefers dry scrub and semi-deserts habitats where they can feed on the ground. 

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Eurasian Collared-Dove

Facts about Eurasian Collared-Dove :-

1. Easily seen anywhere in Dwarka. Abundant in population, but scare's from human elements. 
2. Eurasian Collared-Doves have plump bodies, small heads, and long tails. 
3. They are larger than the Turtle Dove, smaller than Wood Pigeon but similar in length to Rock pigeon. 
4. The bird's collar is a narrow black crescent around the nape of the neck. 
5. The bird perch on telephone poles, wires, and in large trees and give incessant three-syllable coos. 
6. Live in urban and suburban areas. 
7. The bird is not a migratory, but is strongly dispersive. 

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Oriental White-eye

Facts about Oriental White Eye :-

1. The Oriental White-eye is a small passerine bird, about 8-9 cm long. 
2. They forage in small groups, feeding on nectar and small insects. 
3. They are easily identified by the distinctive white eye-ring and overall yellowish upperparts. 
4. They are highly arboreal and only rarely descend to the ground. 
5. They call frequently as they forage and the usual contact call is a soft nasal cheer. 
6. The forehead is sometimes coloured by pollen leading to mistaken identifications. 
7. Often found in the parks, or in the small size shrubs in Dwarka. 

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Rose-ringed Parakeet

Facts about Rose-ringed Parakeet :-

1. Often found on top of buildings, on tree top branches and nesting within building crevices. 
2. Rose-ringed parakeet are large, green parakeet with pale red ring around neck, black moustache stripe, pale blue nape, red eye-ring and red bill. 
3. Tail is ling, slender, green with blue central feathers. 
4. Feeds on buds, fruit, vegetables, nuts, berries and seeds. 
5. The Rose-ringed parakeet is also known as ''Ring-necked Parakeet''. 
6. This non-migrating species is one of few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in 'disturbed habitats'.

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Brown Rock Chat

Facts about Brown Rock Chat :-

1. Often found in agricultural fields, in buildings, in sub-urban compounds in Dwarka.
2.  Brown rock chat is larger than the somewhat similar looking Indian Robin and is about 17cm long.
3. Slightly larger in size as compared to sparrow. 
4. Has uniformly rufous brown with the wings and tail of a slightly darker shade. The brown on the undersides grades into a dark grey-brown vent. 
5. The sexes are indistinguishable in the field. 
6. When feeding on the ground it sometimes flicks open its wings and tail. 
7. It feed mainly on insects, picked off the ground. 

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Black-winged Stilt

Facts about Black-winged Stilt:-

1. Commonly found in open water bodies of Dwarka, especially near Najafgarh drain. 
2. Black-winged stilt is a wading bird, is charaterised by its extremely long, red legs, white stomach and, true to its name, jet-black wings. 
3. Its distinctive legs make up around 60 percent of its overall height, providing it with a feeding advantage over other waders in deeper waters. 
4. Young birds can be easily distinguished by a dash of dark feathers on the usually white head. 
5. The diet of the black-winged stilt is variable according to season, but typically comprises aquatic insects, molluscs, crustaceans, spiders, worms, tadpoles, small fish and seeds. 
6. Black-winged stilt can be found on the shores of large, inland water bodies and estuarine or coastal habitats,
7. Its breeding habitat is typically freshwater or brackish wetlands with a sand, mud or clay bed. 

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Red-Whiskered Bulbul

Facts about Red-Whiskered Bulbul

1. The Red-whiskered bulbul is a passerine bird. Commonly found in the tree canopies, in small shrubs. 
2. It gets its name from the red whisker patch located below its eye. 
3. It has a pointed black crest, white cheeks, brown back, reddish under tail coverts. 
4. It feeds on fruits and small insects and they conspicuously perch on trees and their calls are a loud three or four note call.
5. This bulbul averages seven inches in length and can weigh from 23 to 42 grams. 
6. Often found in Dwarka's different parks and in the open fields from where they can feed on fruits and insects respectively. 

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Black-Winged Kite

Facts about Black-Winged Kite

1. A small, falcon-like kite, the black-winged kite is named for the large jet-black marking that runs from its shoulders and across part of its wing. 
2. This bird has typical short legs, and its pointed wing-tips reach beyond the tip of the notched tail. 
3. The head and underparts of the black-winged kite are pure white and the face is accentuated by red eyes. 
4. A black patch in front of each eye extends into a thin line above and behind the eyes, forming 'eyebrows'. The bird has a black bill, and the cere is yellow to horn in color. 
5. This small bird of prey is active by day and at dusk and being seen most frequently in the early morning or in the evening. 
6. The bird can often be observed sitting on poles, wires or the topmost branches of dead trees. 
7. Black-winged kite feeds mainly on small mammals, particularly house mice, and large insects such as grasshoppers. This species also takes small birds and reptiles. 
8. Black-winged kite can often be seen hovering over agricultural fields in Dwarka, most active during evening time. 

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Green bee-eater

Here is #one Green bee-eater bird which is commonly found in Dwarka's open fields.

Facts about Green bee-eater bird:-

 # The Green bee-eater bird is also known as ''little green bee-eater'' bird.

 # This bird is commonly found in open grass lands, agricultural fields in Dwarka

 # The bird is small in size, rarely growing to more than 18cm in length. 

 # This bird can be easily distinguishable due to it's bright green green plumage and attractive long tail-      feathers. 

 # This bird has a long, but sharp and narrow black beak which is perfectly designed for catching flying insects. 

 # More than 80% of bee-eater's diet is comprised of honeybees and the rest is mainly made up of other bee species along with numerous species of flying insects. 

 # Green bee-eater nest between May and June in tunnels dug into the sandy banks. 

 # Today, the green bee-eater is classified as a species that is in least danger of immediate extinction in the wild. 

 #However, the decline in both their native habitat and bee population numbers around the world, could have devastating consequences for the plucky little bird. 

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About Dwarka, Delhi.

# Dwarka region in Delhi is rich in biodiversity.

# It possesses a wide range of flora & fauna species.

# Agricultural fields are also there which make it perfect for Bird species to feed on.

# Najafgarh drain is also there on which large number of aquatic birds depend.

# Now a days due to human interference, habitat fragmentation & construction work of large apartments are major threat to this avifauna life.

# So here in this blog I would give the idea or the record or bird species which are documented in Dwarka region, Delhi.

# I have traveled along different sides of Dwarka region for the documentation of bird species.

# I found out a large number of bird species & also found out those bird species which aren't expected to be found here.

# Winter migratory birds are also seen along the agricultural field & near Najafgarh drain site too.

# A total of 51 birds species are recorded in Dwarka region Delhi.



Here is one #IndianRoller bird for all you readers.

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Heading For Horizon

Welcome to the World of Avifauna

What is a bird?
Birds are vertebrate warm-blooded animals i.e. whose temperature remains more or less constant and independent of the surrounding temperature. The body temperature of birds, about 38-44 degree Celsius, is higher than that of most mammals.

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Welcome to the world of Avifauna of Dwarka region, Delhi.

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