Saturday, September 27, 2008

Lesser golden backed woodpecker

Lesser golden-backed woodpecker (Dinopium benghalense).

They are insect eaters.

Loten's Sunbird, female


Loten's Sunbird (female), originally uploaded by animtreebird.

This is the female Loten's sunbird

Lotens Sunbird


Lotens Sunbird, originally uploaded by animtreebird.

Loten's sunbird (Cinnyris lotenius).

Their long bills are used for drinking nectar.

Asian Koel (male)


Asian Koel (male), originally uploaded by animtreebird.

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea).

They feed on a variety of insects, caterpillars, and small vertebrates. Adults predominanty feed on fruit.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Common Pierrot butterfly


Common Pierrot butterfly, originally uploaded by animtreebird.


Common pierrot butterfly (Castalius rosimon).

A very beautiful and small black and white butterfly.

Dragonfly


Dragonfly
Originally uploaded by animtreebird

Dragonfly of green colour.

Wagtail



I am not sure of this bird's identity. This is a wagtail.

Little Cormorants and Oriental Darter



Little Cormorants (Phalacrocorax niger) and Oriental Darter (Anhinga melanogaster).

They are fish eaters.

Brown Flycatcher



Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica).

They are insectivorous.

These are migratory visitors to my city (Chennai, India).

Habitat: They are found in woodland and cultivated areas.

Common Langur



Common Langur.

They feed on leaves, fruit, buds and flowers.

Itook this photo in Horseley Hills, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Hoopoe



Hoopoe (Upopa epops).

They feed on insects and worms.

Habitat: They prefer open ground with short grass patches.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Black drongo



Black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus).

They feed on insects and other small animals.

Habitat: They are found in open forests, lightly wooded habitats, and farmland.

Magpie Robin



Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis). This is the male bird.

They are insectivorous.

Habitat: They are found in open woodlands and cultivated areas.

Indian Palm Squirrell



Three striped palm squirrell (Funambulus palmarum).

They are associated with Lord Rama and are considered sacred in India.

Pheasant tailed jacana



Pheasant tailed jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus). This photo was taken in Osuteri Lake, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, in May 2007.

They feed on insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water's surface.

Habitat: They prefer shallow lakes.

Common mongoose



Common mongoose (Herpestes edwardsi).

They feed on mice, rats, lizards, snakes, beetles, bird eggs, fruits, berries, and roots, grasshoppers, scorpions, centipedes, frogs, crabs, and fish.

Habitat: They can be seen in cultivated fields or in broken, bushy vegetation, open areas, grasslands, and scrub.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Fruit Bat



Fruit Bat.

They eat fruits or lick nectar from flowers.

Bonnet macaque



Bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata).

They feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers, invertebrates and cereals.

I took this photo in Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu, India.

Rose-ringed parakeet



Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri).

They feed on buds, fruits, vegetables, nuts, berries and seeds.

Indian Star Tortoise



Indian Star Tortoise

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Blue Tiger butterfly



Blue Tiger butterfly (Tirumala limniace).

Common Emigrant butterfly



Common Emigrant (Catopsilia pomona).

Skipper



Skipper.

Lemon Pansy butterfly



Lemon Pansy butterfly (Junonia lemonias).


Common Crow butterfly (Euploea core).

Peacock Pansy butterfly




Peacock Pansy butterfly (Junonia almana).

Grey Pansy butterfly



Grey Pansy butterfly (Junonia atlites).

I am posting some photos of other winged wonders in South India. :)

Friday, September 12, 2008

Pigeons




Pigeons feed on seeds, grains.



These photos were taken from the terrace of my home.



Pigeons are found everywhere except the driest regions of Sahara and Antarctica.



I love these birds!

Shikra



Shikra (Accipiter badius).

Rooster



Rooster (Gallus gallus).

Ashy crowned finch lark



Ashy crowned finch lark (Eremopterix grisea).

They feed on insects and seeds.

Habitat: Open dry habitats, scrubs, cultivation.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Jungle Crow



Jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos).

They feed on a variety of food; plant or animal.

Pied Crested Cuckoo



Pied crested cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus).

They feed on insects and caterpillars.

White browed bulbul



White browed bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus).

They feed on fruit, insects, and nectar.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Common tailorbird



Common tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius).

They feed on insects, fruits, berries, tiny seeds, and also sip nectar.

Blue tailed bee eater



Blue tailed bee eater (Merops philippinus).

They feed on bees, wasps, and hornets.

Yellow wattled lapwing



Yellow wattled lapwing (Vanellus malabaricus).

They feed on insects and other vertebrates.

Osprey



Osprey (Pandion haliaetus).

They feed on fish.

Lesser sand plover



Lesser sand plover (Charadrius mongolus).

They feed on crustaceans, insects and annelid worms.

Common sandpiper



Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos).

They feed on insects, crustaceans, and other invertebrates.

Small blue kingfisher



Small blue kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).

They feed mainly on fish.

Large pied wagtail



Large pied wagtail (Motacilla madaraspatensis).

They are insectivorous.

Barn swallows



Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica).

They feed on large flies and aphids.

Little egrets



Little egret (Egretta garzetta).

They feed on fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and insects.

Great egret



Great egret (Ardea alba).

They feed on fish, frog, and insects.

Oriental Darter



Oriental Darter or Snake Bird (Anhinga melanogaster).

They feed on fish, frogs, newts, snakes, insects, shrimps, molluscs.