Tell Tail AugustNovember 2017

Tell Tail n Aug 2017 - Oct 2017 21

the Asian koel (eudynamys
scolopaceus)
is often
heard and
seen in urban areas.The
preferred habitat of the koel
is light forests, cultivation and
thick scrub. Koels feed on
insects and fruits.
The koel is a brood
parasite which means
it lays its egg in other
birds nests, mostly in the
nests of crows. These birds raise
the Koel’s young as their own.
You must have seen this
upright black and
white bird chirping
in gardens. This is
the oriental magpie
robin (copsychus
saularis).The male
has black upper
parts, head and throat
and a white shoulder
patch, with white
underparts and long white sides of
the tail. The females are greyish
black above and greyish white below.
They are common birds in urban
gardens as well as forests. They
are known for their melodious song.
Try to listen to their call sometime.
Mainly an insectivorous bird, it is
known to occasionally have nectar.
Common garden birds, the
purple sunbird (cinnyris asiaticus)
is a small sunbird and like other
sunbirds, feeds mainly on nectar
and sometimes insects. Barely 10
cms, the bird has a curved bill that
helps the bird reach nectar easily.
The male is a glossy metallic bluish
to purplish and the females are olive
above and yellowish below.
One small common garden bird
is the Indian tailorbird (orthotomus
sutorius). It is a brightly coloured
bird, with a long upright tail, green
upper body, creamy underparts and
rust coloured forehead. Typically
found in open farmland, scrub,
forest edges and gardens, tailorbirds
get their name from the way their
nest is constructed- made of leaves
“sewn” together. Tailorbirds are

insectivorous.

The house

sparrow (passer

domestics) which was a

very common bird, is now a

rare sight in cities. It is so well

adapted to living around humans

that it frequently lives and even

breeds indoors. It feeds mostly

on the seeds of grains and weeds,

but it is an opportunistic eater and

commonly eats insects. This small

bird’s population

is declining due to

various reasons.

The major found

is a shortage of

nesting sites

caused by

changes in urban building

design and insufficient supply of

insect food for nestling sparrows.

Glossary

Ecology: Relationship and

interaction of organisms

with each other and with

their environment.

Crest: Soft feathers

common along the head,

neck, and upper back of

the birds.

Territorial behaviour:

Animals defend the

territory or area where

they live from intruders

by fighting or displaying

dominating behaviour.

Brood parasites: Organisms that

rely on other species to raise their

young.

Invasive Potential: Species

which have a tendency to spread,

which can cause damage to the

environment, human economy or

human health.

— NEHA SINGH

Founder Director, FORREST-

Forest Regeneration and

Environmental Sustainability Trust

Common tailorbird Red vented bulbul

Koel

House

crow

Oriental

magpie robin