FOR THE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

INDIAN BIRDS

'BT THE SAME AUTHOR
BOMBAY DUCKS : An Account of
some of the Everyday Birds and
Beasts found in a Naturalist's El
Dorado. With numerous Illustrations
reproduced from Photographs by Cap-
tain Fayrer, I.M.S. Demy 8vo.
BIRDS OF THE PLAINS. With
numerous Illustrations. Demy 8vo.

IN COLLABORATION WITH FRANK FINN

THE MAKING OF SPECIES.
With 15 Illustrations. Demy 8vo.

INDIAN BIRDS

BEING A KEY TO THE COMMON
BIRDS OF THE PLAINS OF INDIA
BY DOUGLAS DEWAR ffi ffi ffi

tA COMPANION rOLUME TO
THE BIRD VOLUMES OF » THE
FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA" &
JERDON'S ** BIRDS OF INDIA"

LONDON: JOHN LANE THE BODLET HEAD
liEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANT MCMXX

gjtd Edition {Revised^

Tht Mayflower Prtss, Plymouth, England. William Brendon & Son, Ltd.

PREFACE

I FEAR that the patience of those who have been
■awaiting this Httle book must be well-nigh ex-
hausted, so long has it been in appearing. I
began it two years ago, but had to put it aside
during the last few months spent in India
prior to taking furlough, on account of the
heavy work the threatening famine entailed ;
and when one is on furlough one only works
at the rare times when there is nothing better
to do !

The object of this book is to enable people
interested in our Indian birds to identify at
sight those they are likely to meet with in
their compounds and during their excursions
into the jungle.

There are several good systematic works on
Indian ornithology, but the descriptions in
these presuppose that the reader has the
specimen in his hand and is able to examine
it leisurely, feather by feather. To do this
it is necessary to kill the bird in question

5

Preface

— a procedure which causes pain to many
and gives pleasure to very few. Moreover,
unless the seeker after knowledge has some
notion as to the order to which the bird he
has shot belongs, he will find that seeking it
out in the four -bird volumes of the Fauna of
British India series is a task almost as hopeless
as that of looking for the proverbial needle in
a haystack.

Eha's truly admirable book, entitled 7he
Common Birds of Bombay, gives the reader a
vivid description of our common Indian birds
as they appear to the field naturalist ; and I
heartily commend this little masterpiece to
every Anglo-Indian. But even this does not
enable the observer to identify in a few
seconds any bird he sees, for it is not written
in the form of a key. The present book is an
attempt at a key to the everyday birds of the
plains of India, a dictionary of birds so arranged
that the budding ornithologist is able to turn
up any particular bird in a few minutes.
This book is, I beUeve, the first of its kind
that has been attempted.

The method I have adopted is to classify
birds according to their habits and outward
appearance. Every bird has a colour, and

6

Preface

most birds possess some anatomical peculiarity,
such as a crest, a long tail, long legs, etc.
Not a few have some easily recognisable habit,
such as a peculiar call or manner of flight.
Thus most birds will appear in at least two
of my classes, and so should be easily identified
by a process of elimination. When the reader
thinks that he has located a bird he should
turn it up in the descriptive list, which com-
poses Part II of this book, and this will serve
to confirm or correct him in his identification.
Thus, to take a very easy example, the ob-
server while out walking sees a white bird with
a long tail, and a black crested head. Looking
through the lists of birds under (i) those having
long tails ; (2) those having a crest ; (3) those
mainly white, he will find that the Paradise
Flycatcher is the only bird that appears in
all three lists. Its number in the descriptive
list is (57). A perusal of entry No. 57 will
confirm the diagnosis, and indicate where
illustrations of the bird are to be found.

I venture to hope that this little book will
enable any person to learn in a few weeks to
identify nearly all the common birds of his
station.

The descriptions given in Part II of the
7

Preface

book are short ones, and each is an attempt
to depict the bird as it looks when perched in
a tree or during flight. Sometimes the de-
scription given may appear to differ from
those given in l^he Fauna of British India, or
in Jerdon's Birds of India. The reason of the
apparent discrepancy is that the descriptions
of the birds in these latter books are those of
the skins of dead birds, while mine are at-
tempts to depict the bird as he appears in
the flesh.

In a few cases I have described birds from
memory, and sometimes my memory may
have played me false. I shall be most grate-
ful to anyone who will be kind enough to
point out to me any errors. One of the
greatest of the difiiculties I have experienced
is to know what birds to insert and what to
leave out of this book. It is a key only to the
common birds of the plains, and deals with
about one-fifth of the feathered inhabitants.

I have purposely omitted the game birds
from my list. These are usually shot at sight ;
it is therefore not necessary for me to burden
this book with them. There is no lack of good
books that enable the sportsman to identify
the birds he has shot. I may mention Marshall

8

Preface

and Hume's Game Birds of India^ Burmah, and
Ceylon, with its large number of coloured
plates. This valuable work is out of print ; but
a copy is to be found in almost every Indian
library. Then there is Stuart Baker's recently
pubhshed Indian Ducks and their Allies, which
contains excellent coloured plates of all Indian
ducks. Those who cannot afford to purchase
this sumptuous work have in Finn's How to
know the Indian Ducks, a safe and inexpensive
guide. The same author's How to know the
Indian Waders, enables the tyro to identify
any dead wader. Lastly, there is Le Mes-
surier's Game, Shore, and Water Birds of India;
but this, I fear, will be found rather technical
for most people. I think I have stated suffi-
ciently clearly my reasons for excluding the
majority of game birds from the present work.
It now remains for me to justify the other
omissions.

In order to render it comparatively easy to
identify any given bird, it is necessary that
the various classes shall not be too large, and
the only way of securing this desideratum is to
exclude all the birds that are not frequently
met with.

Some may think that I have omitted certain
9

Preface

species that should have been included. In
anticipation of such criticism I may say that
I have done my best to deal impartially with
my feathered friends. I have served in three
provinces, viz. the United Provinces, Madras,
and the Punjab, and have spent a little time
on the Bombay side, and have been largely
guided by my experience. It is, I admit, quite
likely that some of the birds I have omitted
may be very common in certain localities. I
shall be glad to hear of any such with a view
to adding them to a second edition should
that be called for.

I would emphasise the fact that this book is
a mere key, and as such is of necessity a col-
lection of the dry bones of ornithology and
devoid of any literary merit. The book will lose
much of its value unless it be used in con-
junction with other books, such as Jerdon's
Birds of India^ or the bird volumes of
the Fauna of British India series, to which
references are made in the case of every
species mentioned. The present work is
primarily a companion to either of the above
volumes.

When once the common birds have been
learned, it becomes comparatively easy to

Preface

identify the uncommon ones and to assign to
its proper family an uncommon bird.

In conclusion, let me advise every one who
wishes to " learn his birds " to procure Eha's
Common Birds of Bombay. Most of the species
dealt with therein are common all over the
plains.

Those who live in Calcutta will find Cun-
ningham's Some Indian Friends and Acquaint-
ances., and Finn's Birds of Calcutta very help-
ful.

Although I have, in the present work, in-
dicated the distribution of the various birds
dealt with, a local list (where it exists) will
be of great assistance. The following lists
have been compiled :

LOCAL LISTS OF BIRDS WHICH HAVb:
APPEARED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY

No.
Name of Locality Volume of Journal of page

South Gujerat ... I 149

North Cachar. . . . IX-XIII —

Hylakandy District, ) X-XIII

Cachar j

Gwalior XI 136

North Canara .... XI & XII 652 & 43

Preface

Name of Locality Volume of Journal

Andaman and Nicobar ) vtt o vttt

Islands I XII & XIII

Madhubani Subdivision \

of the Darbhanga Dis- I XIII-XVI

trict J

Travancore .... XV & XVI

Madras XVI

Seistan XVI

Chindwin, Upper Burma XVIII

Bhamo District, Upper I ^^v

Burma ] ^^^

No.
of page

484

686

78 & 432

Volume of
tray Feathers

No.
of page

I

I

II & III

41 & 291
361

355 & 288

III

I

LOCAL LISTS OF BIRDS WHICH APPEARED
IN "STRAY FEATHERS"

Name of Locality

Bind

Sambhur Lake

Chota Nagpur . .

Upper Pegu . .

Mount Abu and North
Gujerat ....

Travancore . . .

Region between Maha
nadi and Godaver
rivers ....

Fureedpur, E. Bengal

South Konkan . .

Deccan and South Mah- )

I III,IV&V 437,1,207
IV & VII 351 & 33

ratta country

V

VII
IX

IX

410

238
I

367

Preface

Name of Locality

Lucknow Civil Division

Pegu

Western Kandesh . .
Mauzeerabad, Mysore .

Belgaum

Manipur, Assam, Syl- )
het and Cachar . . j

LOCAL LISTS OF
APPEARED

Name of Locality

Oudh and Kumaun .
Kattiawar . . .

Dacca

Central India
Bhamo, Upper Burma
Calcutta District
Lucknow ....
Southern Shan States
Kohat and Kurram .

Volume of
^tray Feathers

IX & X
X
X
X
X

X

491

No.
of page

> ^ 444

175
279

454
435

BIRDS WHICH HAVE
IN "THE IBIS''

Year of Ibis
1861

1873
1882
1885

1894
1902 & 1903
I90I &

1909

903

No.
of page

217

397
84

52
70

39

470

525
90

LOCAL LISTS OF BIRDS WHICH HAVE
APPEARED IN THE JOURNAL OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY, BENGAL

Name of Locality Volume

Manipur LVIII, Part II

Southern Shan States . LXIX, Part II

No.
of page

235
102

13

PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION

The first edition of this work was exhausted a
year before I became aware of the fact, and,
as the demand appears to be brisk, I have not
caused further delay by revising the book very
thoroughly.

I am under considerable obligation to Mr.
G. O. Allen, I.C.S., for his notes and sugges-
tions. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say
that the list of additions and corrections has
been almost entirely compiled by him.

It is a source of great satisfaction to me to
learn that this little book, notwithstanding
its shortcomings, has enabled many people to
learn the names of the common birds that
live around them. j) DEWAR.

Ghazipur, U.P., India,
1919.

14

CONTENTS

Preface

PAGE

5

Preface to Second Edition

M

PART I

A. Hindustani Names of Common Birds

19

B. Classification According to Structural

Peculiarities

23

I. Bills

23

II. Crest

III. Legs

IV. Tail

. 24
26

V. Sexual Dimorphism

29

C. Classification According to Colour

• 31

I. Black

. 32

II. Blue

. 42

III. Brown

. 44

IV. Coffee or Fawn Colour .

• 52

V. Green

• 53

VI. Grey

VII. Pink

• 54
. $6

VIII. Red

• 57

IS

Contents

C. Classification According to Colour —

PAGE

continued

IX. White

6i

X. Yellow

6S

XI. Birds of Many Colours .

68

D. Classification According to Habits .

69

I. Birds having remarkable cries .

70

II. Birds whose nests are hkely to be

found in any garden in the plains

75

III. Birds that habitually sit on ex-

posed perches ....

78

IV. Birds that go about in flocks .

79

V. Flight

81

VI. Feeding habits ....

82

VII. Birds which habitually carry the tail

almost vertically

85

PART II

Descriptive List of the Common Birds of

THE Plains of India .... 89
Index to Descriptive List .... 229

16

PART I

A. Hindustani Names of Common Birds

B. Classification according to Structural Peculiarities

C. Classification according to Colour

D. Classification according to Habits

A. HINDUSTANI NAMES OF
COMMON BIRDS

Ababil, Swallow, Martin, Swift (80-90, 124
and 125).*

Jblak Maina, Pied Myna (54).

Bagld, Paddy bird (224).

Bar a Kowa, Corby (i).

Bater, Quail (171).

Bay a, Baya or Weaver bird (70).

Bdz, Eagle (146) ; also Goshawk.

Bhairi, Peregrine Falcon.

BhJmrdj, Racket-tailed Drongo (27).

Brdhmini Chll, Brahminy Kite (151).

Buchanga, King Crow (25).

Balbtll, Bulbul (15-21).

Chahd, Snipe.

Chakzod, Brahminy Duck (229).

Chandul, Lark (97-103).

Chll, Kite (152).

Chotd Chahd, Jack Snipe.

* In all cases the number in brackets which follows the
name of a bird is the number of the bird in the Descriptive
List that composes Part II of this book.

19

Indian Birds

Darya Maind, Bank Myna (53).

Daydl, Magpie Robin (68).

Desi Shdma, Brown Rock-chat (64).

Dhobin, Wagtail (91-94).

Fakhtd, Dove (166-169).

Gheti, Goose (Mirzapur district).

Gidh, Vulture (141 -145).

Goldhi Maind, Rose-coloured Starling (48).

Gonriya, Sparrow (82).

Gngn, Dove (166-169).

Hdns, Barred-headed Goose (228).

Harre Ldl, Green Munia (78).

Harridl, Green Pigeon (163 and 164).

Jdnghil, Painted Stork.

Jangli tota, Sirkeer Cuckoo.

Kahntdr Pigeon (165).

Kdld Pidhd, Pied Bush Chat (61 and 62).

Kdld ^Itar, Black Partridge (172).

Kdrkarra, Demoiselle Crane (179).

Koil, Koel (130).

Kotwdl, King Crow (25).

Kozvd, House Crow (3).

Knlang, Common Crane (177).

Laggar, Lugger Falcon (160).

Lahtora, Shrike (34-37).

Ldlf

Ldl Mania, .

20

i Amadavat (y/).
•5 '

Hindustani Names of Common Birds

Machlimdr^ Osprey (140).
Maind, Myna (52).
Muhok, Crow-pheasant (131).
Mor, Peafowl (170).
Nllkant, Roller (115).
Pah art Maind, Grackle (46 and 47).
Pdndubi, Dabchick.
Pan-kozva, Cormorant (209-211).
Perki, Dove.

Phutki, Tailor-bird, warbler (28-33).
Pjlak, Oriole (44 and 45).
PopJyd, Brain-fever bird (128).
Rdj Hans, Grey-lag Goose (227).
Safed Gldh, Scavenger Vulture (144 and 145).
Sdrds, Sarus Crane (178).
Sdth Bhai, Seven Sisters (7-9).
Sazuan, Bar-headed Goose (Unao district).
Shah Bulhrd, Paradise Flycatcher (57).
Shikrd, Shikra (158).
Silahi, Whistling Teal.

Sifhdhi Bulhid, Red-whiskered Bulbul (20
and 21).

Subak, Night Heron (Baraich district).
Suga, Paroquet.

Surkid Bagld, Cattle Egret (223).
Surkhdbi, Brahminy Duck.
Thampdl, King Crow (25).
21

Indian Birds

Tilyer, Rose-coloured Starling (48).

Tjsa, White-eyed Buzzard (147).

TJtar, Grey Partridge (173).

Tniri, Plover, Lapwing (183 and 184).

Tutd, Paroquet (132-134).

Turamti, Red-headed Merlin (161).

Tati, Rose Finch (80).

t7//5, Owl (135-139).

Wdk, Night Heron (225).

Wokdh, Tawny Eagle (146).

The following words are used by Indians as
equivalent to the English word " nest."

Jhonj or JhUnj, (In some parts of the
country this is used to describe a hanging nest.)

Ghonsla or Gonchila.

Bit or Gahda, Used for a nest in a hole.

27

B. CLASSIFICATION

ACCORDING ro STRUCTURAL

PECULIARITIES

I. BiUs.
II. Crest.

III. Legs.

IV. Tail.

V Sexual Dimorphism.

I. BILLS

Birds with Long Bills

1. The Sunbirds (106-108). (Very small
birds with long curved bills.)

2. The Kingfishers (i 18-120). (Fairly long
and straight.)

3. The Hornbills (121 and 122). (Big birds
with long tails.)

4. The Hoopoe (123). (Bill very long and
slightly curved.)

5. The Black-winged Stilt (187). (Fairly
long, very slender.)

6. The Avocet (188). (Fairly long, slender,
with an upward curve.)

23

Indian Birds

7. The Curlew (1S9). (Stry long and
curved.)

8. The Wliimbrel (190). (Long and curved.)

9. The Black-tailed Godwit (191).

10. The Snipes.

11. The Pelicans (207 and 208).

12. The Ibises (212-214). (S^^T ^^^g ^^^
slightly curved.)

13. The Spoonbill (215). (Long, straight,
and flattened with a ladle-like tip.)

14. The Storks (216-221).

15. The Herons (222-225). (Fairly long and
dagger-shaped).

II. CREST
Crested birds

1. The Madras Red- vented Bulbul (15).

2. The Burmese Red- vented Bulbul (16).

3. The Bengal Red- vented Bulbul (17).

4. The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul (18).

5. The Wliite-eared Bulbul (19).

6. The Bengal Red- whiskered Bulbul (20).

7. The Southern Red- whiskered Bulbul(2i).

8. The Large Racket-tailed Drongo (27).

9. The Rose-coloured Starling (48).

10. The Brahminy Myna (51).

11. The Paradise Flycatcher (57).

24

Classificoiion : L^gs

12. The Crested Lark (loi).

13. Sykes's Crested Lark (102).

14. The Malabar Crested Lark (103).

15. The Yellow- fronted Woodpecker (no).

16. The Golden Woodpecker (in).

17. The Pied Kingfisher (small crest) (118).

18. The Indian Hoopoe (123).

19. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129).

20. The Common Peafowl (170).

2 1 . The Large Cormorant (small crest) (209).

22. The Indian Spur- winged Plover (184a).

23. The Herons (222-225).

III. LEGS
Birds with very long legs

1. The Wnite-breasted Water-hen (174).
(Moderately long.)

2. The Purple Coot (175).

3. The Cranes (177-179).

4. The Stone Curlew (i8c).

5. The Lapwings (183 and 184).

6. The Black-^^inged Stilt (187).

7. The Avocet (1S8).

8. The Curlew (189).

9. The \Miimbrel (190).
10. The Spoonbill (215).

Indian Birds

11. The Storks (216-221).

12. The Common Flamingo (226).

13. The Indian Spur- winged Plover (184a).

Birds with legs feathered to the toe

1. The Owls (135-139).

2. The True Eagles (146).

3. The Sandgrouse.

IV. TAIL

I. Birds with the tail dee fly forked

1. The Drongos (25-27).

2. The Swallows (88-90).

3. The Palm Swift (125).

4. The Common Kite (152). (Tail slightly
forked. This distinguishes the Kite from all
other raptorial birds which have round, square,
or wedge-shaped tails.)

5. The Terns (200-206).

2. Birds with long tails (i.e. long in -propor-
tion to rest of body)

1. The Indian Tree-pie (5).

2. The King Crow (25).

3. The White-bellied Drongo (26).

4. The Larger Racket-tailed Drongo (27).

5. The Tailor Bird (cock in breeding plum-

26

Classification : Tail

age when the two middle feathers are pro-
longed as two bristles) (28).

6. The Paradise Flycatcher (cock only) (57).

7. The Shama (69).

8. The Wire-tailed Swallow (two of the tail
feathers are prolonged beyond the others and
look like wires. These frequently get broken
ofi) (89).

9. The Common Indian Bee-eater (the
two median tail feathers are prolonged as
bristles) (il6).

10. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (the two
median tail feathers are prolonged as bristles)

(117)-

11. The Hornbills (121 and 122).

12. The Cuckoos (128-130).

13. The Crow-pheasant (131).

14. The Large Indian Paroquet (132).

15. The Rose-ringed Paroquet (133).

16. The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet

(134)-

17. The Peacock (170). In this species it is

not the tail, but the upper tail coverts which
are elongated.

18. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (in breeding
plumage) (182).

19. Terns (202-204).

27

Indian Birds

3. Birds with a very short tail

1. The Nuthatches (23 and 24).

2. The Munias (74-79). (Fairly short).

3. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).

4. The Indian Pitta (109).

5. The Woodpeckers (no and in). (Fairly
short.)

6. The Barbets (n3 and n4).

7. The Kingfishers (n 8-1 20).

8. The Common Indian Swift (124).

9. The Spotted Owlet (135).

10. The Scops Owl (138).

11. The Vultures (140-142). (Fairly short.)

12. The Common Quail (171).

13. The Partridges (172 and 173).

14. The White-breasted Water-hen (174).

15. The Purple Coot (175).

16. The Coot (176).

17. The Plovers (185 and 186).

18. The Avocet (188).

19. The Black-tailed Godwit (191).

20. The Sandpipers (192-194).

21. The Little Stint (195).

22. The Pelicans (207 and 208).

23. The Cormorants (209-211).

24. The Ibises (212-214).

28

Classification : Sexual Dimorphism

25. The Spoonbill (215).

26. The Egrets (223).

27. The Paddy Bird (224).

28. The Night Heron (225).

29. The Common Flamingo (226).

30. The Geese (227 and 228).

31. The Ducks (229 and 230).

32. The Little Grebe (231). (No tail at all.)

4. Birds in which a 'part of the tail feathers are
prolonged beyond the rest as bristles

{a) Median pair prolonged

1. (Cock) Tailor Bird (in hot weather).

2. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

(Z>) Outer pair prolonged

1. The Larger Racket-tailed Drongo (27).
(The web reappears at the tip, so as to form a
disc at the terminal part of the feather.)

2. The Wire-tailed Swallow.

V. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

Birds in which the sexes differ greatly in
appearance

1. The Common lora (13).

2. The Minivets (39-41).

29

Indian Birds

3. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42).

4. The Orioles (44 and 45).

5. The Rose-coloured Starling (48).

6. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (57).

7. The Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62).

8. The Indian Bush Chat (63).

9. The Indian Redstart (65).

10. The Indian Robins {66 and 6j).

11. The Magpie Robin (68).

12. The Shama (69).

13. The Weaver Birds (70-73). (In breeding
season only.)

14. The Indian Red Munia (79). (Particu-
larly in breeding season.)

15. The Common Rose-Finch (80).

16. The Common Sparrow (82).

17. The Buntings (84 and 85).

18. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).

19. The Sunbirds (106-108).

20. The Koel (130).

21. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (134).

22. The Harriers (153-157).

23. The Red Turtle Dove (169).

24. The Common Peafowl (170).

25. The Black Partridge (172).

26. The Shoveller (230). (In breeding
plumage.)

30

C. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING
ro COLOUR

I. Black.

II. Blue.

III. Brown.

IV. Coffee or fawn colour.
V. Green.

VI. Grey.
VII. Pink.
VIIL Red.
IX. White.
X. Yellow.

Colour affords the easiest means of identify-
ing the great majority of birds, but in many
cases the colours displayed, although con-
spicuous and easily recognised, are not of a
nature to admit of strict classification. Take,
for example, the blues — various species display
almost every known shade from slaty grey to
turquoise, from purple to ultramarine and
indigo. To attempt to distinguish in the
lists between the many shades of blue would
31

Indian Birds

have led to inevitable confusion. I have,
therefore, divided my blues into bright blue,
dark blue, and slaty blue. My method is
probably inartistic, but it will, I hope, facili-
tate the task of identification.

Again, it is no easy matter to draw the line
between greyish and brownish birds, hence
I have included some species under both
heads. The reader should bear in mind that,
while nothing is easier than to identify some
birds by their colour, in the case of others
colour is at the best a rough guide — one, but
only one, of the clues which have to be fol-
lowed up before the identity of the species can
be established. In the case of Raptorial birds
colour is of very little assistance, since the
great majority of them are of the same colour,
moreover, individuals vary greatly in coloura-
tion at different stages of their existence.

I. BLACK

I. Biris with a quantity of black in their
flumage

{a) All Black

1. The Indian Corby (i).

2. The Raven (2).

32

Classification According to Colour

3. The King Crow (25).

4. The Large Racket-tailed Drongo (27).

5. (Cock) Sunbirds (106 and 107). (These
are really dark purple, but sometimes look
black from a distance.)

6. (Cock) Koel (bill green, eyes red) (130).

7. (Young) Scavenger Vultures (144 and

H5)-

8. Coot (176). (White bill and shield on

forehead.)

9. The Indian Shag (210).

These have grey
. necks, darker in the
latter.

{b) Mainly Black

1. The Indian House \
Crow (3).

2. The Burmese House
Crow (4).

3. The Malabar WTiistling Thrush (11).
(Patches of cobalt-blue.)

4. The Crackles (46 and 47). (YeUow
wattles and white bar in wing.)

5. The Indian StarHng (49). (With small
yellow or whiiish spots.)

6. The Common Indian Swift (124). (Smoky
browm, with white bar across rump.)

7. The Palm Swift (125). (Brownish
black.)

c 33

Indian Birds

8. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (Wings chest-
nut brown.)

9. The Black Vulture (141). (Red head,
white breast and patch on each thigh.)

10. The White-backed Vulture (143). (Very
dark grey, with white back.)

11. (Cock) Black Partridge (172). (With
narrow white bars and broad chestnut collar.)

12. White-breasted Water-hen (174). (Very
dark grey, with white face, throat, and chest,
and red under tail.)

13. The Large and Little Cormorants (209
and 211). (White throat.)

14. Black Ibis (213). (Top of head red,
white patch on wing.)

2. Black-headed birds

1. The Indian Tree-Pie (5).

2. (Cock) lora (13).

3. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-19). (Small
crest.)

4. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21).
(Large pointed crest.)

5. The Minivets (39 and 40).

6. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42).

7. The Black-headed Oriole (45).

8. The Rose-coloured Starling (48).

34

Classification According to Colour

9. The Black-headed Myna (51).

10. The Common Myna (52). (With yellow
patch of skin behind eye.)

11. The Paradise Flycatcher (57).

12. The Indian Redstart (cock in spring)

(65).

13. The Magpie Robin (cock) (68).

14. The Shama (69).

15. The Black-headed Munia (74).

16. The Chestnut-belHed Munia (75).

17. The Black-headed Bunting (in spring)

(84).

18. The Purple -rumped Sunbird (108).
(The head and breast are not black in this
species, but look black from a distance.)

19. The Crow-Pheasant (131).

20. (Male) Pied Harrier (156).

21. The Bronze-winged Ja^ana (181).

22. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183). (Red
wattle and sides of neck white.)

23. The Yellow- wattled Lapwing (184).
(Yellow wattle, back of neck white.)

24. The Terns (especially in summer) (200-
20s).

25. The White Ibis (212).

26. The White-necked Stork (217). (Neck
white.)

3S

Indian Birds

27. The Black-necked Stork (218).

28. The Night Heron (225).

29. The Indian Spur- winged Plover (184a).

3. Black collaret or gorget or hand across the
breast

1. The Bengal Red- whiskered Bulbul (20).

2. The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul (21).
(Collaret interrupted.)

3. The White Wagtail (patch on breast) (91).

4. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).
(Black cross on throat.)

5. The Common Indian Bee-eater (116).

6. Some of the Bustards. (Not dealt with
in this book.)

7. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (182).

8. The Little Ringed Plover (186).

9. The Painted Stork (220).

4. Black streak through the eye (i.e. jrom beak
to back of head)

1. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23).

2. The Velvet- fronted Nuthatch (24).

3. The Shrikes (34-37).

4. The Indian Oriole (44). (Rather a patch

than a streak.)

36

Classification According to Colour

5. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).

6. The Indian Pitta (109).

7. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

5. Black and another colour
{a) Black and blue

1. The Malabar Whistling Thrush (11).

2. The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (24).
(Whitish throat, lower parts greyish.)

3. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165).
(Slaty blue, with black wing bars and red legs.)

(b) Black and brozon (chestnut)

1. The Indian Tree-Pie (5). (Silver-grey on
wings, grey bars on tail, which is long.)

2. The Common Myna (52). (White in
wings and tail, yellow legs, and patch of skin
behind eye.)

3. (Hen and young) Indian Paradise Fly-
catcher (57).

4. (Cock) Brown-backed Indian Robin (66),
(Red patch under tail.)

5. The Chestnut-belKed Munia (75).

6. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (A black bird
with brown wings).

37

Indian Birds

(c) Black and coffee or fawn colour
The Rose-coloured Starling (48).

(d) Black and grey

1. The Indian House Crow (3).

2. The Burmese House Crow (4).

3. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42).
(Lower abdomen white and white tip to tail.)

4. The Large Cuckoo-Shrike (43).

5. The Bank Myna (53). (Red patch of skin
on side of head and buff wing bar.)

6. The Open-bill (221). (When not in
breeding plumage.)

(e) Black and fink
The Rose-coloured Starling (cock) (48).

(_/) Black and red

1. The Indian Scarlet Minivet (cock) (41).

2. The Short-billed Minivet (cock) (42).

3. The Indian Redstart (cock in spring) (65).
(Red is dull ; outer tail feathers brown.)

4. The Black-backed Indian Robin (cock)
{6j), (A black bird with red patch under tail.)

5. The Common Swallow (88). (Upper
plumage has bluish tinge ; some white in tail.)

6. The Red-rumped Swallow (90). (Upper
plumage has bluish tinge.)

38

Classification According to Colour

7. The Black Vulture (141). (White breast
and patch on thigh.)

8. The Black Ibis (213). (Small white
patch on wing.)

{g) Black and white

1. The White-bellied Drongo (26).

2. The Grackles (46 and 47). (Black birds
with white wing bar, yellow wattles, bills, and
legs.)

3. The Pied Myna (54). (Orange bill and
patch behind eye.)

4. (Cock) Paradise Flycatcher (57). (White
bird with long tail and black head and crest.)

5. The Fantail Flycatchers (58-60).

6. (Cock) Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62).

7. The Magpie Robin (68).

8. The Large Pied Wagtail (92).

9. The Indian Pied Kingfisher (118). (Spot-
ted black and white like a Hamburgh fowl.)

10. The Common Indian Swift (124). (Very
dark brown, with white bar across back.)

11. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129).

12. The Indian White-backed Vulture (143).
(Very dark grey, with white back.)

13. (Cock) Pied Harrier (155).

14. The Coot (176).

39

Indian Birds

15. (Cock) Black-winged Stilt (187). (Long-
legged white bird with black back and wings.)

16. The Avocet (188). (White wading
bird with black markings.)

17. The Indian Skimmer (206). (Dark
brown and white.)

18. The Cormorants (209 and 211). (Black
birds with white throat.)

19. The White Ibis (212). (White bird
with black head.)

20. The White Stork (216). (White bird
with black in wings ; red bill and legs.)

21. The White-necked Stork (217). (Black
bird with white neck and lower parts.)

22. The Black-necked Stork (218).

23. The Painted Stork (220).

24. The Open-bill (221).

{h) Black and yellow

1. (Cock) lor a (in summer) (13). (Two
white bars in wing.)

2. (Hen) Scarlet and Short-billed Minivets
(39 and 40).

3. The Orioles (44 and 45).

4. The Grackles (46 and 47). (Black birds
with yellow bill, wattles, and legs, and white
wing bar.)

40

Classification According to Colour

6. Black and two other colours
(a) Black, blue, and white
The Velvet- fronted Blue Nuthatch (24).
(The white is greyish.)

{b) Black, brown, and white

1. The Black-tailed Godwit (191).

2. The Barred-headed Goose (228). (Plum-
age greyish brown ; bill and legs yellow.)

3. The Indian Spur- winged Plover (184a).

{c) Black, chestnut, and white

1. (Cock) Indian Bush Chat (63).

2. The Shama (69).

3. The Black-headed Munia (74).

4. The Chestnut-belHed Munia (75).

5. (Cock) Black Partridge (172).

6. The Bronze-winged Jagana (181).

{d) Black, fawn-colour, a?id white
The Indian Hoopoe (123).

(e) Black, grey, and white

1. The Indian Grey Shrike (34).

2. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42).

3. The White Wagtail (91).

4. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).

Indian Birds

5. The Gulls (196-199) 1 Wings very pale

6. The Terns (200-205) J E^^Y

7. The Night Heron (225).

8. The Barred-headed Goose (228). (Grey-
ish brown ; bill and legs yellow.)

(/) Blacky fink, and white
The Common Flamingo (226).

II. BLUE

Birds with blue in their flumage
(a) Bright blue

1. The Common Green Bulbul (14). (Bright
green bird with blue moustache.)

2. The Indian Pitta (109).

3. The Indian Roller or "Blue Jay" (115).
(Wings and tail composed of hght and dark
blue bars.)

4. The Common Indian Bee-eater (116).
(A green bird with turquoise throat, black
streak through eye, and two long bristle-like
feathers in tail.)

5. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (117).

6. The Common Kingfisher (119).

7. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120).

42

Classification According to Colour

8. The Green Parrots (132-134). (Green
birds with blue in their long tails.)

9. The Common Peafowl (170).

10. The Purple Coot (175). (A large
purple-blue bird with red bill, legs, and
frontal shield.)

(b) Dark blue

1. The Malabar WhistHng Thrush (11). (A
black bird with cobalt patches.)

2. The Nuthatches (23 and 24). (Little
short-tailed birds which go about in small
flocks and pick insects off the bark of trees.)

3. The Swallows (88-90). (Upper parts
glossy, dark blue.)

4. The Indian Roller or ^' Blue Jay" (115).
(Wings and tail composed of light and dark
blue bars.)

(f) Slaty or greyish blue
The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165).

{d) Blue and black birds
{Vide Black and blue birds.)

43

Indian Birds

III. BROWN

The number of birds of which the predomi-
nating hue is brownish is very considerable,
and as these usually have nothing striking
about their appearance, they are among the
most difficult birds to identify. Birds which
appear to be a uniform earthy brown will be
found on closer inspection almost invariably
to be brighter in hue below than above. This
is largely counteracted by the fact that the
lower parts are in the shade. Most birds
which look a uniform earthy brown are in
reality a cream colour below, and are described
as such in systematic works on ornithology.
But as this book is intended for the field
naturalist, I shall describe them as they appear
to the ordinary observer.

I. Birds whose general hue is earthy brown

(a) Those smaller than the sparrow

I. The Indian Tailor Bird (28). (This flits
about among the leaves. The note is a loud
to-wee, to-wee, to-wee. When the bird calls a
small black band may be seen at each side of
the neck. In the breeding season the two
44

Classification According to Colour

middle tail feathers of the cock grow over an
inch longer than the others and project be-
yond them like bristles. A very familiar wren-
like bird. The brown has a greenish tint.)

2. Sykes's Tree-warbler (29). (Not unlike
a solidly built wren, with a tail of average
length, and not short like that of the wren.)

3. The Streaked Wren-warbler (30). (This
is distinguished from other warblers by the fact
that its upper plumage is streaked with dark
brown.)

4. The Ashy Wren-warbler (31). (Makes
a curious snapping noise as it flits about the
bushes.)

5. The Indian Wren-warblers (32 and 33).
(Slender and loosely-knit, and make no snap-
ping noise.)

6. The Brown Flycatcher (55). (Charac-
terised by its short tail and the fact that it
constantly makes little sallies into the air after
ivisects.)

7. (Hen) Indian Bush Chat (63). (Reddish
brown. Cock quite differently coloured.)

8. The White- throated Munia {j6), (Very
thick bill, white throat and rump, and a note
like the twitter of the sparrow; usually seen
in small flocks.)

4S

Indian Birds

9. The Indian Sand-martin (86). (Swallow-
like flight ; nests in sandbanks.)

10. The Dusky Crag-martin (87). (Swallow-
like flight ; builds mud nest.)

11. (Hen) Sunbirds (106-108). (Pale yellow
under parts, longish curved bill, sometimes
hovers in the air on rapidly vibrating wings.
Cocks gaily coloured.)

(b) The size of^ or a little larger than^ the
sparrow

1. The Common Babbler (6). (A brown
bird with a number of dark streaks. As it runs
along it carries its tail along the ground, hence
its name, " The Rat Bird.")

2. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (Pale
yellow patch under the tail, white eyebrow.
It has a very cheery call.)

3. The Common Woodshrike (38). (Broad
white eyebrow, outer tail feathers white ; a
pretty mellow note — tanti tuia.)

4. (Hen) Pied Bush Chat (61 and 62). (Red-
dish brown, with black tail ; cock more strik-
ingly coloured.)

5. The Brown Rock Chat (64). (Robin-like
in habits ; continually bobs its head.)

46

Classification According to Colour

6. (Hen) Indian Robins (6y and 68). (Brick-
red patch under tail. Tail often carried erect.)

7. Weaver Birds (70-73). (Stout bill. Cock
becomes showy in breeding season.)

8. (Hen) Rose Finch (80). (Two white bars
in wing.)

9. Yellow- throated sparrow (81). Yellow
patch on throat.)

10. (Hen) Common Sparrow (82).

11. The Grey-necked Bunting (83). Thick-
ish bill, some dark streaks in plumage and white
in taii).

12. (Hen) Black-headed Bunting (84). (Dull
yellow under parts and bright yellow patch
under the tail.)

13. The Pipits (95 and 96). (Longish legs;
dark streaks in plumage. Feed on ground, but
take refuge in trees when disturbed.)

14. The Larks (97 and 98). (Feed on ground ;
never perch in trees ; some soar in the air and
sing.)

15. The Bush Larks (99 and 100). (Distin-
guished from the true larks in perching in
bushes when they sometimes take short flights
into the air. Distinguished from the pipits in
having no white in the tail.)

16. The Crested Larks (101-103). (Feed

47

Indian Birds

on ground ; sing in air ; never perch in bushes.
Crested heads ; no white in tail.)

17. The Common Wryneck (112). (Wood-
pecker-Hke habits. It twists its head from
side to side continually. Its plumage is much
streaked, speckled, and spotted.)

18. The Spotted Owlet (135). (Plumage
much spotted and barred with white. Eyes in
front of head. Comes out at sunset and sets
up a loud chuckling chatter. Legs feathered to
the toes.)

19. The Scops Owl (138). (Differs from
the Spotted Owlet in having " horns " or ear-
tufts. Note a single hoot, which is repeated
regularly at intervals of about ten seconds.)

20. The Jungle Owlet (139). (Distin-
guished from the Spotted Owlet by its call
and by the fact that it is far less often seen.)

21. The Kentish Plover (185). (White
collar. Found in flocks on the sea coasts.)

22. The Little Ringed Plover (186). (Like
the Kentish Plover, but distinguished from it
by having a black band across the white
throat.)

23. The Little Stint. (Wading birds, which
occur in large flocks on shallow water.)

48

Classification According to Colour

{c) About the size of a myna

1. The Jungle Babbler (7). (An untidy-
looking bird, which goes about in small flocks
of half a dozen, feeding on the ground ; very-
noisy ; flight feeble.)

2. The White-headed Babbler (8). (As
above, but the crown of the head is greyish
white. Found only in S. India.)

3. The Rufous-tailed Babbler (9). (Habits
like those of the two species just cited ; tail
has a reddish tinge.)

4. The Common Indian Nightjar (126).
(Plumage much mottled ; crepuscular in its
habits ; it flits about at dusk hawking in-
sects.)

5. Horsfield's Nightjar (127). (A large
edition of above.)

6. The Common Hawk Cuckoo (128). (Plum-
age much barred, like that of a bird of prey.
Its loud crescendo call, a reiterated " brain-
fever," has made it familiar to all.)

7. The Shikra and the Sparrow-hawk (158
and 159). (Ashy grey birds with dark cross-
bars to the feathers.)

8. The Common Quail (171). (A good deal
smaller than a myna ; legs short ; plumage

D 49

Indian Birds

much barred with black. Lives exclusively on
the ground.)

9. The Sandpipers (192-194). (Long-legged
birds with white under parts and short tails,
which occur in marshes or at the water's edge.)

{d) Large birds. Bigger than a crow

1. The Common Grey Hornbill (121). (A
large brownish-grey bird with long tail and
big beak.)

2. The Malabar Grey Hornbill (122). (Like
the above, but found chiefly on the west
coast.)

3. The larger Owls (136 and 137). (Much
barred and spotted. Night birds, with the
eyes forwardly directed.)

4. The great majority of Birds of Prey (140-
162). (Plumage usually much barred.)

5. The Grey Partridge (174). (Plumage
much barred. Does not perch in trees ; runs
very fast ; characteristic call.)

6. The Stone Curlew (180). (Black streaks
in plumage, some white in wings and tail ;
legs and bill yellow.)

7. The Curlew (189). (A wading bird.
Long curved bill.)

8. The Whimbrel (190). (A small edition
of the Curlew.)

Classification According to Colour

9. The Pond Heron (124). (Found at the
water's edge. Flight transforms it into a milk-
white bird.)

ID. The Night Heron (225). (Head black.
Its cry " waak " is heard at sunset.)

11. The Grey-lag Goose (227). (Bill and
legs dirty pink.)

12. The Sirkeer Cuckoo (131a). (Bill red.
About the size of the House-crow.)

2. Birds with chocolate or rich brozun in plumage

1. The Indian Treepie (5). (Long tail,
silver grey on wings.)

2. The Yellow-eyed Babbler (10). (Cinna-
mon-brown bird with white breast.)

3. The Brown Shrike (37).

4. The Brahminy Myna (51). (Buff and
grey bird with a black head.)

5. The Common Myna (52). (Yellow patch
of skin at side of head.)

6. The Indian Bush Chat (63).

7. (Hen) Indian Redstart (65).

8. (Hen) Indian Robins {66 and 6j), (Cock
also in one species.)

9. The Munias (74, 75, and jj). (Not 'j6.)
ID. The Red-headed Bunting (85).

II. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120).
51

Indian Birds

12. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (Black birc
with reddish-brown wings.)

13. The Barn Owl (136).

14. The Short-eared Owl (137).

15. The Brahminy Kite (151). (Reddish-
brown bird with white head.)

16. The Kestrel (162). (Wings reddish
brown.)

17. (Cock) Red Turtle Dove (168). (Wings
reddish brown.)

18. The Black Partridge (172).

19. TheBronze-winged Ja9ana (181). (Runs
about on water weeds.)

20. The Red and Yellow-wattled Lapwings
(183 and 1 84) . (Back and wings bronzy brown.)

21. The Glossy Ibis (214).

22. The Shoveller (230).

23. The Indian Little Grebe (231).

3. Brown and black birds.
{Vide Black and brown birds.)

IV. COFFEE OR FAWN COLOUR

I. A fawn-coloured bird with black and white
wings and tail
The Indian Hoopoe (123).
52

Classification Accorcli7ig to Colour

2, Black and coffee colour
(Young) Rose-coloured Starling (40).

V. GREEN

Birds in the flumage of which bright green f re-
dominates

1. The Indian White-eye (12). (Greenish
yellow above, bright yellow below.)

2. (Hen) lora (13). (Lower parts yellow;
two white wing bars.)

3. The Common Green Bulbul * (14).

4. The Green Munia (78). (Yellow under
parts ; red beak.)

5. The Indian Pitta (109). (Back and
shoulders only are green.)

6. The Green Barbet * (113). (Brown
patch of skin behind the eye.)

7. The Coppersmith (114). (OHve green.)

8. The Bee-eaters* (116 and 117). (Two
middle tail feathers prolonged as bristles.)

9. The Paroquets * (132-134). (Long tails.)

10. The Green Pigeons (163 and 164).

11. The Bronze-winged Jagana (181).
(Wings only greenish bronze. Runs about on
floating plants.)

* These are practically green all over.
53

Indian Birds

12. (Cock) Shoveller Duck (230). (Head,
neck, and wing patch (speculum) only glossy
green.)

13. The Little Green Heron.*

VI. GREY

I . Prevailing hue grey

Isj /B, — Many birds are so coloured that it is not easy to
know whether to class them as grey or as brown birds.

1. The Indian Grey Shrike (34). (Broad
black band through eye.)

2. The Small Minivet (41). (Upper parts
slaty-grey.)

3. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43).

4. The Grey-headed Myna (50).

5. The Bank Myna (53). (Grey and black
bird with red patch of skin on side of head.)

6. (Hen) Magpie Robin (68). (Grey and
white bird.)

7. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails (93
and 94). (Upper parts bluish grey, lower
yellow.)

8. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).
(Upper parts ashy grey.)

9. The Grey Hornbills (121 and 122).
(Large greyish-brown birds with the tail long.)

* Added to p. 224 by this list.
S4

Classification According to Colour

10. The Pale, Montagu's and the Hen Har-
riers (153-155)-

11. The Shikra (158). (Narrow rust-col-
oured bars on lower parts.)

12. The Sparrow-hawk (159). (Rust-col-
oured bars on abdomen.)

13. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165).
(Bluish-grey with two black bars in wing.)

14. The Doves (166-169).

15. The Grey Partridge (173). (Plumage
greyish-brown and much barred.)

16. The Cranes (177-179). (Large French-
grey birds with long shanks.)

17. The Grey Pelican (208). (Pale grey;
enormous bill.)

18. The Adjutant (219).

19. The Common Heron (222).

20. The Barred-headed Goose.

2. The head only grey

1. The White-headed Babbler (8). (Crown
of head is often greyish rather than white.)

2. The Bay- and Rufous-backed Shrikes
(35 and 36). (Broad black band through eye.)

3. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56).

4. (Cock) Indian Redstart (65). (Head and
neck grey in early winter.)

55

Indian Birds

5. (Cock) Black-headed Bunting (84). (In
early winter. Under parts yellow.)

3. Grey and black
{Vide Black and grey.)

4. Grey^ black, and white
{Vide Black, grey, and white.)

5. Grey and red bird
The Kestrel (162). (Head, neck, and tail
grey ; back and wings brick red.)

6. Grey and white

1. (Hen) Magpie Robin (68).

2. The Gulls (196-199). (White birds with
very pale grey wings.)

3. The Terns (200-205). (White birds with
very pale grey wings.)

4. The Common Heron (222). (Under
parts white.)

Vn. PINK

1. The Rosercoloured Starling (48). (Black
and deep rose-coloured pink.)

2. The Common Flamingo (226). (Legs
long and deep pink ; wings white, black, and
cerisee'^

56

Classification According to Colour

VIII. RED

I. Birds with red in phcmage, or having red
wattles or red skin on head

{a) Bright red

I. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-18).
. 2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21).

3. The Minivets * (39-41).

4. The Bank Myna (53).

5. The Indian Redstart * (65).

6. The Indian Robins {66 and 6j).

7. The Amadavat * (79).

8. (Cock) Common Rose-Finch (80).

9. ThePurple-rumpedSunbird(io8). (Back
dull crimson.)

10. The Pitta (109).

1 1 . (Cock) Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker
(no).

12. Golden-backed Woodpecker (in).

13. The Crimson-breasted Barbet (114).

14. The Green Parrots (i 31-133).

15. The Black Vulture (141).

16. The Purple Coot (175). (Red shield on
forehead.)

* These birds are conspicuously red.
57

Indian Birds

17. The Common Crane (177). (Red patch
across back of head.)

18. The Sarus (178). (Red — not very
bright — head and neck.)

19. The Red- wattled Lapwing (183).

20. The Black Curlew (213). (Back of head
red.)

21. The Flamingo (226). (White and cerise.)

{b) Dull red {chestnut, bay, or maroon)

1. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23).

2. The Bay- and Rufous-backed Shrikes
(35 and 36).

3. The Shama (69).

4. The Chestnut-belHed Munia (75).

5. The Red-headed Bunting (85).

6. The Swallows (88-90).

7. The Rufous-tailed Finch-Lark (104).

8. The Common Kingfisher (119).

9. The Crow-Pheasant (131).

10. The Brahminy Kite (151).

11. The Red-headed Merlin (161).

12. The Kestrel (162).

13. (Cock) Red Turtle Dove (169).

14. The White-breasted Water-hen (174).

15. The Bronze-winged Ja9ana (181).

58

Classification According to Colour

i6. The Ruddy Sheldrake (229). (The red
is very yellowish.)

17. The Shoveller (230).

18. The Indian Little Grebe (231).

2. Red crest
The Woodpeckers (no and in).

3. Red-legged birds

1. The Coppersmith (114).

2. The Common Kingfisher (119).

3. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120).

4. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165).

5. The Doves (166-168).

6. The Partridges (172 and 173). (Dull
brownish red.)

7. The Purple Coot (175).

8. The Sarus (178).

9. The Black- winged Stilt (187).

10. The Laughing Gull (196).

11. The Brown-headed Gull (197).

12. The Whiskered Tern (200).

13. The Indian River Tern (203).

14. The Black-belHed Tern (204). (Orange
red.)

15. The Indian Skimmer (206).

59

Indian Birds

i6. The Black Ibis (213).

17. The Storks (216-218).

18. The Common Flamingo (226). (Deep
pink.)

19. The Grey-lag Goose. (Dirty pinkish
red.)

20. The Shoveller (230). (Yellowish red.)

4. Red patch of feathers under the tail, birds with

1. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-18).

2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21).

3. The Indian Robins {66 and 6j).

4. The Indian Pitta (109).

5. The White-breasted Water-hen (174).

5. Red patch of feathers on shoulder, birds with

1. The Alexandrine Paroquet (131).

2. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (133).

6. Red patch of skin on side of head, birds with

1. The Bank Myna (53).

2. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183).

7. Red and black

{Fide Black and red.)
60

Classification According to Colour

IX. WHITE

I. Birds of which the plumage is fure white

1. The Spoonbill (215).

2. The Egrets (223).

2. Birds in the plumage of which white largely
predominates

1. (Cock) Paradise Flycatcher (57). (Black
head and crest.)

2. The Black-winged Stilt (187). (Back and
wings black in cock, brown in hen.)

3. The Avocet (188). (Several black mark-
ings.)

4. The Gulls (196-199).

5. The Terns (200-205).

6. The Dalmatian Pelican (207). (Some
black in wings.)

7. The White Ibis (212). (Black head and
neck ; long curved bill.)

8. The White Stork (216). (Black in wings ;
red legs.)

9. The Black-necked Stork (218). (Black in
wings ; head, neck, and shoulders black ; legs
red.)

61

Indian Birds

10. The Painted Stork (220). (Black wings
and bar across breast ; legs brown.)

11. The Open-bill (221). (Dirty white,
with black on wings, shoulders, and tail.)

12. The Common Flamingo (226). (Some
cerise in the plumage.)

3. Dull- coloured bird whose wings appear all
white when flying
The Pond Heron (224).

4. White bar in wing, birds with

1. The Grey, Bay- and Rufous-backed
Shrikes (34-36).

2. The Grackles (46 and 47).

3. The Common Myna (52).

4. The Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62).

5. (Cock) Indian Robins {66 and 6j.)

6. The Magpie Robin (68).

7. The Large Pied Wagtail (92).

8. The Indian Pitta (109).

9. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120).

10. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129).

11. The Red- and Yellow-wattled Lap-
wings (183 and 184).

12. The Common Sandpiper (192). (Very
narrow white bar.)

62

Classification According to Colour

5. Two white bars in wing, birds with

1. The lora (13).

2. (Hen) Rose-Finch (80).

6. White cheeks, birds with

1. The White-eared Bulbul (19).

2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21).
(Also a small patch of crimson feathers on
cheeks.)

3. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23).

4. The Pied Myna (54).

5. The Indian Bush Chat (63). (The patch
in this species is on the sides of the neck, not on
the cheeks.)

6. (Cock) Sparrow (82).

7. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105).

8. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (iii).
(The white on the cheeks is intersected by a
number of thin black lines.)

9. The Black Partridge (172).

10. The Common Crane (177). (In this
species the white runs down each side of the
long neck.)

11. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183). (Here
a white band runs from eye down the neck.)

12. The Yellow- wattled Lapwing (184).

63

Indian Birds

(Here a white band runs from eye to eye
round the back of the head.)

7. Ring of white feathers round eye

1. The Indian White-eye (12).

2. The Brown Flycatcher (55). (Ring not
very conspicuous.)

3. The Grey-necked Bunting (83). (Ring
not very conspicuous.)

8. White and black
{Vide Black and white.)

9. White, black, and blue
{Vide Black, blue, and white.)

10. White, black, and brown
{Vide Black, brown, and white.)

II. White, black, and chestnut
{Vide Black, chestnut, and white.)

12. White, grey, and black
{Vide Black, grey, and white.)

13. White, fink, and black
{Vide Black, pink, and white.)

64

Classification According to Colour

X. YELLOW

I. Birds with bright yellow in the phcmage

1. The Indian White-eye (12).

2. The lora (13).

3. The Common Green Bulbul (14). (Patch
of yellow on forehead.)

4. The White-eared Bulbul (19). (Yellow
patch under the tail.)

5. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (Pale
yellow patch under tail.)

6. (Hen) Minivets (39, 40, and 41).

7. The Orioles (44 and 45).

8. The Grackles or Hill Mynas (46 and 47).
(Black birds with yellow beak, legs, and
wattles.)

9. The Common Myna (52). (Yellow beak,
legs, and patch of skin behind eye.)

10. The Pied Myna (54). (Orange patch of
skin behind eye.)

11. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56).

12. (Cock) Bayas (at breeding season) (70-

73)-

13. The Green Munia (78).

14. The Yellow- throated Sparrow (81).

15. The Black- and Red-headed Buntings
(84 and 85).

E 65

Indian Birds

1 6. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails
(93 and 94).

ij. (Cock) Purple-rumped Sunbird (io8).

18. The Indian Pitta (109).

19. The Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (no).
(Spotted black and white bird with yellow
forehead.)

20. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (in).
(Back golden yellow.)

21. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (182). (Back
of neck golden yellow in breeding plumage.)

22. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184).

23. The Cattle Egret (in breeding plumage)
(223). (Yellow plumes grow from back of
head.)

2. Birds with bright yellow or orange legs

1. The Yellow-eyed Babbler (10).

2. The Grackles (46 and 47).

3. The Mynas (51-53).

4. The Common Hawk-Cuckoo (128). (Not
very bright.)

5. The majority of Birds of Prey. (The
yellow varies from dull to bright.)

6. The Green Pigeons (163 and 164).

7. The Black Partridge (172). (Reddish
orange.)

66

Classification According to Colour

8. The Stone Curlew (i8o).

9. The Red- and Yellow-wattled Lapwings
(183-184).

10. The Herring-Gulls (198 and 199).

11. The Little Tern (205). (Orange in
summer, brownish in winter.)

12. The Barred-headed Goose (228).

13. The Shoveller (230).

3. Birds with dull- coloured ufper plumage and
bright yellow under parts

1. The Indian White-eye (12).

2. The lora (13).

3. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56).

4. The Green Munia (78).

5. The Black- and Red-headed Buntings
(84 and 85).

6. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails
(93 and 94).

4. Tellow patch of feathers under the tail,
birds with

1. The White-eared Bulbul (19).

2. The White-browed Bulbul (22).

5. Tellow patch of feathers on the throat, bird with
The Yellow-throated Sparrow (81).
67

Indian Birds

6. Tellow patch of skin on side of head or yellow
wattles^ birds with

1. The Grackles (46 and 47).

2. The Common and Pied Mynas (52 and

54)-

3. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184).

7. Tellowish red

The Brahminy Duck (229). (This bird is
mainly of a ruddy yellow hue.)

8. Tellozv and black
(Vide Black and yellow.)

XL BIRDS OF MANY COLOURS

9. Birds in the plumage of which at least four
bright' colours appear

1. (Cock) Purple-rumped Sunbird (108).

2. The Indian Pitta (109).

3. The Coppersmith (114).

4. The Common Kingfisher (119).

5. The Green Pigeons (163),

6. The Peafowl (170).

6S

D, CLASSIFICATION
ACCORDING ro HABirS

I. Birds having remarkable cries.
II. Birds whose nests are Hkely to be found
in any garden in the plains.

III. Birds that habitually sit on exposed
perches.

IV. Birds that go about in flocks.
V. Flight.

VI. Feeding habits.
VII. Birds which habitually carry the tail
almost vertically.

Since habits of birds vary according to
circumstances, none of the lists given are
exhaustive. They merely serve as rough
guides. Thus, if a nest be found in the com-
pound it is in all probability the nest of one
of the species set forth in the list given, but it
may, of course, belong to some other species.
The list is nevertheless useful, as out of twenty
nests found in any garden in the plains nineteen
of them will also certainly belong to birds set
69

Indian Birds

forth in my list. Having determined that a
given bird in all probability belongs to one of
these species, it should not be difficult to
arrive at its name by a process of elimination.

I. BIRDS HAVING REMARKABLE CRIES

Name No. of

Call of Bird in

Bird Part II

A loud metallic coch-lee, coch-yindimn

lee, or cogee, cogee .... J Tree-pie 5

Squeaks like that of a revolv-lThe Seven
ing axle that requires oiling/ Sisters . 6

A striking whistle, like that of ]The Idle
a human being J Schoolboy 11

V 1 -11. (The Bul-

A sweet little tinkling song -i i i

A cheery whistle, heard chiefly
at dawn, which Cunningham
describes as "cheyk, chichi
ch6yk, cheyk chSchi chey
cheyh"

The King
Crow . 25

. , , fThe Tailor

A loud to-wee^ to-wee. to-wee .1 -n- 1 o

' ' [ Bird . . 28

f Ashy Wren-
A snapping noise | warbler . 3,

70

Classification According to Habits

Call

Name No. of

of Bird in

A pretty, mellow tanti-tuia

Bird Part II

The Wood-
shrike . 38

A\oud,md\ov,, feehcfeeho .j ^j^^^ /^^^^^

Keeky, keeky, keeky . . . churr ,VYh.t Com-
churr^ kok, kok, kok . . .] monMyna 52

A whistle of about six noteSj'jThe Fan-
like the first bars of the [ tailed Fly-
'' Guards Valse " ... .J catchers 58-60

A 1-1 1 r (Purple Sun-

A song nke that of a canary .1 , . S

'Golden-

. 1 , . „ backed

A loud, screaming call • • o ix/ j

, pecker . in
A loud, monotonous, penetrat-|Green Bar-
ing kutur kutur, kuturuk .J bet . .113
A monotonous, metallic tonkA

tonk, tonk, like the tapping [^^^^.^"^PP ^'*"
of a hammer on metal . J ''"^'^^ ' ^^4

[White-
A loud, rattling scream . . .\ breasted

Kingfisher 1 20
The Hoo-
poe . .123
71

A low nk, nk, uk

Indian Birds

Name No. of

Call of Bird in

Bird Part II

A shrill, trembling scream . . The Swift 124

A sound like a stone sliding] The Common

over ice J Nightjar 126

Chuk. chuk. chuk, like thel_.^ _ , ,,
r 1 1 .,1 Horshelds
tappme: 01 a plank with a ^ t^^. , .
, ^^ ^ ^ Nmhtjar 127

hammer J ° ** ^

A crescendo " brain-fever, brain- \ Brain-fever

/^Z/^f, BRAIN -FEVER " . . J Bird . .128

K crescendo ^''hi-il^ku-il^Yiv-ii.^'' The Koel 130
A low, sonorous, owl-like 2^Z>o^/,)TheCrow-

whoot, whoot ) Pheasant 131

Loud screams uttered during] The Paro-

flight j quets 132-134.

" A torrent of squeak and'

chatter and gibberish,"

kucha, kzoachee, kzoachee,

kwachee, khwachee rapidly

uttered in a shrieking, chat-
tering tone ^

A • 1 11 1 ' ^ (The Barn

A weird screech, heard at night j q , ^

A single hoot repeated mono-] ^

tonously at regular intervals r |-. i
of ten seconds, oomp . . .J • • 3

72

The Spotted
Owlet . 135

Classification According to Habits

Call

At early dawn. *' Turtuck, tur-\
tuck, turtuck, turtuck, turtuck,
turtuck, tuckatu, chatucka
tuckatuck. The words or
'dissyllables sounding rather
low at first and with con-
siderable pauses between,
and the intervals decreasing
and the tone getting louder
till they end rapidly"
(Tickell) ,

Name No. of

of Bird in

Bird

Part II

The Jungle
Owlet . 139

Loud resonant calls uttered^
when the bird is high up in
the air

The Fish-
Eagles 148-50

Peculiar squeaking wail uttered! rp, t> 1
while the bird is sailing \n\ ^ f..
the air .J "^^^y Kite 151

A mournful wailing trill, chee-
ht ht ht hi M hi, uttered on

the wing

A sharp double whistle .

A plaintive cukoo-coo-coo
73

[The Pariah
I Kite . . 152

. TheShikra 158

(The Spotted
*( Dove . 166

Indian Birds

Name

of
Bird

No. of
Bird in
Part II

rhe Lit-

-

tie Brown

Dove

. 167

Call

A soft subdued cuk-cuk-coo-coo-
coo

„ , , fThe Indian

K^-k^~ku [ RingDovei68

rThe Red
A deep grunting coo-coo-coo A Turtle

I Dove . 169
A loud pe-haun, rather like] The Pea-

the miau of a cat . . . .) fowl . .170
A harsh, high-pitched, rapidly] The Black
uttered juk-juk, tee-tee-tur ,j Partridge 172

Three single harsh notes fol-^

lowed by a succession of The Grey
shrill, ringing fateela-fateela- j Partridge 173

fateelas J

rTheWhite-
A very loud, hoarse, reiterated! breasted
call, not easy to describe .1 Wa t e r -

I hen . .174
Loud, penetrating, trumpet-1 The Cranes

like calls J 177-179

Wild-sounding cry, heard at] The Stone

night j Curlew . 180

74

Classification According to Habits

Name No. of

Call of Bird in

Bird Part II

A loud, shrill '' Did he do it ? T^^ff "l"
•D- J • I)) 1 wattled

Pity to do It !" . . . . T . ^Q^

^ I Lapwing 183

fThe Yel-
low- wat-
tledLap-

l wing . .184

^1 . rill (The Storks

Clappering of the beak . . A 216-221

A soft but penetrating ^rZ'^/^^^^ jTheBrah-
or d-onk (Stuart Baker) . . [ minyDuck229

Like the above, but shorter

IL BIRDS WHOSE NESTS ARE LIKELY
TO BE FOUND IN ANY GARDEN
IN THE PLAINS

1. The Indian House Crow (3). (In tall
trees.) (Also the Corby (i) in Madras.)

2. The Common Babbler (6). (In a bush ;
eggs blue.) (Not in Madras.)

3. One or other of the species of " Seven
Sisters " (7-9). (In a bush ; eggs blue.)

4. One or other of the Red-vented Bulbuls
(15-18). (In a bush or plant growing in the

7'j

Indian Birds

verandah ; eggs pale pink, blotched with
reddish brown.)

5. One or other of the Red-whiskered Bul-
buls (20 and 21). (Locally. Nest as in 4.)

6. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (In
Madras only. Nest in bush, eggs as in 4.)

7. The King Crow (25). (Tiny cup in fork
of tree.)

8. The Indian Tailor Bird (28). (In bush
or plant growing in verandah. Two or three
leaves stitched together.)

9. The Orioles (44 and 45). (In trees, very
frequently quite close to that of a King Crow.)

10. The Brahminy Myna (51). (In hole in
building.)

11. The Common Myna (52). (In hole in
building or tree.)

12. The Pied Myna (54). (In low tree.)
(Not in Punjab or S. India.)

13. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (57).
(In one of lower branches of tree.)

14. One or other of the Fantailed Fly-
catchers (58-60). (In a low tree or bush.)

15. The Brown Rock Chat (64). {Inside a
building on a ledge.) (Not in S. India.)

16. The Indian Robins {66 and 6j), (Very
often on a window-sill.)

76

Classification According to Habits

17. The Magpie Robin (68). (In hole in
a wall or tree; eggs green with reddish
blotches.)

18. The Yellow-throated Sparrow (81). (In
hole in tree.)

19. The Common Sparrow (82). (Any-
where on the verandah or inside the bungalow.)

20. The Indian Pied Wagtail (92). (In hole
in building.)

21. The Purple Sunbird (107). (Nest sus-
pended from a bush or a rafter in the verandah.)

22. The Purple-rumped Sunbird (108).
(Nest as in case of 21.)

23. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (iii).
(In hole in tree, which the bird hollows out.)

24. The Barbets (113 and 114). (In hole in
tree, which the birds hollow out.)

25. The Indian Roller (115). (In hole in
tree or building.)

26. The Indian Hoopoe (123). (In hole in
tree or building.)

27. The Indian Swift (124). (In verandah
or a deserted building.)

28. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (In a dense
thicket.)

29. The Green Parrots (132-134). (In
holes in trees ; sometimes buildings.)

71

Indian Birds

30. The Spotted Owlet (135). (In hole in
tree or building.)

31. The Common Pariah Kite (152). (High
up in tall trees.)

32. The Shikra (158). (In trees.)

33. The Doves (166-169). (In trees, and
in the case of the Little Brown Dove often in
the verandah.)

34. The Paddy Bird (224). (High up in tree.)

III. BIRDS THAT ARE FOND OF SIT-
TING ON EXPOSED PERCHES, SUCH
AS TELEGRAPH WIRES

1. The Crows (1-4).

2. The Drongos (25 and 26).

3. The Shrikes (34-37).

4. The Bush Chats (61-63).

5. The Common Sparrow (82).

6. The Swallows (88-90).

7. The Indian Roller (115).

8. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

9. The Kingfishers (i 18-120).

10. The White-eyed Buzzard (147).

11. The Doves (166-168).

78

Classification According to Habits

IV. BIRDS WHICH ARE ALMOST IN-
VARIABLY FOUND IN FLOCKS,
EXCEPT WHEN NESTING

1. The Babblers (7-9). (Small flocks of
seven or eight.)

2. The Indian White-eye (12).

3. The Nuthatches (23 and 24).

4. The Minivets (39-41). (Small flocks.)

5. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43). (Small
flocks.)

6. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). (Very
large flocks.)

7. The Indian StarHng (49).

8. The Grey-headed Myna (50). (Small
flocks.) (The other species of Myna frequently,
but by no means invariably, congregate in
flocks.)

9. The Weaver Birds (70-73). (Small flocks.)

10. The Munias (74-79). (Especially the
Red Munia.)

11. The Common Rose-Finch (80).

12. The Buntings (83-85). (Feed on the
ripening grain.)

13. The Hornbills (121 and 122). (Small
flocks.)

79

Indian Birds

14. The Swifts (124 and 125).

15. The Green Parrots (132-134).

16. The Spotted Owlet (135). (Very small
flocks ; probably familv parties.)

17. The Vultures (141-143). (Only when
feeding on a carcase.)

18. The Common Peafowl (170). (Small
parties.)

19. The Common and Demoiselle Cranes
(177 and 179). (The Saras Crane never goes in
flocks.)

20. The Plovers (185 and 186).

21. The Little Stint (195).

22. The Indian Skimmer (206).

23. The Spoonbill (215).

24. The Cattle Egret (223).

25. The Night Heron (225).

26. The Common Flamingo (226).

27. The Geese (227 and 228).

28. The Shoveller (230).

29. Many of the Gulls and Terns go about
in flocks.

80

Classification According to Habits

V. FLIGHT

I. Birds of very powerful flighty i.e. birds which
spend a great part of the day on the wing

1. The Swallows and Martins (86-90).
(These live on small insects which they catch
on the wing.)

2. The Swifts (124 and 125), (These feed
in the same way as the swallows, but they
never perch. When they wish to rest they go
to their nests.)

3. The Pied Kingfisher (118). (This spends
much of the day in fishing. It flies over the
water and every now and again hovers on
rapidly vibrating wings, and then drops on to
its quarry in the water.)

4. The Osprey (140). (Obtains its food in
much the same way as does the Pied King-
fisher.)

5. The Fishing Eagles (148-150).

6. The Brahminy Kite (151).

7. The common Pariah Kite (152). (These
two species spend hours in the air sailing in
circles looking out for their quarry.)

8. The Vultures (141-144). (These remain
for hours high up in the air motionless on ex-
panded wings, until one espies something to

F 81

Indian Birds

eat on the earth below ; it then descends, and
its companions, observing this, follow suit.)

9. The Kestrel (162). (This behaves over
land much as the Pied Kingfisher does over
the water.)

10. The Gulls (196-199). (Everyone is
familiar with the manner in which gulls follow
ships.)

11. The Terns (200-206).

2. Birds which make little sallies into the air

from a ferch after insects
{Vide Feeding habits, 4.)

3. Little birds which fly from the ground some
twenty or thirty feet and then drop to the

ground, singing as they descend
The Finch-Larks (104 and 105).

VI. FEEDING HABITS

I. Birds which feed largely on the ground

1. The Crows (1-4). (These are omnivorous,
and feed anywhere and everywhere.)

2. The Babblers (6-9).

3. The Malabar Whisthng Thrush (11).

4. The Shrikes (34-37). (Descend from

Z2

Classification According to Habits

perch to ground, seize their quarry, and return
to perch and devour it.)

5. The Mjoias (51-54).

6. The Bush Chats (61-63).

7. Tlie Brown Rock Chats (64).

8. The Indian Redstart (65).

9. The Indian Robins {66 and 6j),

10. The Magpie Robin (68).

11. The Munias (74-79).

12. The Wagtails (91-94).

13. The Pipits (95-96).

14. The Larks (97-105).

15. The Indian Pitta (109).

16. The Indian Roller (115). (Descends
from perch to ground and seizes its quarry and
then returns to perch.)

17. The Hoopoe (123).

18. The Crow-Pheasant (131).

19. The Vultures (141-145).

20. The Common Kite (152). (Drops from
the air and seizes its food in its talons.)

21. The White-eyed Buzzard (147). (Swoops
down from a perch on to a lizard, etc.)

22. The Harriers (153-157). (Fly low and
drop on to their prey.)

23. The Kestrel (162). (Hovers on rapidly
vibrating wings and drops on to its prey.)

83

Indian Birds

24. The Blue Rock Pigeon (165).

25. The Doves (166-169).

26. All game and wading birds (except
those that take their food off water).

2. Birds that run up and down the trunks of

trees ^ on which they -find their food

1. The Nuthatches (23 and 24).

2. The Woodpeckers (no and in).

3. The Common Wryneck (112).

3. Birds that feed largely on insects which they

pick of the foliage^ sometimes hovering on
vibrating zvings in order to secure their
quarry

1. The Indian White-eye (12). (Frequents
trees.)

2. The Tailor Bird (28). (Frequents bushes.)

3. The Warblers (29-32). (Frequent bushes.)

4. The Common Woodshrike (38). (Fre-
quents trees).

5. The Minivets (39-41). (Frequent trees.)

6. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43). (Fre-
quent trees.)

7. The Sunbirds (106-108). (Frequent
bushes.)

84

Classification According to Habits

4. Birds which feed on insects which they catch

in the air hy making little sallies from a

ferch

1. The Drongos (25 and 26).

2. The Flycatchers (55 and 60).

3. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

5. Birds which either catch fish or take their

food off the surface of water

1. The Kmgfishers (i 18-120).

2. The Osprey (140).

3. The Fishing Eagles (148-150).

4. The Brahminy Kite (151).

5. The Gulls (196-199).

6. The Terns (200-205).

7. The Indian Skimmer (206).

8. The Pelicans (207 and 208).

9. The Cormorants (209-211).

VII. BIRDS WHICH HABITUALLY

CARRY THE TAIL ALMOST

VERTICALLY

1. The Tailor Bird (28).

2. The Indian Robins {66 and 6^),

3. The Magpie Robin (68).

85

PART II

Descriptive List of the Common Birds
of the Plains oj India

DESCRIPTIVE LISr OF THE

COMMON BIRDS OF THE PLAINS

OF INDIA

NOTES

F. STANDS for The Fauna of British India, and
the number which follows indicates the num-
ber of the bird in The Fauna of British India,
J. stands for Jerdon's Birds of India, and the
number that follows indicates the number of
the bird in Jerdon's work.

In describing a bird its size is a matter of
importance as an aid to identification ; but as
the statement that a bird is six inches in length
probably does not convey to the average person
a definite idea of its size, I have adopted
another system of indicating the size of each
bird described. I have taken five standards of
size, each being that of a famihar bird, and
have described each species in terms of these
standards, which are :

89

hidian Birds

I. The common sparrow, 6 inches in length.
II. The bulbul, 8-9 inches in length.

III. The myna, 10 inches in length.

IV. The Indian house crow, iji ins. in length.
V. The kite, 23 inches in length.

My system is as follows. If A be a bird of
which the length is 5 inches, I affix in a bracket
- I, which means that is a bird smaller than a
sparrow ; if it be 6 inches in length I affix
simply I ; if it be 7 inches in length I affix + 1,
denoting that it is larger than a sparrow, but
smaller than a bulbul, and nearer to the spar-
row than the bulbul in dimensions ; had its
length been Ji inches I should have described
it as - II, i.e. rather smaller than a bulbul.
By these means he who consults this book will
at once be able to form a rough conception of
the size of each species described. Those who
desire more details will find them in 7he
Fauna of British India. In this connection
it is worthy of mention that certain small
birds, as, for example, the adult cock paradise
flycatcher, have very long tails. Such a bird,
if measured from the tip of his beak to the end
of his tail (as ornithologists usually do), would
have to be described as - V, i.e. as a bird
90

Descriptive List of the Comiwm Birds

rather smaller than a kite, but this ^vould con-
vey a very misleading idea of the magnitude
of the bird, the body of which is about the
same size as that of the bulbul. I shall accord-
ingly describe the paradise flycatcher as II,
i.e. a bird of the same size as the bulbul, but
shall note that the cock has a very long tail.

In cases where birds build very characteristic
nests or have very characteristic songs or
habits, I shall mention these as aids to identifi-
cation. It must be remembered that this
little book is not a natural history of birds,
but merely a key to the identification of our
commoner Indian feathered friends. Having
identified a bird, the reader should refer to
some other writer for information regarding
its habits, etc.

In order to simplify identification I shall
roughly indicate the distribution of each
species. If nothing is said about the distribu-
tion of any bird this means that it may be
found anywhere in the plains of India. If a
species occurs in all parts save one or more the

words " Not found in " will occur in

the description. If the distribution be local,
the description will contain the words '' Found
in ."

91

Indian Birds

As a further aid to identification I have, in
all cases in which a species has been figured in
any book which is easily procurable, stated
where the picture of the bird is to be found.
Most stations in India boast of a library of
sorts, which is likely to contain some, at any
rate, of the books referred to. In order to
save space I have used abbreviations for the
titles. Thus (Illus. F. I, p. 298) means that a
picture of the bird in question will be found
on page 298 of Volume I of the bird volume
of The Fauna of British India.

List of abbreviations used
B. B. The Common Birds of Bombay^ by Eha.
B. C. The Birds of Calcutta (2nd Edition), by

Finn.
B. D. Bombay Ducks, by Dewar.
B. P. Birds of the Plains, by Dewar.
F. I. Fauna of British India (Birds, Vol. I).
F. II. Ditto, ditto. Vol. 11.
F. III. Ditto, ditto. Vol. III.

F. IV. Ditto, ditto. Vol. IV.

G. B. Garden and Aviary Birds of India, by
Finn.

I. F. ^ome Indian Friends and Acquaintances,
by Cunningham.

92

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

I. D. Indian Ducks and Their Allies^ by Stuart

Baker.
I. G. I. Game Birds of hidia, Burma, and

Ceylon, Vol. I., Marshall and Hume.
I. G. II. Ditto, ditto, ditto. Vol. II.
I. G. III. Ditto, ditto, ditto, Vol. III.

The Crows, 1-4

1. Corvus machrorhynchus : The Jungle Crow
or the Indian Corby. (F. 4), (J. 660), ( + IV.)

Glossy black all over. Nests from March to
May. Nest a large structure placed high up in
a tree. Not found in the N.W. Punjab, where
it is replaced by the next species. (Illus. B. D.,
p. 60; also B. B., p. 117, and I. F., p. 61.)

2. Corvus cor ax : The Raven. (F. I),

(J- 657), (V.)

Glossy black all over. Found only in the
N.W.F. province and the western parts of
the Punjab.

3. Corvus sflendens : The Indian House
Crow, or the Grey-necked Crow. (F. 7), (J.
663), (IV.)

Like a jackdaw in marking and appearance.

Glossy black, except for nape, neck, upper

back and breast, which are ashy brown. (The

hue of this ashy brown varies considerably

93

Indian Birds

with the locality, being hghtest in the Punjab.)
Nesting season May to July, or later. Nest
like that of i. In Burma this species is re-
placed by the next. (Illus. B. D., p. i68; also
B. P., p. 190, and B. B., p. 117.)

4. Corvus insolens : The Burmese House
Crow. (F. 8), (IV.)

A form of C sflendens in which the neck
plumage is nearly as dark as that of the other
parts.

5. Dendrocitta rufa : The Indian Tree-pie.
(F. 16), (J. 674), ( + 11, but with tail a foot in
length.)

Head, neck, and breast brownish black ;
body chestnut; silver-grey on the wings. Tail
greyish with broad black band at the tip.
During flight the tail assumes a curious shape
owing to the fact that the feathers which
compose it are graduated in length; the
median pair is twelve inches long, the next
pair is shorter, and so on, the outer pair being
only about half the length of the median pair.
This bird has a curious metalHc call which
may be syllabised coch-lee, coch-lee, or cogee,
cogee. It also emits a great variety of harsh
cries. Breeds from April to August. The
nest is a large cup high up in a tree.
94

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

(Does not appear to occur in or about the
towns of Bombay and Madras.) (Illus. B. C,
p. 10, but the illustration is not a good one, a
better idea is given in F. I., p. lo, where an
allied species is figured.)

The Babblers, 6-10

6. Argya caudata : The Common Babbler,
or Striated Bush-babbler, or Rat-bird. (F.

105), (J- 438), (II.).

A dingy brown bird ; upper plumage darker
than the lower. In each feather there is a
dark line along the shaft which causes the bird
to have a streaked appearance. It goes about
in pairs, or in small flocks. It feeds largely on
the ground. When it runs, its tail (which is
about 4i inches long, i.e. half the total length
of the bird) seems to trail on the ground like
that of a rat, hence one of its names. Its note
is not unpleasant. It nests chiefly in the hot
weather. The nursery is a neatly constructed
cup, which is invariably placed in a low bush.
Its eggs are pale blue.

Does not appear to occur in the neighbour-
hood of Calcutta, Bombay, or Madras. Ad-
dicted to arid parts of India.

7-9. The Crateropus Babblers, or '^ Seven
Sisters:'

95

Indian Birds

These are all untidy-looking, earthy-brown
birds about the size of mynas. They go about
in little flocks, whence the name " Seven
Sisters," or " Sath Bhair They feed largely
on the ground, seeking for insects among dead
leaves. While feeding they keep up a constant
chatter which every now and then grows very
loud, sounding like a combination of a squeak
and the groans of a revolving axle that requires
to be oiled. They continually jerk the tail,
which has the appearance of being very loosely
inserted. So untidy-looking are these birds that
Eha likens them to " Old Jones, who spends the
day in his pyjamas." Their flight is feeble and
laborious. Three species are common :

7. Crater of us canorus : The Jungle Babbler.
(F. no), (J. 432), (III.)

This bird is abundant in Northern India,
and becomes rarer in the south, where it is
largely replaced in the plains by the two next
species. (Illus. B. C, p. 15.)*

* At Allahabad the Large Grey Babbler (Argya malcomi)
(F. 107) or Gangaii is more abundant even than C. canorus.
It may be recognised by its long tail. The three outer pairs
of tail feathers are white — very conspicuous during flight.
The note is a loud harsh quey, quey^ quey. The bird is
commoner than I thought. It occurs in most districts of
the U.P.

96 ^

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

8. Crater opus griseus : The White-headed
Babbler. (F. in), (J. 433), (III.)

This is the common babbler of the Madras
presidency. It is easily recognised by the
greyish white crown of its head. (IIlus. B. D.,
p. 204.)

9. Crateropiis so7nervillii : The Rufous-tailed
Babbler. (F. 113) (J. 435), (III.)

The common babbler of Bombay and
Poena. It is the least untidy-looking of the
babblers, and may be recognised by the dis-
tinctly reddish hue of its tail.

All three species of babblers build neat
cup-shaped nests not far above the ground and
lay beautiful blue eggs. (Illus. B. B., p. 80.)

10. Pyctorhis sinensis : The Yellow- eyed
Babbler. (F. 139), {]. 385), (+1.)

This is considerably smaller than the other
babblers described. Its general colour is
cinnamon brown. The eyebrows, throat, and
breast are white. The under parts are cream-
coloured. The eye is bright yellow. It emits
a sweet note and builds a beautiful nest. This
last is in shape not unlike the hat worn by a
political officer in full dress. It measures
about five inches in depth and is usually slung
by its broadest part on to two or more grow-
G 97

Indian Birds

ing reeds, heads of millet, stout grass stems, or
perhaps more frequently to a forked branch.

11. Myiophoneus horsfiddi : The Malabar
WhistHng Thrush, or Idle Schoolboy. (F. 1 89),
(J. 342), (+IIL)

A black bird with large cobalt blue patches
on the forehead and the wings. Small patches
of the same hue occur on other parts of the
body.

Not found in the N.W. Frontier Province,
the Punjab, United Provinces, Bengal, or the
eastern portion of Madras. Usually occurs in
the neighbourhood of shaded streams. Its
note is a striking whistle.

12. Zosterops fal-pebrosa : The Indian White-
eye, or Spectacle Bird. (F. 226), (J. 631), ( - I.)

A greenish yellow bird, with bright yellow
throat and a patch of yellow under the tail.
The rest of the lower plumage is greyish
white. The most noticeable feature of the
bird is a ring of white feathers round the eye.
Hence its popular name. White-eyes go about
in large flocks ; they feed largely on insects
which they pick from off the leaves of trees.
Each individual utters unceasingly a cheeping
note. At the nesting season, which is usually
at the beginning of the hot weather, the cock
98

Descriptive List of tJie Common Birds

sings a sweet little song. The nest is a beauti-
ful little cup suspended from a forked branch.
Two pale blue egges are usually laid. (Illus.
G.B.,p.96.)

13. ^githina tiphia : The Common lora.
(F.243),(J.468),(-I.)

Cock : (a) In summer upper plumage, wings,
and tail are black ; lower parts bright yellow.
There are two white bars in the wing.

(b) In winter the black parts of the head and
back are replaced by yellowish green.

Hen : Upper parts, wings, and tail green ;
lower parts yellow. Two white bars in the
wing.

This species has a sweet song. It does
not occur in the Frontier Province or the
Punjab. " A Httle bird," writes Eha, " like a
tomtit, in black and yellow, followed by its
mate in green and yellow, can be nothing else
than the lora." Builds at the beginning of
the hot weather a very neat and tiny cup-
shaped nest. (Illus. B. B., p. 91, also G. B.,
p. 64.)

The Bulbuls, 14-22

14. Chloropsisjerdoni. The Common Green
Bulbul, or Jerdon's Chloropsis. (F. 252),

a- 463), ( - no

Indian Birds

A beautiful emerald green bird. There is a
patch of yellow on the forehead. The cock
has the sides of the head, chin, and throat
black, and a purple-blue moustache. The
black of the male is replaced by bluish green
in the hen.

Does not occur in the Frontier Province, the
Punjab, Rajputana, Bengal, or the northern
and western portions of the United Provinces.
It is essentially a bird of Central and Southern
India, but rare on the east coast. It affects
well-wooded parts of the country. (Illus. G.
B., p. 96.)

^he Red-vented Bulbuls, 15-18

Head black with short crest ; remainder of
plumage brown, each feather having a narrow
margin of a lighter hue. The tail is tipped
with white, and there is a white patch above
the tail. A conspicuous crimson patch under
the tail. Bulbuls go about in pairs and con-
stantly emit a cheery note. They build neat
cup-shaped nests, frequently in plants in the
verandahs of houses. When the nest is
approached by a human being the parent birds
set up a loud chattering. These bulbuls occur
100

Descriptive List of the Coimnon Birds

all over India, but ornithologists divide them
into several species :

15. Molpastes hcemorrhous : The Madras
Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 278), (J. 462), (II.)

The common bulbul of South India, as far
North as Lucknow. (Illus. B. D., p. 296; also
B. B, p. 87.)

16. Molfastes hurmanicus : The Burmese
Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 279), (II.)

The common bulbul of Burma.

17. Molpastes bengalensis : The Bengal Red-
vented Bulbul. (F. 282), (J. 461), (II.)

The common bulbul of Eastern Oudh, the
Bengals, and Assam. (Illus. B. C, p. 22.)

18. Molpastes intermedius : The Punjab
Red-vented Bulbul. (F. 283), (J. IL, p. 95)
(II.)

The common bulbul of the Frontier
Province, the Punjab, and the province of
Agra.

[At the points where the various species or
races of red-vented bulbuls meet they inter-
breed, so that at Lucknow and other points of
junction it is not possible to assign the local
bulbuls to any of the above species.]

19. Molfastes leucotis : The White-eared
Bulbul. (F. 285), (J. 459), (-II.)

Indian Birds

This species differs from the Red-vented
Bulbuls in its somewhat smaller size, its
shorter crest and in having a large white patch
on each side of the head, and the patch of
feathers under the tail yellow instead of
crimson.

Found only in the north-west portion of
India. In the cold weather its range extends
into the Province of Agra and the C. P., but in
the spring it migrates to the west and breeds in
Sind, the Frontier Province, and the Western
Districts of the Punjab. Its nests have also been
taken in Rajputana, Katywar, and Cutch. (Illus.
G. B., p. 96 ; also F. I., p. 252.)

^he Red-whiskered Bulbuls, 20 and 21

These sprightly and handsome birds are
characterised by their long crests, which end
in a point and project forward, like Mr.
Punch's cap. The head and crest are black,
but each cheek is characterised by a large
white and a small crimson patch, hence the
name " red-whiskered." The upper plumage
is earthy brown. The tail feathers are some-
what darker brown and are tipped with white.
The breast and lower plumage are white. The
102

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

breast is separated from the abdomen by a
conspicuous band of black feathers known as
the collaret. There is a crimson patch of
feathers under the tail.

20. Otocompsa emeria : The Bengal Red-
whiskered Bulbul. (F. 288), (J. 460), (11.)

Found in Northern and Eastern India, and
Burma. (Illus. B. P., p. 230; also B. C,
p. 26.)

21. Otocompsa fuscicaudata : The Southern
Red-whiskered Bulbul. (F. 289), (J. 460), (II.)

Found chiefly in the south-western portion
of India, more especially in the hills. This is
the common bulbul of all our South-Indian
hill stations.

This species is distinguishable from Emeria
in that it has a complete collaret. In Emeria
the black collaret is interrupted in front.

Both the Molpastes and the Otocompsa bul-
buls build neat cup-shaped nests in trees and
shrubs in gardens. Not infrequently they
nest in plants growing in pots placed in the
verandah. (Illus. B. D., p. 296 ; also B. B.,

p. 87.)

22. Pycnonotus luteolus : The White-browed
Bulbul. (F. 305), (J. 452), (-II.)

A dull greenish brown bird, having no crest.
103

Indian Birds

It has a white eyebrow, and the patch of
feathers under the tail is pale yellow.

It occurs only in Southern India and is ex-
ceedingly common in the vicinity of Madras.
It frequents gardens and utters a variety of
very cheery little notes, and has, therefore, been
called " the blithest little bird in existence."
It does not show itself very much in the open,
being heard much more frequently than seen.
It builds a cup-shaped nest in a bush or low
tree.

The Nuthatches^ 23 and 24

Nuthatches are little climbing birds char-
acterised by very short tails. They go about
in small flocks and run up and down the trunks
and branches of trees with great address,
picking up small insects. They also, as their
name implies, feed upon nuts. They nest in
holes of trees, frequently closing up a portion
of the aperture with mud. (Illus. F. I., p. 298.)

23. Sitta castaneiventris : The Chestnut-
bellied Nuthatch. (F. 321), (J. 250), ( - I.)

Upper plumage dark greyish blue. A broad

black band runs from the beak, through the

eye and down the side of the head. The other

parts of the cheek are white. The lower

104

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

plumage is dark chestnut-red, as denoted by
the popular name of the bird. (The lower
parts of the hen are of a lighter hue.) Distribu-
tion : U. P., C. P., C. I., and western parts of
Bengal.

24. Sitta frontalis : The Velvet-fronted Blue
Nuthatch. (F. 325), (J. 253), (-1.)

Upper plumage dark blue, the cock having a
velvet-like black forehead and a black streak
through the eye ; throat whitish ; lower parts
greyish.

Not found in the Punjab.

The Drongos, 25-27

25. Dicrurus ater : The Black Drongo, or
King Crow. (F. 327), (J. 278), (II, but with
a tail six inches long.)

Jet black all over, with a long-forked tail.
One of the most familiar of Indian birds. It
frequently perches on telegraph wires, or on
the backs of cattle. It makes little flights after
insects and then returns to its perch. Its call
is very cheery and is heard most often at
earliest dawn.

It breeds in the hot weather ; the nest is a
small cup, wedged into the fork of a lofty
105

Indian Birds

branch. The oriole and the dove frequently
nest in the same tree.

Found all over India, but only a summer
visitor to the Frontier Province and the
Western Punjab, and a winter visitor to
Assam. (Illus. B. D., frontispiece ; also I. F.,
p. 148, and B. B., p. i.)

26. Dicrurus ccerulescens : The White-bellied
Drongo. (F. 330), (J. 281), (II, but v^^ith long-
forked tail.)

Very like the King Crow (No. 25) in appear-
ance, save that it is a little smaller and its
plumage is deep indigo instead of glossy black
(but it looks black from a distance). The
breast is grey and the abdomen white.

This bird, although nowhere common in
India, is found in all parts save the N.W.
F. P., the Punjab, and the eastern portion of
Bengal.

27. Dissemurus faradiseus : The Larger
Racket-tailed Drongo. (F. 340), (J. 284), (II,
but with a tail 20 inches long.)

Glossy black all over. The head is decorated
by a large backwardly-directed crest. The
two outer tail feathers are a foot and a half in
length ; on the inner side of the shaft there is
scarcely any web, while the web on the outer
106

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

shaft grows longer as it nears the tip of the
feather. These elongated outer feathers are
turned upwards and outwards at the tip.

Confined almost entirely to forests, and hence
is very rarely seen in the plains.

l^he Warblers, 28-33

28. Orthotomus sutorius : The Indian Tailor
Bird. (F. 374),_(J. 530), (-1.)

A tiny brownie bird not unlike a wren with
a respectable tail. Close inspection shows that
the forehead is reddish, the back of the head
grey, and the back brown, tinged with green.
The lower plumage is dirty creamy white.
There is a short black bar on each side of the
neck, visible only when the bird stretches its
neck to utter its note, but as the bird is con-
tinually calling loudly to-wee, to-wee, to-wee, a
Httle watching will soon reveal the black
patch on the side of the neck.

In the hot weather the two middle tail
feathers of the cock exceed the others in
length by fully two inches. These projecting,
bristle-like tail feathers render it very easy to
recognise the cock tailor bird in breeding
plumage.

107

Indian Birds

The tailor bird is essentially a denizen of
the compound, and frequently nests in the
verandah. The nest is a wonderful structure.
The walls are growing leaves, the edges of
which the bird draws together by means ol
cotton or fibre. The nest is cosily lined with
cotton-down. The tailor bird pierces in places
the leafy wall of its nest and pushes some of
the lining through these tiny apertures in order
to keep the lining in situ. The nest should be
looked for in the hot weather. (Illus. B. B.,
p. 103 ; also G. B., p. 64.)

29. Hypolais rama : Sykes's Tree- warbler.

(F.394),(J-S53X(-I-)

This, too, is a dull-coloured little brownie

bird. It visits India in great numbers in the
winter, and is said to breed in Sind. In
colouring it is much like the tailor bird, but it
is more solidly built and has a narrow cream-
coloured eyebrow. A little brown bird which
is not the tailor bird, or one of the wren-
warblers described below, is likely to be this
species.

30. Prinia lefida : The Streaked Wren-
warbler. (F. 462), (J. 550), ( - I.)

Brown above and cream-coloured below.
This little bird is easily distinguished from the
108

Descriptive List of the Com/mon Birds

other long-tailed wrens, by the fact that its
upper plumage is streaked with dark brown.
The brown tail shows cross bars. The tip of
each tail feather is white and next to this is
a black patch.

This bird is common in the Punjab and in
Sind. It also occurs in Rajputana and in the
valley of the Ganges.

It builds a neat ball-like nest with an entrance
at the side. The nest is usually situated at a
few inches from the ground. Several are to be
found in April and May amid the wild
indigo that grows on the Lahore golf links.
The green eggs have a distinct ring of reddish
dots at the thick end.

3 1 . Prinia socialis : The Ashy Wren-war-
bier. (F.464), (J. S34),(-I.)

Another " tiny brownie bird." Ashy upper
plumage with brown wings and tail, lower
plumage cream-coloured. A very slender and
loosely-knit bird. It is easily distinguished by
the curious snapping noise it makes as it flits
from bush to bush. How this noise is made
we do not know. It sounds as though it were
due to the upper and lower mandibles of the
beak closing sharply together.

This species constructs two types of nests —
109

Indian Birds

one is like that of the Tailor Bird (No. 28),
the other is a ball-Hke woven structure with
an entrance at the side. The nest is invariably
placed near the ground. The eggs are ma-
hogany red. Does not occur in the N.W. F. P.

32. Prinia inornata : The Indian Wren-
warbler. This bird is known as the weaver-
bird to boys who attend Indian schools.

(F.466), (J. 543), (-I-)

This species differs so little in appearance
from the last that except for the snapping
noise it is almost impossible to distinguish
them unless held in the hand and compared.
This species has rusty-coloured thighs, and
these may serve to distinguish it from the last
species.

It builds a nicely-woven ball-like nest, which
is frequently attached to growing corn, and
the parent birds sometimes have their work
cut out in rearing up their brood before the
crop is cut. Eggs greenish with red and brown
blotches.

Found in N. India. At the Nilgiris this
species meets the next.

33. Prinia Jerdoni : The Southern Wren-
warbler. (F. 467), Q. 544). (-I-)

This is the South Indian form of No. 32,
no

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

and has very much the same habits and appear-
ance as the last species. (Illus. B. B., p. 103.)

The Shrikes, or Butcher Birds, 34~37

The shrikes form a well-marked familv of
birds. Their habit is to sit on an exposed
perch and from thence pounce on to some
insect on the ground. Thus their habits are
like those of some birds of prey. Their
hooked and notched beaks and the broad black
band that runs from the base of the beak
through the eye gives them a very sinister
appearance. They have a variet}' of notes.

34. Lanius lahtora : The Indian Grey Shrike

(F.469), a-256), (+11.)

Upper parts French grey ; forehead black ;
broad black band from base of beak, through
eye and down the side of the neck. Tail black
and white ; wings black with conspicuous white
bar. Breast and lower plumage white.

Sind, Punjab, U. P., C. P., and Western
Bengal.

The nest of this and of the other species of

butcher bird is a deep cup, placed usually in a

thorny tree, often close up against the trunk.

Not infrequently bits of rag hang down from

III

Indian Birds

the nest and serve to locate its whereabouts.
The eggs have a stone-coloured background
with brownish blotches, which often form a
ring near the large end. (Illus. B. B., p. 70 ;
also F. I., p. 454.)

35. Lanius vittatus : The Bay-backed Shrike.

(F.473), 0-260), (-11.)

Forehead and broad band through the eye
black. Head pale grey, back maroon, rump
white ; wings black with a white bar, which is
conspicuous during flight. Tail black and
white, median feathers black, outer ones white ;
lower parts white with a reddish-yellow tinge
on the breast.

36. Lanius erythronotus : The Rufous-backed
Shrike. (F. 476), (J. 257), (+11.) . ••

Although larger than the last species, this
bird is very like it in colouring. It may, how-
ever, be distinguished by the fact that it has
no white in the tail. The rump is the same
colour as the lower back and not white as
in 35.

37. Lanius cristatus : The Brown Shrike.
(F. 481), (J. 261), (-11.)

This species is distinguishable from the above
three shrikes by the fact that it lacks the white
wing bar which makes the others so conspicuous
112

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

during flight. A reddish-brown bird with
white cheeks and throat and a whitish eyebrow.

UnHke the other butcher birds this species
is merely a winter visitor to India. It spreads
itself over all parts of the country save the
N.W. F. P. and the Punjab. (A few individ-
uals are said to remain in India to nest.)

It has a harsh chattering note, which it
utters incessantly. It is regarded in Calcutta
as the herald of the cold weather. (lUus. G. B.,
p. i6.)

38. Tefhrodornis fondicerianus : The Com-
mon Woodshrike. (F. 488), (J. 265), ( + 1.)

An ashy-brown bird, having a broad white
eyebrow and the outer tail feathers white.
Occurs chiefly in gardens and avenues. It is
most easily recognised by its pretty mellow
note, which Jesse syllabises as tanti-tuia.

The Minivets, 39-41

Minivets are brightly coloured little birds,
which usually go about in small flocks, picking
insects from off the leaves of trees. They
build neat cup-shaped nests, which are usually
placed on a horizontal branch. The nest is
difficult to find, as when seen from below it

H 113

Indian Birds

looks like a knot in the branch. The flocks lead
a wandering existence.

39. Pericrocotus speciosus : The Indian Scar-
let Minivet. (F. 490), (J. 271), (I, but with
tail of 4-i- inches long.)

Cock: A beautiful bird arrayed in bright
scarlet and black. The head and shoulders are
black, the back and lower parts scarlet. The
wings are black with a scarlet bar running
along (and not, as is usual, across) the wing.
Tail feathers scarlet except the median pair,
which are black.

Hen : Head and body bright yellow, wings
black with longitudinal yellow bar. Tail yellow
and black.

Occurs in U. P., Bengal, Assam, and C. P.

40. Pericrocotus hrevirostris : The short-
billed Minivet. (F. 495), (J. 273), (-1, but
with tail 4 inches long.)

Very much like the Scarlet Minivet (39) in
appearance, save that the red of the cock is
crimson rather than scarlet.

Occurs in Punjab, Rajputana, U. P., Bengal,
Assam and C. P. (Illus. G. B., p. 64.)

41. Pericrocotus peregriuus : The Small
Minivet. (F. 500), (J. 276), ( - I, tail 3 inches
long.)

114

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

Cock : Head and shoulders slaty grey, lower
back deep scarlet, wings black with red bar,
tail black with red at tip, chin and throat
blackish, breast scarlet ; lower plumage orange-
yellow.

Hen : Upper parts grey, lower parts creamy
white, wing brown with yellow or orange wing-
bar, tail black with red tip.

Not found in the N.W. F. P.

The Cuckoo-Shrikes^ 42 and 43

42. Campophaga sykesi : The Black-headed
Cuckoo-Shrike. (F. 508), (J. 268), (-II.)

Cock : Head, throat, and breast black ; rest
of plumage grey shading into white on the
abdomen ; tail black with broad white tip.

Hen : Upper parts grey, lower parts whitish
with narrow black cross bars, tail as in cock.
This species goes about in small flocks, is
strictly arboreal, and has many of the habits
of the minivets.

Not found in Punjab or N.W. F. P.

43. Graucalus macii : The Large Cuckoo-
Shrike. (F. 510), (J. 270), (+m.)

A large pale slaty-grey bird with a black
patch in front of the eye. The lower parts

Indian Birds

are paler than the upper parts and often ex-
hibit more or less distinct narrow black cross
bars ; habits as above.

Found all over India, but rare in the N.W.
portion of the peninsula.

Neither 42 or 43 are very common birds.

The Orioles, 44 and 45

44. Oriolus kundoo : The Indian Oriole, or
Mango Bird. (F. 518), (J. 470), (-III.)

Cock : A bright yellow bird with a pink
beak and red eyes. There is some black on the
sides of the head and in the wings and the tail.
During flight this bird looks like a flash of gold.

Hen : Of duller hue than the cock, with
greenish back.

A strictly arboreal species. The note is a
soft, rich, mellow peeho, peeho.

The nest is a wonderful structure — a large
cup slung like a hammock or prawn net on the
fork of a bow, usually placed in one of the
lower branches of a lofty tree, but out of
reach of a human being. This species very
frequently builds in the same tree as the King
Crow. The eggs are pale pink, with chocolate
blotches, which wash off.
116

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

This bird is not found in Eastern Bengal, or
in the eastern portion of Bengal proper. It is
found all the year round in most parts of India,
but is merely a summer visitor to the Punjab,
N.W. F. P., and the Himalayas.

45. Oriolus melanocephalus : The Black-
headed Oriole. (F. 521), (J. 472 and 473),

(-III)

Very much like the last species, but is dis-
tinguishable by having the whole head, chin,
throat, and upper breast black.

Not found in the Punjab, or N.W. F. P., or
in the Himalayas. (lUus. G. B., p. 16 ; also
I. F., p. 128.)

The Crackles, or Hill Mynas, 46 and 47

As these birds are almost exclusively con-
fined to hilly and well-wooded regions they
can scarcely be numbered among the common
birds of the plains of India ; but as they are
so very frequently seen in cages, I mention
them.

They are larger than the common myna, but

have a much shorter tail. They are glossy black

birds with a conspicuous white wing bar.

Beak orange-yellow, legs pale yellow. Their

"7

Indian Birds

most conspicuous feature is the pair of yellow
wattles.

46. Eulahesreligiosa: The Southern Grackle.

(F. 523), a- 692), (III.).

Found only in S. India.

47. Eulahes intermedia: The Indian Grackle.
(F. 524), (J. 693), (+III.)

Found in the Himalayas and C. P.

l^he Starlings, 48-54

48. Pastor roseus : The Rose-coloured Star-
ling, or Jowaree Bird, or Tilyer. (F. 528),

a- 690), (+111.)

Cock : Head, throat, wings, and tail glossy
black ; rest of plumage rose-coloured pink.

Hens and young cocks : In these the pink is
replaced by a pinkish grey, or pale coffee-
coloured hue. The great majority of birds
one sees in India are hens or young cocks. The
head is crested, but the black crest rests flat
on the head, so that it is not noticeable.

Rosy starlings do not breed in India, al-
though individuals may be seen in all months
of the year. The birds are most abundant in
the winter. Preparatory to leaving the country
for breeding purposes rosy starlings congregate
118

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

in huge flocks in April and May. These flocks
do much damage to the grain, and hence are
known as Jowaree and Cholum birds. They are
also very partial to mulberries, and are there-
fore sometimes known as Mulberry birds. (B.
D., p. 86.)

49. Sturnus menzbieri : The Common Indian
Starling. (F. 532), (J. 681), (+11.)

Very like the common English starling in
appearance. Glossy black with numbers of
small yellow or buff spots ; in certain lights it
shows a green or bronze sheen.

A winter visitor to Northern India. Abun-
dant in the Punjab during the cold weather,
where it is usually seen in flocks.

50. Sturnia malabarica : The Grey-headed
Myna. (F. 538), (J. 688), (II.)

Head pale grey, chin almost white, rest of
upper plumage dark grey with a reddish tinge,
throat and breast reddish grey with a white
shaft to each feather ; remainder of lower
plumage rusty red. Beak greenish blue with
yellow tip.

Not found in Sind, N.W. F. P., or the
Punjab. In the other parts of India it under-
goes local migration. I have seen it in Madras
only in the cold weather.
119

Indian Birds

This is the most arboreal o£ the mynas,
rarely if ever descending to the ground, and
frequenting the topmost branches of trees.
It associates in small flocks. Its note is a harsh
chuckle.

5 1 . Temenuchus fagodarum : The Black-
headed or Brahminy Myna, or Pawai. (F. 544),

(J. 687), (+11.)

Head, neck, and lower plumage rich buff ;
wings black and grey ; tail feathers brown with
white tips ; crest black. The long crest rests
flat on the neck and looks like a pig-tail, having
a silky hair-like appearance. Beak blue with
yellow tip. Legs bright yellow.

Like most other mynas this species nests
in a hole. In this case the nest-hole is usually
in some building or tree. An unpleasant odour
emanates from the nest.

This bird and No. 50 are very alike in shape
and colouring, the most noticeable difference
being in the colour of the head and crest and
of the legs.

Not found in Eastern Bengal, the N.W.
F. P., or the western portion of the Punjab.
(Illus. B. D., p. 82 ; also B. B., p. 124.)

52. Acridotheres tristis: The Common Myna.
(F. 549), (J. 684), (III.)

120

Descriptive List of the Gommcyii Birds

One of the most familiar of our Indian birds.
Head, neck, and upper breast black ; rest of
body plumage rich brown ; wings black, show-
ing a very conspicuous white bar during flight.
Tail feathers black with broad white tips,
visible during flight. Beak and legs bright
yellow ; bright yellow patch of skin behind eye.

This bird is found in every garden in India.
It feeds largely on the ground.

It is a noisy bird. Eha describes its notes as
" Keeky, keeky, keeky . . . churr^ churr^ kok^
kok^ kok. Each time it says kok it points to
the ground with its beak and bobs its head."
(Illus. B. D., p. 84; also F. I., p. 516, and
B.C., p. 44.)

53. Acridotheres ginginianus : The Bank or
Well Myna. (F. 551), (J. 685), (-III.)

Very like 5 1 in shape, but its prevailing tint
is grey instead of brown. The wing bar and
the tips of the tail feathers are buff instead of
white, and the patch of skin behind the eye is
crimson instead of yellow.

Not found in S. India.

It goes about in flocks and nests in holes
in river banks or wells, hence its popular name.

54. Sturnopastor contra. The Pied Myna.
(F-55S)>(J-683),(-III.)

121

Indian Birds

A black bird, white cheeks and rump, and
white bar at base of wing; lower parts grey.
Beak orange with white tip ; orange patch of
skin behind the eye.

This bird differs from the other mynas in
that it builds a large nest in a tree, usually at
no great altitude.

Occurs only in U. P., C. P., the Bengals, and
Assam. (Illus. G. B., p. i6.)

The Flycatchers^ 55-^0

Flycatchers are birds which feed exclusively
on insects, which they catch upon the wing.
Their habit is to make, from some perch, little
sallies into the air after their quarry. It must,
however, not be forgotten that birds other
than flycatchers, as, for example, the king
crow and the wagtails, also hunt for insects in
this manner ; so that it is not safe to set down
a bird as a flycatcher merely because it makes
little sallies into the air after insect quarry.

A considerable number of species of fly-
catcher occur in India, but the great majority
of them are confined to the hills. The follow-
ing, however, are likely to be seen in the plains,
Nos. 57-60 being especially abundant.
122

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

55. Alseonax latirostris. The Brown Fly-

catcher. (F. 588), (J- 297); (- I-)

An ashy-brown bird ; tail darker than body,
lower parts white, inconspicuous ring of white
feathers round the eye. Not a very common
bird.

Not found in N.W. F. P., Punjab, Sind, or
Rajputana.

A little brown bird with a short tail, that
makes a sally into the air after an insect, and
then returns to its perch, is probably this species.

56. Culicicapa ceylonensis : The Grey-
headed Flycatcher. (F. 592), (J. 295), ( - I.)

Head, neck, and breast ash-coloured. Back
greenish yellow ; wings and tail dark brown.
Lower plumage dull yellow.

A winter visitor to the plains. Not likely to
be seen in N.W. India.

57. Terspiphone paradisi : The Indian Para-
dise Flycatcher, also known as the Ribbon Bird
and the Widow Bird. (F. 598), (J. 288), (II,
but the cock has a very long tail.)

One of the most beautiful birds in India.

Hen and young cock : Like a bulbul in size

and form. Rich chestnut plumage with

metallic black crest and head ; lower parts

white. Bill bluish black. Legs slate-coloured,

123

Indian Birds

Second year cock : Similar to above, except
that the two median tail feathers are much
longer than the others, being i6 inches in
length.

Old cocks : The chestnut parts of the plum-
age turn white.

This bird undergoes a certain amount of
local migration. It visits the Punjab in great
numbers in summer for nesting purposes. The
nest is like an inverted cone in shape, and is
usually placed on one of the lower branches of
a tree. The white cock shares the duties of
incubation, and as he sits, his long white tail
feathers hang down several inches beyond the
bottom of the nest.

The bird frequently utters a sharp note
something like the twitter of a sparrow. The
cock has also a sweet little song.

In Burma this species is replaced by an
alliec'. species — the Burmese Paradise Fly-
catcher (T. a finis). (Illus. F. II., p. i ; also
B. B., p. j6, and G. B. frontispiece.)

I'he Fantail Flycatchers, 58-60

These are blackish-brown birds, with a con-
spicuous white eyebrow. There are some
124

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

white spots in the wing. The tail feathers are
tipped with white, and as the bird continually
spreads its tail into a fan the white is very
conspicuous. The lower plumage is white.
These birds have a striking and very cheery
song of about six notes, which they utter
constantly. They are easily recognised by
their " tinkling " song and by the manner in
which they continually fan the tail, drop the
wings, and dance ; or, to use Eha's words,
" waltz and pirouette among the lower
branches of a shady mango tree." Three species
are common, and have similar manners and
appearance. The nest is either a neat cup
or an inverted cone, built largely of cobweb
on one of the lower branches of a tree. When
they have a nest these flycatchers are very
bold. They will set upon and drive away
birds much larger than themselves, and will
even offer to attack an intruding human being.
The three species are distinguished as follows :
58. Rhipidura albifrontata : The white-
browed Fantail Flycatcher. (F. 604), (J. 292),

( + 1;)

Distinguished by its very broad white eye-
brow and forehead. The common species of
N. India. Nest a cup.

125

Indian Birds

59. Rhipidura albicollis: The White-throated
Fantail Flycatcher. (F. 605), (J. 291), ( + 1.)

Distinguished from 58 by the black fore-
head and narrow white eyebrow, and from 60
by the black abdomen. Nest an inverted cone.
The common fantail of S. and E. India.

60. Rhipidura pectoralis: The White-spotted
Fantail Flycatcher (F. 607), (J. 293), ( + 1.)

Distinguished from 58 by the black fore-
head and narrow white eyebrow, and from 59
by the whitish abdomen. Nest cup-shaped.
The common fantail of S.W. India. (Illus.
B. B., p. 76.)

The Robins, 61-69

61 and 62. The Pied Bush Chats.

The cock is a black bird (brownish in early
winter), with a conspicuous white wing patch
and a white rump.

The hen is a reddish-brown bird (greyish in
winter), with a black tail with a reddish patch
over the tail. The hen may be distinguished
from other brownish birds by the peculiar
colouring of her mate.

The nest is in a hole in the ground at the
base of a tussock of long grass.

61. Pratincola caprata : The Common Pied

126

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

Bush Chat, or White-winged Black Robin.
(F.6o8),(J.48i),(-I.)
Found in N. and C. India.

62. Pratincola atrata : The Southern Pied
Bush Chat. (F. 609), (J. 482), (I.)

Found in S. India.

The above two species may perhaps be re-
garded as local varieties.

63. Pratincola maura : The Indian Bush
Chat. (F.610), (J.483), (-1.)

Cock : The upper parts are reddish brown
in winter (black in summer owing to the brown
edges to the feathers being worn away). Large
patch of white on each side of neck ; breast
orange-red, lower parts pale reddish brown.

Hen : Reddish brown all over ; no white
neck patch.

A winter visitor to all parts of Northern
India ; occurs usually in open fields.

The hens of these species of robin-like birds
are very difficult to distinguish ; but as they
are usually found in company with the cock
it is not as a rule difficult to assign them to
their proper species.

64. Cercomela fusca : The Brown Rock
Chat — the Desi shama of Indians. (F. 629),
(J.494),(+I.)

127

Indian Birds

A dull inconspicuous brown bird. It fre-
quents buildings and is robin-like in its habits.
As it hops about it continually bobs its head.
The cock sings a sweet little lay. The nest is
made up of dried grass and placed in a niche
or on a ledge in an outhouse, or a mosque, or
even an inhabited room. It is made of dried
grass and roots, and falls to pieces if lifted
from its foundation. The eggs are pale blue
blotched with reddish yellow.

Found in Punjab, Rajputana, U. P., and
C. P. ; very common at Lahore.

65. Ruticilla rujiventris : The Indian Red-
start. (F. 644), (J. 497), (I.)

Cock : Each feather of the head, breast, and
upper plumage is black, fringed with grey, so
that after the autumn moult the cock is dark
grey in these parts ; but gradually the grey
edges wear away, so that by the spring the
head, neck, and upper parts of the cock look
black. The rump and the feathers over the tail
are reddish chestnut. The abdomen is orange-
red. All the feathers of the tail are reddish ex-
cept the two median ones, which are brown.

Hen : Reddish brown when the cock is
grey or black ; otherwise like the cock, except
that the red in her plumage is duller.
128

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

The redstart is an easy bird to identify, it
behaves as though it had St. Vitus' dance in the
tail. As it flies away all the red in its plumage
shows, so that the bird looks like a ball of
fire. It feeds largely on the ground, taking
cover in bushes when alarmed. It frequents
gardens.

A winter visitor to India. Very common in
the north and rarer in the south.

66. 7hamnobia cambaiensis : The Brown-
backed Indian Robin. (F. 66i), (J, 480), ( + 1.)

Cock : A glossy black bird with a brown
back, a narrow white bar in the wing, and a
conspicuous patch of brick-red under the tail.

Hen : A sandy brown bird with a brick-red
patch under the tail.

A familiar bird which haunts gardens and is
very partial to dry sandy localities. It builds a
neat cup-shaped nest on window-ledges or in
holes in walls, banks, etc. It usually carries
the tail raised almost vertically and so dis-
plays the red patch. Occurs all over Northern
India. South of the Godaveri it is replaced
by 6^.

6y, Thamnobia fulicata : The Black-backed
Indian Robin. (F. 662), (J. 479), ( + 1.)

The hen of this species is scarcely distinguish-
I 129

Indian Birds

able from the hen of T. camhaiensis (66).
The cock differs in having the back black in-
stead of brown. Occurs only in S. India.
(Illus. B. D., p. 294.)

68. Cofsychus saularis : The Magpie Robin,
orDayal. (F. 663), (J. 475), (- II.)

A very familiar garden bird.

Cock : A glossy black bird, with a white
abdomen sharply marked off from the black
throat and breast. Outer tail feathers white.
A conspicuous white wing bar.

Hen : Marked like the cock, but greyish
brown where he is black. This species, like
the last, frequently elevates the tail.

The cock has a fine song in spring. This
and the magpie pattern of its plumage cause
it to be readily identified. The cock and hen
pair for life. They frequent gardens and are
robin-like in habits. It nests in holes in trees
or buildings. The nest is frequently found in
stables and outhouses. (Illus. F. II., p. 56 ;
also G. B., frontispiece, and B. B., p. 97.)

69. Cittocincla macrura : The Shama. (F.
664), (J. 476), (II, but with a tail six inches
long.)

A fine songster.

Cock : Upper plumage glossy black. Lower
130

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

back white. Wings black and white. Lower
plumage chestnut red.

He7i : Like the cock, save that the black is
replaced by slaty brown and the reddish lower
parts are much paler than in the cock.

Found only in thick jungle. (Illus. G. B.,
p. 40.)

l^he Weaver Birds, 7^^7Z

Weaver birds are sparrow-like birds of
gregarious habits. They build, or rather
weave, wonderful flask-shaped or retort-shaped
nests which hang from trees, the entrance
being from below. They breed in the rains.
Four species are found in India, these are :

70. Ploceus haya : The Baya, or Common
Weaver Bird, or Bottle Bird. (F. 720), (J. 694),

At most seasons of the year the cock and
hen are reddish-brown birds with a faint, fawn-
coloured eyebrow, and look very like the hen
house sparrow, having, like her, a thick bill.
The hen baya retains this plumage throughout
the year. In the hot weather, however, the
head and neck of the cock become a beautiful
golden yellow, as does the breast, and the chin
turns almost black. In this plumage the cock
baya is very easily recognised.
131

Indian Birds

This species occurs in all parts of India
except Bengal, Assam, and Burma. In these
places it is replaced by an allied species (71).
(Illus. F. II., p. 173 ; also B. B., p. 131.)

71. Ploceus megarhynchus : The Eastern
Baya._ (F. 721), (J. 694), (I.)

This species differs so little from (No. 70)
P. baya, that I am inclined to regard it as a
local race of the latter species.

72. Ploceus bengalensis : The Black-throated
Weaver-bird. (F. 722), (J. 696), ( - I.)

This species is very like 70 and 71 in appear-
ance, but may be distinguished by (i) a yellow
patch on the side of the neck, (2) the black
breast, (3) by the fact that the tubular entrance
to the nest is short and not long like that of
P. baya and P. megarhynchus.

This is a comparatively rare species and is
not found in S. India.

73. Ploceus manyar : The Striated Weaver-
bird. (F. 723), 0. 69s), (I.)

This species is distinguishable from Nos. 7c,
71, and 72, by having the feathers of the
breast streaked longitudinally with black.

It is found all over India, but is not nearly
so commonly seen as P. baya.

132

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

The Munias, J^-'J(^

Munlas are diminutive birds, considerably
smaller than the sparrow, characterised by
very thick bills. Except when breeding they
usually go about in flocks. The nest, which
is rarely situated at any great distance from
the^ ground, is a large, ball-like structure,
having an entrance at the side. The eggs are
white.

74. Munia malacca : The Black-headed
Munia. (F. 725), (J. 697), (-1.)

Head and breast black, back wings and tail
rich chestnut, tinged with maroon. Abdomen
white, rest of lower plumage black. Bill very
pale slate colour.

This handsome species is confined to S.
India ; in the north it is replaced by a closely
allied species (75).

75. Munia atricaplla : The Chestnut-bel-
lied Munia. (F. 726), (J. 698), ( - I.)

This differs from 74 only in having the
abdomen chestnut instead of white.

"jG, Uroloncha malaharica : The White-
throated Munia (called the Chiruka in N.
India). (F. 734), (J. 703), (-1.)

Jerdon's name for this bird— the Plain
133

Indian Birds

Brown Munia — is much more appropriate than
that given it by Oates, for the white of the
throat is rarely, if ever, pure, being usually
cream-coloured.

This is the species of munia most commonly
seen, and is found in all parts of the plains of
India, save Eastern Bengal and Burma.

It is a plainly-coloured bird, the upper
plumage being earthy brown save for a white
patch on the rump. The lower plumage is
dirty white. It has a twittering, sparrow-like
note, syllabised by Sykes as '' cheet, cheet,
cheet?^ The feathers of the tail are graduated.
This, the small size of the bird, the white patch
on the rump, the thick bill, and the note
should serve to enable the observer to identify
this inconspicuous little munia. (Illus. B. B.,

P- I37-)

^']. Uroloncha functulata : The Spotted

Munia. (F. 735), 0- 699), ( - I-)

This is known by bird fanciers as the Nutmeg
Bird and the Spice Bird. It, like No. 79, is one
of the common cage birds of India.

Head, neck, upper plumage, wings, and

tail are rich chocolate brown, that of the head

being darkest. The lower breast and abdomen

are white, but most of the feathers have each

134

Descriptive List of the Cornmon Birds

a narrow black semicircular bar, so that the
lower parts of the bird have the appearance of
a nutmeg-grater : hence one of the popular
names of the bird. Bill dark slaty blue.

Does not occur in N.W. F. P. or Sind.
(Illus. G. B., p. i6.)

78. Stictospiza formosa : The Green Munia,
or Green Waxbill. (F. 737), (J. 705), ( - I.)

This beautiful little bird, which is barely
two-thirds the size of the sparrow, is fre-
quently caged. The upper plumage and
wings are light green, brighter in the cock
than in the hen ; the tail is black, the lower
parts are yellow, brighter in the cock than in
the hen. Bill bright red.

Distribution : Central India and Southern
Bengal.

79. Spor^ginthus amandava : The Indian
Red Munia, or Red Waxbill, or Lai, or Ama-
davat. (F. 738), (J. 704), (-1.)

Every aviary in India boasts one or two
amadavats.

This is a tiny little bird with a bright red
beak and red eyes. The general hue of the
plumage is reddish brown with patches of the
richest crimson and some tiny white spots.
There is more crimson in the cock than in the
13s

Indian Birds

hen, and in the former in the breeding season
than at other times of the year. But in both
sexes there is always a patch of crimson on the
lower rump. In full dress the cock has the
whole head, upper plumage, breast, and sides
of the body crimson. As, however, the wing
feathers are brown, the little birds look brown,
and not crimson, during flight. In order to
perceive the crimson they must be watched
when at rest in the sunlight.

They are highly gregarious and are found all
over India. In Burma this bird is replaced by
an allied one (5. flavidiventris), having the
abdomen yellowish red instead of black.
(Illus. G. B., frontispiece.)

The Finches, 80-82

These are seed-eating birds, characterised
by a thick, stout bill. The canary and the
house sparrow are the most familiar examples
of this family.

80. Carpodacus erythninus : The Common
Rose-Finch. (F. 761), (J. 738), ( + 1.)

Cock : A crimson bird, with brownish-green
wings. The crimson is bright on the breast,
throat, and rump. There are two yellowish-
brown bars on the wing.
136

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

Hen : A greenish-brown sparrow-like bird
with two conspicuous whitish bars on the
wing.

This bird is a winter visitor to the plains of
Northern and Central India, and, to some
extent, S. India. Natives call it the Juti. It
has a pleasing song, but is not a bird that
obtrudes itself on the observer. Unless care-
fully watched for it is apt to be overlooked.

Jerdon writes of this species, " It visits the
plains during October, and leaves in April.
In March many are taken in fine breeding
livery. In the extreme south I have chiefly
seen it in bamboo jungle, feeding on the seeds
of bamboos on several occasions, and so much
is this its habit that the Telegu name signifies
' Bamboo sparrow.' In other parts of the
countr}^ it frequents alike groves, gardens, and
jungle, feeding on various seeds and grain ;
also not infrequently on flower buds and young
ieaves."

Eha does not include this species in his
Common Birds of Bombay. Cunningham says
it is fairly common in the gardens of Calcutta
during the winter months. Jesse states that
it is fairly common at Lucknow. At Lahore
I observed it only in March and April.
137

Indian Birds

8i. Gymnorhis flavicollis : The Yellow-
throated Sparrow. (F. 775), (J. 711), (I.)

A near relative of the common house
sparrow. In appearance it is like a particu-
larly tidy and slenderly built hen sparrow.
It may be readily distinguished by its having
a pale yellow patch on the throat, bright in the
cock and dull in the hen.

This species frequents gardens, but is far
less familiar in its behaviour than Passer
domesticus. It nests in holes, usually in trees.

Not found so far east as Calcutta. In the
Punjab it is a summer visitor, whither it
repairs for breeding purposes.

82. Passer domesticus : The Common Spar-
row or House Sparrow. (F. Jj6)^ (J. 706), (I.)

Description of this familiar and ubiquitous
bird is quite superfluous. I give it merely for
the sake of completeness.

Cock : Top of head and lower back ashy
grey, throat black, cheeks and sides of neck
pure white, streak over the eye and upper back
chestnut, wings and tail brown, the former with
a white bar ; lower plumage dirty white.

Hen : A dull brown bird with dirty white
under parts ; reddish - white eyebrow and
white wing bar.

138

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

The Buntings, 83-85

The yellow-hammer, with its song of "A
little bit of bread and no che-e-e-ese," has
rendered the bunting clan familiar to every
EngHshman. Buntings are finch-like birds
vAxh conical bills, mostly rather larger than
the sparrow.

Several species visit the plains of India in
large numbers every cold weather and wax
fat on the grain crops. They occur in large
noisy flocks, making merry among the various
cereal crops and taking refuge in trees when
disturbed. The species most commonly seen
are E. bucha?ia?ii, E. melanocefhala, and E.
luteola.

83. Emberiza buchanani : The Grey-necked
Bunting. (F. 795), (J. 716), ( + 1.)

There is nothing striking in the appearance
of this bird. The upper plumage is ashy
brown, the shaft of each feather being darker
than the web, giving the bird a streaked
appearance. The lower parts are reddish
brown. There is some white in the tail
visible only during flight. There is an incon-
spicuous white ring round the eye.

This occurs only in the N.W. parts of India.
139

Indian Birds

84. Emheriza melanocephala : The Black-
headed Bunting. (F. 799), (J. 721), (+1.)

Cock : The feathers of the head are black
with a grey border, so that the head looks grey
when the bird first reaches India in the
autumn, but gets blacker as the grey edges of
the feathers become worn away. The back
and shoulders are rich chestnut, the wings and
tail are brown, the cheeks and lower plumage
are deep bright yellow.

Hen : A brownish bird with dull yellow
breast and abdomen and a bright yellow patch
under the tail. This species looks rather like a
large long-tailed weaver-bird.

Found in winter, and only in N.W. F. P.,
Punjab, C. P., and Bombay. It is the species
of bunting most abundant in the neighbour-
hood of Bombay, where, as Eha says, it " about
takes the place in India of the yellow-hammer
at home, swarming about fields and hedges
and singing v/ith more cheer than music."
(Illus. B. B., p. 142.)

85. Emheriza luteola : The Red-headed
Bunting. (F. 800), (J. 722), ( + 1.)

A greenish-brown bird, with the head in the
cock a colour between that of chestnut and old
140

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

gold. Rump yellow, lower plumage yellow,
bright in male and duller in female.

Winter visitor to N.W. and Central India.

N.B. — None of the above buntings occur in Madras.

7 he Sw allow Sy 86-90

Swallows and martins form a well-marked
and familiar group of birds. The only other
family with which it is possible to confound
them is that of the swifts. Anatomically the
two famihes are far removed from one another ;
but similarity of profession has brought about
similarity in outward appearance. Neverthe-
less, the representatives of the two famihes
may be distinguished at a glance as they dash
through the air. " As a swallow darts along,"
writes Eha, " its wings almost close against its
sides at every stroke, and it looks like a pair of
scissors opening and shutting. Now a swift
never closes its wings in this way. It whips
the air rapidly with the points of them, but
they are always extended and evenly curved
from tip to tip, like a bow, the sKm body of
the bird being the arrow." Jeiferies likens
a flying swift to an anchor with enormous
flukes. Another difference between the swifts
and the swallows is that the former never
141

Indian Birds

perch on trees or wires or on the ground,
while the latter habitually seat themselves on
branches of trees and telegraph wires.

A small bird that dashes with great speed
through the air, frequently changing its course,
flying now high up, now just skimming the
ground, and seeming never to tire, can be noth-
ing other than a swift or a sw^allow. By the
tests given above it is easy to determine
whether any particular bird is a swift or a
swallow, but having got thus far it is a
matter of greater difficulty to determine the
species. (lUus. F. II., p. 267 ; also B. B., p. 35.)

Twenty-two species of swallow are found
in India ; of these the following are most
commonly seen :

86. Cotile sinensis : The Indian Sand-
martin. (F. 809), (J. 88), (-1.)

A tiny swallow, only about two-thirds the
size of the sparrow. Upper plumage greyish
brown. Chin and breast greyish white, rest of
lower plumage white.

It nests in sandbanks, frequently in company.

Occurs only in N. India.

87. Ptyonofrogne concolor : The Dusky Crag-
martin. (F. 811), (J. 90), (-1.)

Upper plumage dark brown. Some white
142

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

spots on the tail. Lower plumage dark brown,
paler on the breast. The most dull-coloured
of the swallows. It builds a nest like that of
the common martin — a saucer of mud stuck
on to some vertical surface, usually a cliff or
the wall of a cave.

88. Hirundo rustic a : The Common Swallow
(F. 813), (J. 82), (I, but with a deeply forked
tail 4i inches in length.)

Upper plumage glossy steel blue, wings and
tail black ; some white in tail. Lower plumage
reddish yellow ; forehead, chin, and throat
chestnut red.

89. Hirundo smithii : The Wire-tailed
Swallow. (F. 818), (J. 84), (-1, with the
two outer feathers of the tail, the ends of
which look like wires, 7 inches in length.)

Head chestnut, upper plumage glossy steel
blue, lower plumage pure white.

Not found in Madras or east of the U. P.
Builds cup-shaped nest of mud, usually under
a bridge or culvert ; sometimes in a verandah.
Eggs white with small red splashes.

90. Hirundo erythrofygia : Sykes's Striated
Swallow, or the Red-rumped Swallow. (F.
823), (J. 85), (- 1, with a forked tail over 3 inches
in length.)

143

Indian Birds

Upper parts glossy steel blue, except for the
sides of the head and the lower back; which are
chestnut red. Lower plumage pale reddish
yellow.

Not found in Madras, Eastern Bengal, or
Burma. Nest of usual swallow type ; eggs
white.

Key to the Common Swallows

A. — Tail short.

a. Under parts light — Cotile sinensis.

b. Under parts dark — Ptyonofrogne con-
color.

B. — Tail long and forked.

a. Chestnut red on forehead, chin, and
throat — Hirundo rustic a.

b. Head only chestnut, under parts white,
outer tail feathers very long and wire-
like — H. smithii.

c. Chestnut on lower back — H. ery-
thropygia.

The Wagtails, 91-94

This family includes the wagtails and pipits.
These are slenderly built birds, whose line of
flight is an undulating curve. They feed on
144

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

the ground, sometimes making little sallies into
the air after their quarry, and run with great
speed. They never hop. They constantly
" wag the tail," hence their popular name.
The wagtails are distinguished from the pipits
by their brighter colouring and longer tails.
Pipits are earth-coloured birds with dark stripes
along the vein of each feather.

All the wagtails except M. maderasfatensis
are merely winter visitors to the plains of
India.

91. Motacilla alba: The White Wagtail.
(F.826), (J.591), (-11.)

General colour of plumage grey. Face, chin,
and throat white, back of head and nape
black ; a black patch on the breast, the re-
mainder of the lower plumage is white. The
wings are black with much white in them.
The middle tail feathers are black, the outer
ones white. [In all wagtails the outer tail
feathers are white, and show up very distinctly
during flight.]

Not found in S. India. (Illus. B. B., p. 1 1 1 .)

92. Motacilla maderaspatensis : The Large
Pied Wagtail. (F. 831), (J. 589), (II.) _

A black bird with a conspicuous white eye-
brow. The breast and lower plumage are
K 145

Indian Birds

white. There is a broad white bar in the wing.
The outer tail feathers are white.

The only bird with which this wagtail can
possibly be confounded is the cock magpie-
robin, or Dhayal (68) (q.v.), but the two are
easily distinguishable by —

(i) The magpie-robin lacks the white eye-
brows.

(2) The magpie-robin carries his tail erect ;
the wagtail never erects its tail.

Not found in Eastern Bengal, Assam, or
Burma. A permanent resident. Nests in a
hole in an old boat, a roof, a bridge, etc. The
eggs are greenish white, blotched with brown.

This wagtail is a fine songster, and may
sometimes be seen sitting on a telegraph wire
pouring forth its melody. (Illus. B. D., p. 14.)

93. Motacilla melanofe : The Grey Wag-
tail. (F.832), (J. S92)>(-n.)

This bird is misnamed. It has a large amount
of yellow in its plumage. For this reason
Jerdon calls it the grey and yellow wagtail.

The upper parts are bluish grey, marked
with yellowish green on the lower back.
Throat white, lower plumage bright yellow,
wings brown, middle tail feathers black, outer
ones white.

146

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

94. Motacilla borealis : The Grey-headed
Wagtail. (F.833),(J. 593)>(-n.)

This species is so like M. melanope (No. 93)
that it is not easy to differentiate between
them. It is, however, generally possible to
distinguish them by the fact that in this specie?
the chin is yellow, and the breast is sometimei
mottled with black.

The Pipits^ 95 and 96

95. Anthus maculatus : The Indian Tree-
Pipit. (F. 841), (J. 596), (I.)

A dull-coloured bird like a wagtail in shape,
but with a shorter tail, which it sometimes
wags in a half-hearted manner.

The upper parts are earthy brown with dark
streaks. The lower parts are creamy white
with black streaks. There is a little white
in the tail, visible only during flight. It feeds
on the ground, but takes refuge in a tree when
disturbed. It frequently goes about in flocks.
There is nothing striking in its appearance or
habits, and so it is not easy to describe satis-
factorily.

A winter visitor. Not found in Madras.
(Illus. B. B., p. III).

147

Indian Birds

96. Anthus rufulus : The Indian Pipit, or
the Indian Tit-Lark. (F. 847), (J. 600), (I.)

This is scarcely distinguishable from the last
species (95). It has a somewhat longer bill and
longer legs. The claw of its hind toe is much
longer than that of J. maculatus, but this
cannot be seen unless the bird be held in the
hand. This species is found all over India.
Thus in N. India in winter a bird answering to
this description may be either species, and it
is only safe to set it down as a " pipit."

' The Larks, 97-103

Larks are so like pipits that it is not easy to
distinguish between them without capturing
them. (Illus. F. II., p. 315.)

97. Alauda gulgula : The Indian Skylark.
(F. 861), (J. 76JI (+1.)

This is very like the above two pipits in
appearance, but there is a good deal more
white in the tail. Except for its somewhat
smaller size it is indistinguishable from the
English skylark, and all books on Indian ornith-
ology state that this bird soars up into the
heavens and pours forth its song just as the
lark does in England. I must confess that this
is not my experience. I have never seen this
148

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

species soar in the middle of the day, or at any
time save the very early morning.

This is a permanent resident and builds a nest
on the ground like that of the common skylark.

98. Alaudula raytal : The Ganges Sand-
lark. {F. 866), (J. 762), (-1.)

This is distinguishable from the skylark by
its smaller size and its white under plumage.

It is a permanent resident, but is confined
to the sandy beds of the rivers of N. India. It
runs about near the edge of the v^ater.

The Bush Larks, 99 and 100
These are distinguished by having no white
in the tail. They frequently perch in bushes
or low trees, whence they sometimes take
short flights in the air.

99. Mirafra ass arnica : The Bengal Bush-
lark.* (F. 870), (J. 754), (I.)

Found in U. P., Bengal, and Assam.

100. Mirafra affiriis : The Madras Bush-
lark. (F. 872), (J. 755), (I.)

Found in S. India. It is common in Guindy
Park.

* The common Bush Lark of the U.P. is not the Bengal
but the Red-winged Bush Lark (^Mirafra erphrcpterd)
(F. 871) (J. 756) (- I). This is smaller than the Bengal
species and the brown of its upper plumags is tinged with red.

149

Indian Birds

The Crested Larks, 1 01-103

These are readily distinguished by the sharp-
pointed crest which projects backwards and
upwards from the back of the head. They
sing well and have habits very similar to those
of the skylark. No white in the tail.

loi. Galerita cristata : The Crested Lark.

(F. 874), a- 769), (+!•)

Punjab and U. P., where it is abundant. Very
common at Lahore.

102. Galerita deva : Sykes's Crested Lark.
(F. 875), Q.76S), (I.).

U. p., Rajputana, and C. L

103. Galerita malabarica : The Malabar
Crested Lark. (F. 876), (J. 768), ( + L)

Bombay and Travancore.

l^he Finch-Larks, 104 and 105

These are easily recognised by their curious
habit of flying some twenty or thirty feet into
the air, then closing their wings and dropping
to the ground. As they descend they utter a
curious note. They are dumpy little birds
and do not look as large as their measurements.

104. Ammomanes fhcenicura : The Ru-
fous-tailed Finch-Lark. (F. 877), (J. 758), (L)

150

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

A dark brown bird, with dark red on the
lower back and tail.

It is found chiefly in Central India in Bom-
bay. In Sind and the Punjab it is replaced by
A. phcenicuroides (the Desert Finch-Lark).
Not found in Madras.

105. Pyrrhulauda grisea : The Ashy-crowned
Finch-Lark. (F. 879), (J. 760), ( - I.)

This is the common Finch-Lark of India,
being a permanent resident everywhere, except
the N.W. F. P., Eastern Bengal, Assam, and
Burma.

Cock : Upper parts dark ashy grey. Streak
through the eye and all the lower plumage
black, cheeks and sides of breast white, so that,
as Eha points out, the black on the throat takes
the form of a cross. [This very unusual colour-
ing, i.e. darker below than above, renders the
cock easy to identify.]

Hen : The parts that are black in the cock
are reddish brown. (Illus. B. B., p. 142.)

^he Sunbirds, or Honey suckers, 106-108
These charming little birds are easy to
identify. They are the Old World counter-
parts of the humming birds of the New World.
The hens are inconspicuous little brown birds
151

Indian Birds

with yellow under parts, but the cocks wear a
gay livery. They build large hanging nests,
composed of dried grass, leaves, etc., held
together by cobweb, so that they look, from a
little distance, like hanging masses of rubbish.
Close inspection shows that the nest is pear-
shaped, with a circular entrance at one side
and a little porch over the entrance. The
nests are found in gardens, being sometimes
suspended from the roof of the verandah.

These birds feed largely on the nectar of
flowers, which they abstract by means of their
long tubular tongues. In order to obtain the
honey they frequently hover on rapidly-vibrat-
ing wings, like humming birds.

1 06. Arachnechthra lotenia : Loten's Sun-
bird. (F.894),(J.23S),(-I.)

Cock : The whole plumage is dark metallic
purple, looking black in some lights, but in the
sun's rays it displays a green or lilac sheen. The
beak is long and curved.

Hen : Upper plumage earthy brown, lower
plumage very pale yellow.

Found only in S. India. Very common in
Madras. (Illus. B. P., pp. 78, 82, and 90.)

107. Arachnechthra asiatica : The Purple

Sunbird. (F. 895), a-234)>(-I-)
152

Descriptive List of the Cominon Birds

Cock : Very like A. lotenia, but this species
is smaller and its curved beak is shorter. It is a
very fine songster, its voice being as sweet as
that of the canary or the pied wagtail.

Hen : Upper plumage earthy brown, lower
plumage yellow.

Found all over India, but is only a summer
visitor to the Punjab and N.W. F. P. (Illus.
I. F., frontispiece.)

1 08. Arachnechthra zeylonica : The Purple-
rumpcd Sunbird (F. 901), (J. 232), (- I.)

Cock : From a little distance the cock looks
like a black-and-white bird, the upper parts
and breast appear black, and the lower parts
white. Closer inspection, however, reveals a
livery of many colours, each of which has a
beautiful sheen. There is a patch on the
crown which appears metallic lilac in some
lights and emerald green in others. The neck
and upper back are dull crimson, the lower
back, chin, and throat are brilliant metallic
purple. The tail and wing feathers are dark
brown. There is a maroon collar below the
throat. The lower plumage is bright yellow.

Hen : Upper plumage earthy brown, lower
parts yellow.

Found in all parts of India except N.W. F. P.,
153

Indian Birds

Punjab, U.P., Behar, Assam, and Burma. Very
common in S. India. (Illus. B. P., p. 80 ; also
B. B., p. 62, and G. B., p. 40, and I. F., p. 128).

The Pittas, 109

Pittas are unique birds. They are about the
size of a quail and are characterised by their
short tails and legs and their many-coloured
plumage. They feed upon the ground, but
when alarmed they take refuge in bushes.
They are never seen far from cover. They
have a cheery whistling song.

109. Pitta brachyura : The Indian Pitta.

(F. 933), (J; 345)> (H.) _

The natives call this species the Naurang
(nine colours) on account of its many colours.

The crown is yellow tinged with orange and
divided in the middle by a broad black band
running from the beak to the nape of the neck,
where it meets a broader black band that
passes below the eye. The eyebrow is white.
The back and shoulders are dull bluish green.
There is a patch of pale blue feathers over the
tail and a patch of the same colour on the wing.
The feathers of the wing and tail are black
tipped with blue. There is a white bar in the
154

Descriptive Lid of the Common Birds

wing visible only during flight. Chin and
throat are white, breast orange-yellow. There
is a large crimson patch under the tail.

Not found in N.W. F. P., Punjab, Eastern
Bengal, Assam, or Burma. It is nowhere
abundant, but fairly common in Madras.
(Illus. B. D., p. io8 ; also I. F., p. 256.)

The Woodpeckers, no and in

A general description of the woodpeckers is
scarcely necessary. They feed exclusively on
insects, which they pick off the trunks of trees,
tapping the same with their chisel-like beak to
drive their quarry from its lair. They are
very skilled climbers, moving up and down the
tree trunk in a series of jerks ; the head is al-
ways pointing upwards. Their powers of
flight are not great, they progress through the
air in a series of undulations, uttering their
peculiar harsh cries. They excavate their
nests in the trunks of trees. A great many
woodpeckers exist in India, but only two
species are widely distributed.

no. Liopicus mahrattensis : The Yellow-
fronted Pied Woodpecker. (F. 972), (J. 160),

(-11.)

155

Indian Birds

A spotted black-and-white bird, with a
yellow patch on the forehead. The cock has in
addition a short red crest. There is also a
patch of red on the abdomen.

Not found in Eastern Bengal and Assam.

111. Brachyfternus aurantius : The Golden-
backed Woodpecker. (F. 986), (J. 180), ( + III.)

Bright crimson crest. Top of head black.
Sides of head white, with a number of black
lines and streaks. Upper back golden yellow.
Lower back and tail black. Wings black and
golden yellow, with some white spots. It has
a loud screaming call, which it constantly
utters.

Not found in Assam. Common in all other
parts of India. (lUus. F. III., p. 14; also B. C,

p. 65.)

112. lynx torquilla : The Common Wry-
neck. (F. 1003), J. 188), ( + 1.)

An inconspicuous grey - brownish bird,
streaked, speckled, and mottled all over its
plumage. In some respects its habits are those
of the woodpecker, but it rarely if ever climbs
high up a tree, it is usually seen picking insects
off a tree stump or a mound. It has a peculiar
]iiabit of twisting its head round, hence its
name.

156

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

It is a winter visitor to the plains of India,
but can scarcely be called a common bird.

The Barbets, 113 and 114

Barbets are tree-haunting birds with thick
bills. They have loud monotonous calls of
two or three notes, which they repeat eternally.
They nest in holes in trees, which they ex-
cavate with their thick stout bills, in wood-
pecker fashion. The entrance to the nest is
a perfectly circular hole, like that leading to a
woodpecker's nest, but considerably smaller.
Barbets, when calling, move the head, so that
it is not easy to locate the bird from its call.

113. Thereiceryx zeylonicus : The Common
Green Barbet. (F. 1008), (J. 193), (III.)

A rich leaf -green bird, with a brownish head
and a large brown patch round the eye devoid
of feathers.

During the latter part of the cold weather
and the early part of the hot weather it makes
the hagh where it occurs resound with its loud,
penetrating, monotonous kutur, kutur, kutur.
The bird starts by uttering a harsh laugh —
tur-r-r-r — this is followed by a long succession
of kutur s.

^^7

Indian Birds

Not found in Punjab, Sind, Rajputana, Lower
Bengal, or the East Coast of the Madras
presidency.

114. Xantholcema hcematocefhala : The Crim-
son-breasted Barbet, or Coppersmith. (F.

1019), (J. 197), (+1.)

An olive-green bird with very gaudy colour-
ing on the head. I quote the following de-
scription from Bombay Ducks : The bird
" always puts me in mind of a woman who
' makes up ' very carelessly, who is not only
exceedingly lavish of the paint, but does not
understand how to shade it off gradually. The
general colour of the bird's plumage is greenish,
but on close inspection many greyish white
feathers are seen to be mingled with the green
ones. There is a daub of crimson on the
forehead and another on the throat. The
sides of the face are pale yellow. The legs are
coral red. The build of the bird is exceedingly
coarse."

But the coppersmith is a bird that is usually
heard rather than seen. Its monotonous
metallic tonk, tonk, tonk, like the tapping of
a hammer on metal, is one of the most familiar
sounds of the Indian country-side. This cry is
heard only in the hot weather, and the warmer
158

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

the day the more vigorously does the bird call.
(Illus. B. D., p. 246; also B. B., p. 57.)

115. Coracias indie a : The Indian Roller,
or '' Blue Jay." (F. 1022), (J. 123), ( + III.)

This is a most familiar bird. Its head and
neck, throat and shoulders, are the colour of a
faded port-wine stain. Its wings and tail are
composed of alternate broad bands of light and
dark blue. These organs are not very much
en evidence when the bird is perched ; but
flight transforms it ; as it flaps heavily along
it is a study in Oxford and Cambridge blue.

It is found in most parts of India, but not
in the island of Bombay.

It nests at the beginning of the hot weather
in a hole in a building or a decayed tree. At
the breeding season it is very noisy, uttering
strange hoarse cries as it performs weird antics
in the air, or, sitting on a perch, it every now
and again utters a loud tshock, accompanied
by a vibration of the tail.

In Burma this species is replaced by an allied
one — Coracias affinis — the Burmese Roller.
(Illus. B. D., p. 112; also B. P., p. 12, and
B. C. cover.)

159

Indian Birds

7 he Bee-eaters, ii6 and 117

Bee-eaters are brightly coloured birds o£
elegant form. They are characterised by
having the median pair of tail feathers pro-
longed a couple of inches beyond the others
as bristles. The feeding habits of these birds
are like those of flycatchers. They make from
some perch little sallies in the air after insects.
The wings when spread are triangular in shape.
They excavate their nests in sandbanks.

116. Merofs viriclis : The Common Indian
Bee-eater. (F. 1026), (J. 117), (I, but with
rather a long tail.)

An emerald-green bird with a turquoise
throat, black necklace, and a black band through
the eye. The wings are shot with bronze, so
that, as the bird sails along on outstretched
pinions, it looks now green, now bronze, as
the rays of the sun are reflected at different
angles. There is some black in the tail, and
the two median tail feathers project as bristles
a couple of inches beyond the other tail
feathers. The eye is bright red.

Found all over India, but undergoes a con-
siderable amount of local migration. It is a
summer visitor to the Punjab and N.W. F. P.,
1 60

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

and is said to leave the island of Bombay in
the hot weather. (Illus. B. D., p. 82 ; also
B. B., p. 42, and G. B., p. 64.)

117. Merops philippifius : The Blue-tailed
Bee-eater. (F. 1027), (J. 118), (II, but with
rather a long tail.)

General hue green, shot with bronze ; the
tail is bluish. There is a broad black streak
running through the eye. The chin is a dirty
cream colour. The throat is chestnut-red.
The eye is bright red.

This species is a larger and less beautiful
edition of No. 116. Like the latter it under-
goes partial migration, being a summer visitor
to N. India and a winter visitor to S. India.
One sees large numbers of these birds when
out snipe shooting in Madras. They perch on
the bafids between the flooded fields and make
sallies into the air after insects. The note is
a feeble but mellow whistle.

The Kingfishers, 11 8-1 20

These form a very weU-marked group of
piscatorial birds, characterised bv long bills
and short tails. They nest in holes in river
banks.

L 161

Indian Birds

1 1 8. Ceryle varia : The Indian Pied King-
fisher. (F. 1033), (J. 136), (III.)

This bird must be famihar to every Anglo-
Indian, it is the '^ Pied Fish-tiger " of Sir
Edwin Arnold. It is speckled black and white
like a Hamburgh fowl. It seeks its quarry by
hanging in the air on rapidly vibrating wings
high above the water. Suddenly its pinions
cease quivering, and it drops like a stone into
the water. Sometimes it checks its fall before
reaching the water, and flies to another part of
the ]hil^ where it again hovers.

It is impossible to mistake this bird; there
is no other like it save its larger Himalayan
brother (C. lugubris). It has a small crest.
(Illus. B. D., p. 66 ; also I. F., p. 162.)

119. Alcedo ispida : The Common King-
fisher. (F. 1035), (J. 134), (II, but with a
very short tail.)

This bird, which is to be found in all parts
of India where there is a river, a tank, or a
pool of water, is the kingfisher with which we
are familiar in England.

Its head and nape are blue with faint black

cross bars. The back is bright pale blue ; the

tail is dark blue ; the wings greenish blue.

The sides of the head are studies in red, blue,

162

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

black, and white. The chin is whitish or
cream-coloured, and the lower parts are rusty
red. The bill is black ; the feet are coral-red.

Its habit is to perch on a bough overhanging
the water, or on the river bank itself, and
thence to dive obliquely into the water after
its quarry. Its flight is low, straight, and very
rapid ; when in motion it continually utters
a peculiar whistling scream. Its neck is very
short, and as it sits waiting for its quarry it
keeps raising and lowering its head in the most
comical manner. (Illus. B. D., p. 102; also
B. P., p. 144.)

120. Halcyon smyrnensis : The White -
breasted Kingfisher. (F. 1044), (J. 129), (III.)

This beautiful bird must be familiar to
every Anglo-Indian.

The head and nape are rich chocolate brown,
as is the abdomen. The back, tail, and wings
are bright blue. During flight the wings dis-
play a very conspicuous white band. The
chin, throat, and breast are white. The bill
is dark red, and the feet bright red. It is
impossible to mistake this bird ; a rapidly
flying, bright blue bird, with white wing bars,
which emits a loud scream, is without doubt
this species.

163

Indian Birds

It is often found far from water, since it
feeds largely on insects, which it picks off the
ground in much the same way as the roller or
so-called blue jay does.

The above three kingfishers are among the
commonest birds of India. There are several
other species of more restricted distribution ;
but as these are only common locally, I have
not included them in this work. The reader
should experience no difficulty in identifying
them with the aid of the descriptions in the
Fauna of British India. (Illus. B. D., p. 104 ;
also B. P., p. 4.)

^he Hornbills, 121 and 122

These include some of the strangest forms in
nature. They are often erroneously called
Toucans by Anglo-Indians. Toucans do not
occur in India. Hornbills are characterised
by the enormous development of the bill. I
have elsewhere described the largest of the
hornbills as follows : Dichoceros bicornis is
" nearly 4-J- feet in length. The body is only
14 inches long, being an insignificant part
of the bird, a mere connecting link between
the massive beak and the great loosely inserted
164

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

tail. The beak is nearly a foot in length, and
is rendered more conspicuous than it would
otherwise be by a structure known as a casque.
This is a horny excrescence nearly as large
as the bill, which causes the bird to look as
though it were wearing a hat, which it had
placed for a joke on its beak rather than its
head. The eye is red, and the upper lid is
fringed with eyelashes which add still further
to the oddity of the bird's appearance."

The nesting habits of these birds are curious.
They nestle in holes in trees. When the eggs
are laid the hen goes into the hole, the en-
trance to which is plastered up by the cock
and hen until the orifice is only just large
enough to allow of the insertion of the beak.
Thus the hen remains a voluntary prisoner
until the young are ready to leave the nest, the
cock bringing food to her.

The great majority of hornbills are confined
to the large forests, and so cannot be called
common birds. Two of the smaller species,
however, are more widely distributed. (Illus.
F. III., p. 140.)

121. Lophoceros birostris : The Common
Grey Hornbill. (F. 1062), (J. 144), (IV, but
with the tail a foot long.)
165

Indian Birds

A large brownish-grey bird, darkest on the
sides of the head and palest on the lower parts.
The bill, which has a small casque or ex-
crescence on top, is blackish and 4 inches long.
It is a tree-haunting species. Its cry is very
characteristic. Its flight is laboured, consisting
of " alternate flappings and sailings," like that
of the tree-pie.

This species is common in Oudh. Blanford
states that it is wanting in the Punjab. This is
not correct, as I have seen it in Lahore. I have
not observed it in the vicinity of Madras.
Eha does not mention it in his common
Birds of Bo?fibay, nor does it appear to be found
in the neighbourhood of Calcutta.

122. Lophoceros griseus : The Malabar Grey
Hornbill. (F. 1063), (J. 145), (IV, but with
tail 9 inches long.)

This is very like 121, but it lacks the casque.
It is the common hornbill of the West Coast.

7 he Hoopoes, 123

Hoopoes are ground-feeding birds, charac-
terised by their long slightly curved bill and
conspicuous crest, which ordinarily projects
from the back of the head and looks like a
166

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

backward continuation of the beak. When the
bird is disturbed and when it flies the crest is
expanded hke a fan. Ahnost every lawn in
India forms the feeding-ground for at least
one pair of hoopoes. Hoopoes nest in holes
in trees or in the walls of buildings.

123. Upupa indica : The Indian Hoopoe.

(F. 1067), (J- 255), (in.)

Head and body fawn-coloured. Wings and
tail white with very broad black bars. The
beak is 2i inches long, and the legs are very
short. The feathers of the crest have black
tips. The note is a soft uk — uk — uk, rapidly
repeated. (lUus. B. D., p. 140.)

The Swifts, 124 and 125

These birds are frequently confounded with
swallows (q.v.). Many species visit India, but
only two are really common birds.

124. Cypselus affinis : The Common Indian
Swift. (F. 1073), (J. 100), (- 1.)

A blackish bird, with a white bar across the
back, which flies with great velocity ; the
wings form the arc of a circle as it dashes
through the air. It never perches. When it
wishes to rest it repairs to its nest, which is
167

Indian Birds

a saucer-shaped structure made of mud, bits
of straw, feathers, etc., usually fixed on to a
wall under an eave, sometimes in a deserted
temple or mosque. (lUus. B. B., p. 35.)

125. Tachornishatassiensis : The Palm-swift
(F. 1075), J. 102), (- I.)

A brownish-black bird. Its habits are like
those of No. 124, except that its flight is less
swift and it is rarely found away from palm
trees. It attaches its nest to the under side
of a palm leaf, or a betel-nut leaf.

The Nightjars, 126 and 127
These birds are very nocturnal in their
habits, so, like the heroine of The Diary of a
Bad Girl, they are heard and not seen.

They are characterised by the large mouth,
which enables them to secure their insect
quarry while they are on the wing. They
usually lie up during the day on the ground in
some secluded spot.

126. Caprimulgus asiaticus : The Common
Indian Nightjar, or Goatsucker. (F. 1091),

(J. 112), (+11.)

Upper parts greyish brown, lower parts
reddish brown, every feather being marked by
a number of narrow blackish cross bars.
168

Descriptive List of the Cominon Birds

The voice of this bird must be famihar to
many residents in India, it sounds like a stone
skimming over ice, and hence is known as the
ice-bird.

127. Caprimulgus macrurus : Horsfield's
Nightjar. (F. 1093), (J. no), (+I.II.)

A large edition of No. 126. Its chuk^ chuk^
chuk is not unlike the sound made by tapping
a plank with a hammer.

7 he Cuckoos^ 1 28-1 3 1

This large family falls into two classes — the
parasitic and the non-parasitic — both classes
being represented in India.

The European cuckoo is very abundant in
the Himalayas, but is rarely seen or heard in
the plains.

128. Hierococcyx varius : The Common
Hawk-Cuckoo — the Brain-fever bird of Anglo-
Indians. (F. 1 109), (J. 205), (—III, but with
a tail 6 inches long.)

Every Anglo-Indian is familiar with the
crescendo shriek — brain-fever, brain- fever, brain
FEVER — of this bird, which is reiterated with
such " damnable persistency " at the begin-
ning of the hot weather. This bird is exceed-
ingly common in the United Provinces. It is
less abundant in other parts of India. It does
169

Indian Birds

not appear to occur west of Umballa ; I never
heard it in Madras, and it does not seem to occur
in the island of Bombay. It is impossible to
miss it where it does occur. There is no mis-
taking its note. It is a greyish-brown bird
with whitish under parts, each feather having
darker cross bars. The bird is very hawk-like
in appearance, hence its name.

It is parasitic on " The Seven Sisters " and
other kinds of babblers. (Illus. B. C, p. 95.)

129. Coccystes jacohinus : The Pied-crested
Cuckoo. Known to Europeans in Upper India
as the Rainy- weather Bird. (F. 11 18), (J. 212),
^^+11, but with a tail over 6 inches long.)

Upper plumage glossy black, with a broad
white wing-bar, and white tips to the tail
feathers. The chin, throat, and under parts
are white. A conspicuous black crest.

This species is very common " on the Bom-
bay side." Numbers visit Northern India in
the rains, and announce their presence by loud
high-pitched cries.

It is parasitic on various species of babblers.
(Illus. B. B., p. 53.)

130. Eudynamis honor ata : The Indian Koel,
sometimes wrongly called (e.g. in The Common
Birds of Bombay) the Brain- fever Bird. (F.

170

Descrvptim List of the Common Birds

1 120), (J. 214), (III, but with a tail 8 inches
long.)

Cock : A glossy black bird with a green bill
and crimson eye. As he flies he looks like a
slenderly built crow with an unusually long tail.

Hen : A brown bird, spotted and barred all
over with white. Bill and eye as in cock. This
is an exceedingly noisy bird, and is most vocifer-
ous at dawn. It has three distinct calls. The
commonest is a crescendo : ku-il, ku-il, ku-il,
whence its name. Another call is ku-y-o. The
third is a torrent of kekaree, kekarees. (Illus.
B. D., pp. 218 and 220 ; also B. C, p. 92.)

It is parasitic on crows.

131. Centropus suiensis : The Common Cou-
cal, or Crow-Pheasant. (F. 1130), (J. 217),
(—IV, but with a tail 10 inches long.)

A great black fowl with chestnut-red wings.
It feeds largely on the ground, and its long
tail sometimes causes the " griff " to mistake
it for a pheasant.

Its call, which is heard at all times of the
day, but more especially at dawn, is a low,
loud, sonorous zvhoot, zvhoot, zuhoot, the kind of
call that one associates with an owl.

It is not parasitic, but builds a large domed
nest in the innermost recesses of a dense
171

Indian Birds

thicket. (Illus. I. F., p. 80. [Illustration not
a good one.])

131a. Taccocua leschenaulti : The Sirkeer
Cuckoo. (F. 1 1 29), (J. 222), (IV).

This bird, although nowhere abundant, is
widely distributed. It has the appearance of
a large long-tailed babbler, and when it runs
along the ground it looks like a mongoose. It
is an earthy brown bird. The outer tail feathers
are black with white tips. The bill is cherry-
red ; this, perhaps, is the reason why Indians
call the bird Jafigli tota. Like the crow-
pheasant it builds a nest.

7he Green Parrots, 132-134

Every dweller in India must be familiar with
these noisy birds, both in the captive and the
wild state. They go about in small flocks,
looking like " live emeralds in the sun," and
uttering loud screams and harsh cries. During
flight they turn from side to side " like badly
balanced arrows." They nestle in holes in
trees or buildings.

Three species are to be numbered among the
common birds of India.

132. Palceornis nefalefisis : The Alexandrine
or Large Indian Paroquet. (F. 11 35), (J. 147),
( + III, but with a tail over a foot long.)
172

Descriptive List of the Com7non Birds

A beautiful grass-green bird, with some blue
in the tail and a red patch on each shoulder.
The cock has a rose-coloured collar round the
back of his neck, which is connected with the
bill on each side by a black stripe.

Found in N. and C. India. Very common
in the Punjab.

133. PaliBornis torquatus : The Rose-ringed
Paroquet. (F. 11 38), (J. 148), (-III, but with
a tail 10 inches long.)

A small edition of No. 132, but lacks the
red patch on the shoulders.

The commonest of the green parrots, and
found all over the plains of India. (lUus. B. P.,
p. 18 ; also I. F., p. 220.)

1 34. Palceornis cyanocephalus : The Western
Blossom-headed Paroquet. (F. 11 39), (J. 149),
(II, but with a tail over 8 inches long.)

Cock : General colour bright grass-green.
The head is red, tinged with blue, as Blanford
says, like the bloom on a plum. There is a red
patch on the shoulders, as in the case of No.
132. The median tail feathers are pale blue.

Hen : Differs from the cock in that the head
is duller, being of a grey rather than a red hue.

Not found in N.W. F. P. or the Punjab.
Commoner in South than in North India.
173

Indian Birds

The Owls, 135-139

Owls form a well-marked natural order It
is easy enough to recognise an owl when one
sees one, but not easy to say to what species
it belongs^ because all owls bear a strong re-
semblance to one another — all are of much
the same colour — reddish brown with darker
bars or drops. Moreover, they are all crea-
tures of the night, so, save with one exception,
are not much en evidence in the daytime. This
exception is that little clown, the spotted owlet.

135. Athene hrama : The Spotted Owlet.

(F. 1 1 80), 0-76), (II-)

A small owl ; upper plumage earthy brown
or grey in colour, copiously spotted and barred
with white. Lower plumage white with dark
brown spots and cross bars.

It comes out long before sunset and pours
forth a volley of chuckles and squeaks ; two
of these individuals often shouting at once.
When it catches sight of a human being it
stares at him with its bright golden orbs and,
as Eha observes, bows with sarcastic effect.
No one who has dwelt any length of time in
India can fail to have remarked this very noisy
little owl. It nests in holes of trees or in the
174

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

walls of bungalows. This is the only owl which
can be classed as a familiar bird. Three other
species, however, are often seen, namely
(Illus. B. D., p. 256 ; also B. P., p. 94, and
B. B., p. 29) :

136. Strix fiammea : The Barn Owl or
Screech Owl. (F. 1152), (J. 60), (IV.)

This is a reddish-brown bird barred with
narrow white and black bars. It has a long
heart-shaped face, which is white.

It is very nocturnal in its habits ; when it
does get abroad in the daytime it is promptly
mobbed by the crows. Its cry is a weird screech,
and it is regarded by the people as a bird of
evil omen.

137. Asio accipitrinus : The Short-eared
Owl. (F. iiS7),a.68), (+IV.)

A large buif bird barred all over with dark
brown. It lies up during the day in grass, and
is often flushed by sportsmen. Sometimes
three or four are flushed together. It is a
winter visitor to India.

138. Scops giu : The Scops Owl. (F. 1173),

a-74), (-n.)

This may be distinguished from the spotted
owlet by the fact that it possesses " horns "
or ear-tufts. Like most other owls it is heard
175

Indian Birds

more often than seen. Its note, which must
be famiHar to all who have camped in India, is
a single hoot, which is repeated monotonously
at regular intervals of about ten seconds.

139. Glaucidium radiatum : The Jungle
Owlet. (F. 1184), (J-78)>(-n.)

This owl is very like 135 in appearance, and
has a peculiar protracted call which must be
famiHar to those who have camped in the U. P.

It does not appear to occur in the N.W.
F. P., the Punjab, the Deccan, or Bombay.

140. Pandion haliae'tus : The Osprey. (F.
1189), (J.4o),(-V.)

This looks very like a kite when seen as it
perches on a stone, but is distinguishable from
the kite by the fact that its head and neck are
white, save for a broad dark band which runs
from the eye down the side of the neck.

When seeking for food, however, nothing is
easier than to identify the osprey. Like the
pied kingfisher the great bird poises itself in
the air on quivering wings high above the
water. Suddenly its wings close and it drops
down like a faUing stone and disappears into
the water with a huge splash, to emerge a
second or two later with a fish in its talons.

In the cold weather the osprey is to be seen
176

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

in most places where there are large jhils or
backwaters.

l^he Vultures, 141-145

These are huge birds of prey which feed ex-
clusively on carrion. They are distinguished
by the fact that their head and neck are
destitute of feathers. A large bird of prey
with bare head and neck is undoubtedly a
vulture.

Vultures, as everyone knows, stay for hours
floating on outstretched wings high up in the
air, looking out for dead animals. Kites and
other birds of prey remain for long periods on
the wing ; they, too, can sail and soar, but
they do not literally hang in the air as the
vultures do. As these latter float in the air it
will be observed that their wings project
straight out at right angles to the body. The
commonest species of vulture are :

141. Otogyps calvus : The Black or Pon-
dicherry Vulture. (F. 1191), (J. 2), (+V,
nearly twice the size of the kite.)

A black bird with a red head, a white waist-
coat, and a white patch on each thigh.
Rare in the Punjab and Sind.

142. Gyp indicus : The Indian Long-billed
M 177

Indian Birds

Vulture. (F. 1194), Q. 4), (+V, over a yard
in length.)

Uniform brownish grey ; the hue varying
with individuals.

Not found in Sind.

143. Pseudogyps hengalensis : The Indian
White-backed Vulture. (F. 1196), (J. 5),
(4-V. Between 141 and 142 in size.)

This is the commonest vulture in India. It
is very dark grey, almost black. The naked
head is rather lighter than the rest of the body.
The lower back is white, and this makes the
bird easy to identify. It has some white in
the wings, and this during flight is visible as a
broad white band that runs from the body
nearly to the tip of the wing. Thus the wing
from below appears to be white with very
broad black edges. (Illus. B. B., p. 9.)

144. Neofhron ginginianus : The Smaller
White Scavenger Vulture. (F. 1 197), (J. 6), (V.)

This familiar creature I have named " The
ugliest bird in the world." I reproduce the
description of the bird from Bombay Ducks :
" There is no other creature like unto it. It
is about the size of a kite. Its plumage is
dirty white, except the tips of the wings,
which are shabby black. The neck is covered
178

Descriptim List of the Common Birds

with feathers, which stick out Hke the back
hairs of a schoolboy. These are, if possible,
rather dirtier-looking than the rest of the
plumage, and frequently assume a rusty hue.
Its bill is yellow, so are its naked face and its
legs. As ' Eha ' rema^rks : ' It does not stand
upright like the true vultures, but carries its
body like a duck and steps like a recruit.' . . .
It is a good flier, and when seen on the wing
looks quite a respectable bird. The under
parts of its wings appear pure white in the
sunlight, and the black border gives them a
finish."

Young scavenger vultures are sooty brown
when they leave the nest and look like a
different species.

This creature feeds on human ordure and
haunts the neighbourhood of latrines. It is
known to Thomas Atkins as the Shawk. It is
also called Pharaoh's Chicken. (lUus. B. D.,
pp. 278 and 280.)

In the Punjab it is replaced by a species
which resembles it in all characters, differing
only in being a little larger. This species is :

145. Neophron fercnofterus : The Egyptian
Vulture, or Large White Scavenger Vulture.
(F. ii98),(J.6),(+V.)
179

Indian Birds

The Birds of Prey, 146-162

This large family is composed of birds which
bear so strong a family likeness that it is almost
impossible to describe them in such a way as
to enable the reader to identify them at sight.
As with the owls, birds of prey are easily
recognised as such, but to name any particular
species baffles even professed ornithologists.
To try to make out the raptores by their
colour is, to use the words of Eha, " at the
best a short road to despair. Naturalists learn
to recognise them as David's watchman recog-
nised the courier who brought tidings of the
victory over Absalom. ' His running is like the
running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.' Every
bird of prey has its own character, some trick
of flight, something in its figure and propor-
tions which serves to distinguish it decisively."
What precisely this something is I am not in
most cases able to state. I trust that before
long Mr. C. H. Donald, or some other Indian
falconer, will give us a little handbook on the
birds of prey of this country. For my part I
am able merely to attempt a description of two
or three of the very commonest forms.
180

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

146. Aquila vindhiana : The Indian Tawny
Eagle. (F._i203), (J. 29), (+V.)

In colouring this bird is very Hke the common
kite, but has not so long a tail ; and its legs are
feathered right down to the toe — this is the
sign-manual of all the true eagles. A bird that
looks Hke a kite with feathered legs is probably
a tawny eagle — the commonest eagle in India,
abundant everywhere save on the Malabar
coast.

147. Butastur teesa : The White-eyed Buz-
zard. (F. 1220), (J. 48), (IV.)

This bird of prey is about the size of the
common house crow. Eha writes, " A Buzzard's
idea of life is to sit upon a pole, or on top of a
small tree commanding a good expanse of grass
land, and to watch for a field mouse, or a lizard,
or even a fat grasshopper. If you see a biggish,
untidy hawk, of a sandy brown colour, more or
less dashed with whitish, spending the morning
in this way, you may put it down as Butastur
teesa r The sign-manual of this common bird
is its white eye, and if you cannot get near
enough to make this out with the aid of field
glasses, you may still identify this species by
the conspicuous white patch on the nape of
the neck.

Indian Birds

Very common in N. India ; rare in the
south.

148. Haliaetus leucoryphus : Pallas's Fishing
Eagle. (F. 1223), (J. 42), (+V ; nearly half as
big again as the kite.)

A large brown bird with whitish forehead,
chin, and throat, and a broad white band
(4 inches wide) across the tail, about three
inches from the tip. This is the sign-manual of
this species, and on this account Jerdon calls
it " The Ring-tailed Fish Eagle."

Not found in S. India.

" All the fish-eagles," writes C. H. Donald
in The Indian Field, " have loud resonant
calls, anything but melodious, and each and all
seem to love hearing their own voices. H.
leucoryfhus in the plains of the Punjab may
often be heard long before he is seen, particu-
larly when soaring, and though he himself may
only appear a wee speck in the heavens, his
call will be distinctly heard."

This bird frequents rivers and marshes, and
is an inland rather than a seashore bird.

149. Haliaetus leucogaster : The White-
bellied Sea-Eagle. (F. 1224), (J. 43), (V. ; a
little larger than the kite.)

Head, neck, lower parts, and nearly the

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

whole of the tail white ; other parts dark
grey or brown. Jerdon calls this species the
Grey-backed Sea-Eagle. This species is very
seldom seen inland, and is easily distinguished
from Nos. 148 and 150 by having the lower
parts white instead of brown.

Col. Cunningham describes this species as
" one of the most splendid of large raptorial
birds, owing to the brilliant contrast of the
snowy whiteness of the head and under surface,
with the deep ashy tints of the wings and back.
There are few more striking objects than one
of them as he sits on a bare branch overhanging
a tidal channel, glancing around with his bold
black eyes, and with all his beautiful plumage
gleaming in the bright sunlight."

This is a very noisy species, especially at the
breeding season.

150. Haliaetus albicilla : The White-tailed
Sea-Eagle. (F. 1225), (+V; half as big again
as a kite.)

A large brown bird with a white tail, of which
the middle feathers are considerably longer
than the outer ones. By this character and by
its loud cries may this bird be identified. It is
only a winter visitor to India — to the Punjab,
Sind, and the U. P.

183

Indian Birds

151. Haliastur Indus : The Brahminy Kite.
(F. 1228), (J. 55), (-V.)

Of all the birds of prey this is perhaps the
easiest to identify in its adult state. The
head, neck, breast, and upper abdomen are
white, the shaft of each white feather being
black. The remainder of the plumage is a rich
chestnut, almost maroon.

The young are very like the common kite in
appearance, but may be distinguished when on
the wing by the fact that the tail of the
Brahminy is always rounded, while that of the
kite is more or less forked.

This species is rare in the Punjab, common
everywhere else. In Madras it sometimes
swoops down and carries off a snipe that has
been shot by a sportsman. Its cry is a peculiar
squeaking wail. (lUus. B. D., p. 190.)

152. Milvus govinda : The Common Pariah
Kite. (F. 1229), (J. 56), (V.)

Description of this ubiquitous bird is un-
necessary. His long tail, slightly forked at the
tip, suffices to distinguish him at a glance from
aU other raptorial birds. (Illus. B. D., p. 182 ;
also B. P., p. 148.)

153. Circus macrurus : The Pale Harrier.

(F. 1233), a- 51), (+IV.)

184

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

154. Circus cineraceus : Montagu's Harrier.
(F. 1234), (J. 52), ( + IV.)

155. Circus cyaneus : The Hen Harrier.
(F. 1235), (J. so), (-V.)

156. Circus melanoleucus : The Pied Har-
rier. (F. 1236), (J. 53), ( + IV.)

157. Circus ^ruginosus : The Marsh Harrier.
(F. 1237), (J. 54), (-V.)

I shall not attempt to describe these birds,
as, although it may be possible to tell the male
birds apart, the hens are so alike that to distin-
guish them is no easy matter. The ordinary
man will doubtless be satisfied to call them all
harriers.

Harriers are cold-weather visitors to India.
They are striking-looking birds with long wings.
They fly low, only a few inches above the
level of the ground, ever on the look out for a
lizard, a mouse, an insect, or even a small bird.
They are larger than crows and smaller than
kites. They hunt over fields and marshes,
and are not seen in towns, but those who shoot
must be familiar with them. (lUus. B. B.,
p. 15.)

158. Astur badius : The Shikra. (F.12 44),

a. 23)>(+ni.)

This is one of the most familiar birds of prey.
185

Indian Birds

It is considerably smaller than the common
house crow. Its upper plumage is ashy grey.
The tail is of the same hue, but with broad
black cross bars. The breast is pale rust colour,
with a number of thin wavy white cross bars.
The eye is bright yellow, as is the cere or base
of the beak. It is very like the Brain-fever
Bird in appearance. It often hunts for its
quarry in the neighbourhood of trees. Its
method is to make a short quick dash. Natives
of India very frequently train this bird to hawk
quail and mynas. Its note is a sharp double
whistle.

159. Accifiter nisus : The Sparrow-Hawk.
(F. 1247), (J. 24), (+III.)

This species, which is a cold-weather visitor
to India, is very like No. 158 in habits and
appearance. It is, however, characterised by
having long legs. It is bolder and swifter in
its movements. (Illus. B. D., p. 84 ; also B. B.,
p. 21.)

160. Falco jugger : The Laggar Falcon.
(F. 1257), (J. II), ( + III.)

Several species of falcon occur in India.
This one is, I think, the commonest.

It is a brownish bird barred and spotted all
over with white. It looks like a large sparrow-
186

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

hawk with long pointed wings. But it does not
make one dash at its prey after the manner of
the sparrow-hawk ; it is a strong flier and settles
down to a long chase in the open country. Its
eyes are dark. Natives call falcons dark-eyed
hawks, and sparrow-hawks light-eyed hawks.

i6i. jEsalon chicquera : The Turumti, or
Red-headed Merlin. (F. 1264), (J. 16), ( + III.)

Head and a stripe on the cheek chestnut.
Back and tail grey barred with dark brown ;
under parts whitish with black streaks and bars.

This species lives largely on small birds and
often hunts in couples.

162. Tinnunculus alaudaris : The Kestrel ;
the English " Windhover." (F. 1265), (J. 17),
( + III.)

Head, neck, and tail grey, back and wings
brick-red. Lower parts cream-coloured spotted
with brown. The red back makes the bird
easy to identify, as does its method of hunting
its quarry. It flies over the open country,
and every now and then hovers on rapidly
vibrating wings over some spot where it thinks
it espies some lizard or other animal. If there
is an animal there it drops quietly on it, other-
wise it passes on and hovers elsewhere.

It is a winter visitor to the plains of India.
187

Indian Birds

The Green Pigeons^ 163-164

These beautiful birds are strictly arboreal.
They go about in small companies, but so
closely do they assimilate in colour to their
leafy surroundings that it is difficult to make
them out. They feed exclusively on fruit.

163. Crocopus phcenicopterus : The Bengal
Green Pigeon. (F. 1271), (J. 772), ( + 111.)

A bright yellowish-green bird. Head, lower
breast, and tail dove colour. Some lilac and a
yellow bar on the wing. Legs orange-yellow.

Found in the Eastern Punjab, U. P., and
Bengal. In the Punjab, U. P., and the whole
of the peninsula of India is found the next
species.

164. Crocopus chlorogaster : The Southern
Green Pigeon. (F. 1272), (J. 773), ( + 11.)

This is so like No. 163 that it seems scarcely
deserving of specific rank. It differs only in
having the lower breast green instead of grey.

165. Columba intermedia : The Indian Blue
Rock Pigeon. (F. 1292), (J. 788), ( + III.)

This familiar bird scarcely needs description.
It is the common Kabutar. It is a bluish-grey
bird (light slate colour) with two broad black
188

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

bars across the wing. The tip o£ the tail is
black; legs red.

Found all over India. In the Punjab this
species meets an allied form — Columha livia —
which is distinguished by the fact that its
lower back is white instead of slaty grey.

7he Doves, 166-169

Every one is well acquainted with these
familiar birds, so that a general description of
them is unnecessary. The four species most
commonly seen in India are :

166. Turtur suratensis : The Spotted Dove.
(F. 1307), (J. 795), (III.)

A reddish-grey bird. The sides of the neck
are black with a number of small white spots.
The two median pairs of tail feathers are
brown, and the others black with white tips.

Its note is a plaintive cukoo-coo-coo. Like the
other three species of dove this species is
widely distributed, but is very capricious in
its distribution.

It is very common in Calcutta, Madras,
Travancore, Tirhoot, and Lucknow, but does
not occur at Lahore, Bombay, or in the
Deccan.

J 89

Indian Birds

It is easily distinguished from the other
doves by its black tippet. (Illus. F. IV., p. i ;
also B. C., p. 123, and B. D., p. 8.)

167. 7urtur cambayensis : The Little Brown
Dove. (F. 1309), (J. 794), (-III; midway
between the bulbul and myna in size.)

This pretty little dove often nests in the
verandah, building on the rolled-up chiks.

Eha thus describes it : " Of an earthy brown
colour, passing into slaty grey on the wings and
tail, and tinged on the head, neck, and breast
with that tender tint peculiar to doves, which
the natural history books call ' vinaceous,' like
a faded claret stain on the tablecloth. On
each side of the neck there is a miniature chess-
board in red and black. The feet are red."
Its call is composed of quite a little tune — a
soft, subdued, musical cuk-cuk-coo-coo-coo.

This dove is capriciously distributed. It is
common in the Punjab, U. P., Deccan, Bom-
bay, but absent in Lower Bengal and the
Malabar coast.

168. JuTtur risorius : The Indian Ring
Dove. (F. 1310), (J. 796), (+III.)

This bird is a light French grey. It is dis-
tinguishable from Nos. 166 and 167 by its paler
hue and by the possession of a black collar with
190

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

a narrow v/hite border round the back of the
neck. Its note is a ku-ku — ku.

It is common in the Punjab, U. P., and the
Deccan. It is found in Assam and S. India on
the East, but not on the West Coast, nor in
Lower Bengal.

169. (Enofopelia tranquebarica : The Red
Turtle Dove. (F. 131 1), (J. 797), (II.)

This is the smallest of the doves, and is not
nearly so abundant as the other three species.
In the U. P. it is a permanent resident, but in
the Punjab merely a summer emigrant. It
certainly is not common in most parts of South
India. It is remarkable in that the cock and
hen differ in appearance.

The cock is a rust-coloured bird with a black
collar round the back of his neck, and reddish
wings

The hen lacks the red on the wing.

The note is harsh and sepulchral, more like a
grunt than a coo. The legs are not red as in
the other common doves.

l^he Sand Grouse

This family seems to form a connecting link

between the pigeons and the gallinaceous birds.

They ar^ characterised by having feathered

191

Indian Birds

legs. They are coloured so as to assimilate
closely to their sandy surroundings. They are
game birds. The reader is therefore referred
to Marshall and Hume's standard book,
in which there are coloured plates of the
various species. The order is treated of on pp.
53-63 of Vol. IV. of the Bird Volumes of The
Fauna of British India series. (lUus. I. G. I.,
pp. 43, 47, 53, 57, 59, 65, 69, JJ)

170. Pavo cristatus : The Common Peafowl.
(F. 1324), (J. 803), (+V, with a long train in
the cock.)

Description of this familiar bird is un-
necessary, but it and its loud call, like the miau
of a cat, are known to all men.

The Quails

These, being game birds, do not come within
the scope of the present work. The reader is
referred to Hume and Marshall and the Bird
Volumes of The Fauna of British India series
for accounts of them. Since, however, one
sometimes, in the course of a walk in the cold
weather, puts up a common quail, I will
briefly describe the bird. As you walk along
you suddenly hear a rustling noise almost at
192

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

your feet, and before you can say " Jack
Robinson " a small brown bird has arisen with
a flutter and dashed off a few inches over the
tops of the heads of corn in the adjacent field.
After a flight of twenty or thirty yards the
bird drops into the corn — that is all you are
likely to see of the quail unless you shoot it or
net it.

171. Coturnix communis: The Common or
Grey Quail. (F. 1355), (J, 829), ( + 11, but
with a very short tail.)

A brown bird much spotted and barred with
black, having some white streaks along the
length of the back. Short legs.

A winter visitor to India. (Illus. I. G. II.,
P- I33-)

The Partridges

These are game birds, and so lie outside the
scope of this book. I will, however, describe
briefly two common species, whose calls are to
be numbered among the commonest sounds
heard in the jungle.

172. Franc olinus vulgaris : The Black Part-
ridge, or Common Francolin. (F. 1372), (J.
818), ( + III.)

The cock is a handsome black bird, with
N 193

Indian Birds

everywhere narrow bars of white or grey. The
sides o£ the head are white, and there is a
broad chestnut collar all round the neck.

The hen is reddish brown in most places
where the cock is black.

Its cry is a curious harsh crow, so high-
pitched as to be inaudible to some human
beings. Indian Muhammedans declare that
the bird calls " Sub-han, teri kudrat.^^ Blanford
syllabises it as, '' Juk-juk, tee-tee-tur.^^

It is found in N. India, most abundantly in
the U. P. (Illus. I. G. II., p. 9.)

173. Francolinus pondicerianus : The Grey
Partridge. (F. 1375), (J. 822), ( + III.)

A greyish-brown bird marked all over with
thin white or buff cross bars.

The loud call of this bird must be familiar to
most Anglo-Indians. It is uttered early in
the morning and again at sunset. Blanford
describes it as " beginning with two or three
single harsh notes, and continuing with a
succession of trisyllabic, shrill, ringing cries."
Jerdon says of this species : " Its call is a
peculiar loud shrill cry, and has, not unaptly,
been compared to the word Pateela-pateela-
fateela, quickly repeated, but preceded by a
single note uttered two or three times, each
194

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

time with a higher intonation, till it gets, as it
were, the key-note of its call."

This species runs very fast, and does not, as
a rule, take to its wings unless flushed. (I. G. II.
p. 51, but plate not a good one.)

The Rails, 174-176

174. Amaurornis phoenicurus : The White-
breasted Water-hen. (F. 1401), (J. 907),

(+11-)

A dark slaty-grey bird, almost black, with a
white face, throat, and breast. The under
parts of the tail, which is carried almost erect,
are chestnut red. Wherever there is a pond
having near it some bamboos or rushes there
is one likely to see a water-hen. It is a great
skulker, and always makes for cover the
moment it thinks it is being watched. " It is,"
as Blanford remarks, " an excessively noisy
bird ; its loud, hoarse, reiterated call, pre-
dominating in the evening and morning over
the cries of the other waders and the ducks in
the village tank, must be familiar to most
people in India." (Illus. B. B., p. 173.)

175. Porphyrio poliocephalus : The Purple
Moorhen, or Purple Coot. (F. 1404), (J. 902),
(IV.)

«9S

Indian Birds

A beautiful purple-blue bird with very long
red legs. The bill is red, as is a square shield
which the bird carries on its forehead. It has
a white patch under its tail. It is impossible
to mistake this bird. There is none other like
unto it in India. One frequently comes across
it when out shooting.

176. Fulica atra : The Coot. (F. 1405),
(J. 903), (IV.)

This is the most duck-like of all the rails, and
indeed is very frequently shot and eaten as
a duck by inexperienced sportsmen. However,
its shining black plumage and its white bill
and shield on the forehead serve to differ-
entiate it from all Indian ducks. Moreover,
when disturbed on the water, it experiences
some difficulty in starting to fly. It runs along
the surface of the water for a few feet with
vigorous flappings of the wings and much
splashing before it succeeds in lifting itself out
of the water. It does not usually keep in flocks
as ducks do. It breeds in India. It does not
swim so high in the water as a duck. Its feet
are not webbed, but its toes are pinnate, i.e.
provided with flattened membranes which
assist it in swimming. Its bill is not so flat
as that of a duck.

196

Descriptivs List of the Cominon Birds

7 he Cranes, 177-179

Cranes are large, tall, long-shanked birds
which have a loud, trumpet-like call. The
three common Indian species are chiefly grey
in colour. They never perch in trees, but
rest and nest on the ground. When they fly
they carry the neck and feet stretched out
straight. When they fly in company the flight
takes a V-shaped form, like that of a flight of
geese.

177. Grus communis : The Common Crane.
(F. 1407), (J. 865), ( + V; about twice the
size of a kite.)

This bird is the cooking of sportsmen. Its
general colour is dark French grey. Its head
is almost devoid of feathers, and there is a
square, dark red patch of skin across the back
of the head. It has a broad white band
running down each side of the long neck. Its
legs are black.

It is a winter visitor to India. It is fairly
common in N. India, but rare in the south.

It is usually seen in flocks, which spend the
middle of the day on sandbanks in the middle
of rivers. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 21.)

178. Grus antigone : The Sarus. (F. 1409),

197

Indian Birds

(J- ^63)? ( + '^- This is the largest of the
Indian cranes, and stands nearly as high as a
human being.)

Its general hue is French grey. Its head is
devoid of feathers. Its throat and a ring round
the nape are black. Its head and neck are red.
Its legs are dull red.

It is the most familiar of the Indian cranes.
It is usually seen in pairs. It does not soar high
in the air, like the other two species. It is
a permanent resident, but does not appear
to occur south of the Godaveri.

It is far more confidential than the other
species of crane, and will sometimes allow a
human being to approach within thirty yards
of it. (Illus. I. G. III., p. I, but plate is not
good.)

179. Anthrofoides virgo : The Demoiselle
Crane. (F. 1411), (J. 866), (-fV. Thesmallest
of the cranes.)

This bird is sometimes wrongly called
coolung by sportsmen ; the Hindustani name
for it is Karkarra.

A Hght grey bird, with a black face and neck
and some black in the wings. Behind the eye
is a streak of white feathers which ends in a
long graceful white plume. Its note is harsher

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

and less trumpet-like than those of the other
cranes.

It is a winter visitor to India. It is very
common in the Deccan, Guzerat, and Katti-
war ; less common in other parts of N. India,
and rare in Lower Bengal and S. India. Its
habits are like those of No. 177. (Illus. F. IV.,
p. 184; also I. G. III., p. 31.)

l^he Bustards

These come within the category of " game
birds," and so none of them are treated of in
this book. (Illus. I. G. I., pp. i, 3, 7, 18.)

180. (Edicnenius scolopax : The Stone-Cur-
lew, or Stone-Plover, or Thick-knee. (F. 141 8),
(J. 859), (+IV.)

This bird is very like a bustard, and is known
to Anglo-Indian sportsmen as the Bustard-
Floricaii. It is an ashy - brown bird, each
feather having a blackish streak down the
shaft. Its wings and tail have some black and
white bars, which are conspicuous when the
bird flies. The bill, eyes, and feet are yellow.
Its wild-sounding cry, which is often heard
at night, is like that of the curlew.

It frequents dry, open, stony country.
199

Indian Birds

The J asanas ^ i8i and 182

These remarkable birds have very long toes,
which enable them to run about on the large
floating leaves of water plants.

181. Metopidius indicus: The Bronze-winged
Jagana. (F. 1428), (J. 900), (- IV.)

Head, neck, and breast a beautiful glossy
black. A conspicuous white eyebrow. There
is some black in the wings, but the general
hue of these is a metallic greenish bronze.
The lower back and tail are chestnut red.

Rare in Western India ; common in the east.

" They present," writes Cunningham, " an
odd appearance on the wing, owing to the dis-
proportionate size of their feet, which becomes
particularly conspicuous when the legs are
dropped just before the bird pitches on the
surface of the weeds and expands its toes,
which have been gathered up into a bundle
during flight."

182. Hy drop hast anus chirurgus : The Pheas-
ant-tailed Jagana. (F. 1429), (J. 901), (IV, but
with a tail a foot in length in the breeding
season.)

Winter plumage : Upper parts brown, with
a conspicuous white eyebrow and a yellow
200

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

band down each side of the neck. Wings black
and white. Lower parts white with a black
gorget across the breast. Tail feathers white,
except the two median ones, which are brown.

Breeding plumage : A long black pheasant-
like tail is assumed, and the other parts are
black, save the head, throat, and wings, which
are white, and the back of the neck, which is
golden yellow. This Jagana looks in breeding
plumage (i.e. in the summer) rather like a
silver pheasant, and, indeed, Europeans call it
the water-pheasant. It is a beautiful creature
in its summer splendour. Finn says that it is
to his mind " the most beautiful of all our
smaller aquatic birds, and hardly equalled in
this respect by any bird w^hatever."

Its peculiar wailing cry has been likened to
the mew of a kitten.

7 he Lapwings, 183 and 184

183. Sarcogrammus iiidicus : The Red-wat-
tled Lapwing. (F. 1431), (J. 855), ( + IV.)
This is the familiar " Did-you-do-it."
Head, neck, and upper breast black. There
is a broad white band running from the eye
down the whole length of the neck. The back
and wings are bronzy brown, black, and white,

Indian Birds

the white being arranged so as to form a con-
spicuous bar during flight. Lower parts are
white, as is the tail, except for a black band
which runs across it near the tip. The bill is
reddish, and there is in front of the eye a
conspicuous crimson wattle. The legs are
bright yellow.

This noisy bird is known to all residents in
India. Its noisy call, "Did he do it ? Pity to
do it," is one of the most familiar sounds of the
Indian country-side. (Illus. B. B., p. i6i.)

In Burma it is replaced by an allied species —
Sarcogrammus atrmuchalis — the Burmese Wat-
tled Lapwing.

184. Sarciophorus malaharicus : The Yellow-
wattled Lapwing. (F. 1433), (J. 856), (-IV.)

This is very like the last species, the chief
difference being that the conspicuous wattle is
yellow instead of crimson and the white line
runs round the back of the head from eye to
eye, instead of down the neck. Its cry is like
that of No. 183, but not so harsh and with a
note less.

This species is widely distributed, but not
usually so common as the last. It is said not to
occur in Upper Sind or the Western Punjab.
It certainly does not occur in the neighbour-
hood of Lahore.

Bescriptive List of the Cormnon Birds

184a. Iloplopterus ventralis : The Spur-
winged Plover. _(F. 1435), (J. 857), (IV.)

Wings and tail marked like those of the red-
wattled lapwing. The head and recumbent
crest are black. No wattle. Its call is very like
that of the yellow-wattled lapwing. This bird
is very common on the Ganges. Not found in
the Bombay Presidency, nor in Madras south
of the Godaveri.

The Plovers^ 185 and 186
The ringed plovers are small " snippets "
which haunt the seashore and the sandbanks of
rivers. They go about in small flocks. Num-
bers of them are to be seen on the muddy edges
of the Coum at Madras, but they have to be
looked for, since from a little distance they
assimilate closely to the hue of the mudbanks
on which they disport themselves. They are
not much bigger than sparrows, but are pretty
little birds. Two species are common.

185. jEgialitis alexandrina : The Kentish
Plover. (F. 1446), (J. 848), (I.)

Upper parts brown, lower parts white. The

brown of the upper parts is broken by a white

forehead, eyebrow, and collar. The under

surface of the wing is white, so that as a flock

203

Indian Birds

of this species or the next two species fly they
look now brown, now white, according as the
brown or white surface of the wing is pre-
sented to the observer.

This species is seen chiefly in winter and on
the sea-coast.

1 86. ^gialitis duhia : The Little Ringed
Plover. ^ (F. 1447), (J. 850), (I.)

This is very like No. 185 in appearance, but
may be easily distinguished from it by having
a black band across the throat. Legs yellow.

This species is not confined to the sea-coast.
Like most of its tribe it has a plaintive whistle.

187. Himantofus candidus : The Black-
winged Stilt, or Long-legs. (F. 145 1), (J. 898),
(-IV.)

Male : A white bird with glossy black back
and wings

Female : White with brown back and wings.

This species is characterised by very long
red legs. Its bill is nearly three inches long.

It is found in marshes and tanks.

188. Recurvirostra avocetta : The Avocet.
(F. 1452), (J. 899), (IV.)

This elegant bird is characterised by a very
long bill, which is curved upwards towards
the end. It is a very easy bird to identify.
204

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

Its body is about the size of that of the crow.
It is a white bird with a number of black mark-
ings. The black markings are on top of the
head, back of the neck, the shoulders, and the
wings. The beak is black and the long legs are
dark grey.

Wherever there is shallow water there may
the avocet be found wading in winter, for it
is only a winter visitor to India. It does not
appear to be very common anywhere.

7 he Curlews, 189 and 190

189. Numenius arquata : The Curlew. (F.
1454), (J. 877), (V.) _

This well-known bird is about the size of a
kite, and except for the white chin and throat
its colouring is rather like that of the kite.
But here all resemblance to the kite ceases.
The curlew is a long-shanked wading bird, with
a curved bill half a foot in length, the curve in
this case being downwards instead of upwards
as in the avocet. It has a wild, plaintive cry.

It is a winter visitor to India.

190. Numenius fhceofus : The Whimbrel.
(F. 1455), (J. 878), (+IV; about midway
between the crow and the kite.)

This is a small edition of the curlew, but
205

Indian Birds

differs from it in having a white band along the
middle of the head. Its curved bill is only a
little over three inches long. It is less abundant
than the curlew, and perhaps scarcel}- deserves
a place among the common birds of India.

191. Limosa belgica : The Black- tailed God-
wit. (F. 1456), (J._875), (-V.)_

A brown bird with white chin, throat, and
abdomen, and some white in the wings. The
base of the tail is white and the remainder
black. The bill is about four inches long, and
straight. The legs are long.

A winter visitor to India ; common in the
north and rare in the south.

Blanford states that it is often sold in the
Calcutta bazaar as woodcock, but Finn states
that this is not in accordance with his experi-
ence. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 409.)

The Sandpipers, 192-195
These birds constitute the *' snippets " of
Anglo-Indian, that is to say, birds that try to
be snipe.

These are all greenish-brown birds with

light under parts. They have fairly long bills,

but not so long as that of any of the species of

snipe. They are often seen feeding — a state-

206

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

ment which cannot be made regarding the
snipe. If you see a snipe-Hke bird feeding,
you may be perfectly sure that it is not a
snipe. It is a sandpiper of sorts, but it is not
by any means easy to say which of the many
sandpipers without shooting it. Descriptions
of the common species of sandpiper follow : —

192. Totanus hypoleucus : The Common
Sandpiper. (F. 1460), (J. 893), ( + 11, but
with a very short tail, so that it actually
measures less than a bulbul.)

It is a greenish-brown bird with white
under parts. Its legs are not long for a wader ;
its bill is about an inch long. It goes about in
ones or twos (never in flocks), picking up in-
sects on the water's edge. When disturbed it
flies away, and then its wings, which are
pointed, show a very narrow white band. By
this you may recognise the species. It flies
low, and as Eha remarks, with its wings bent
like a bow. When it settles down it wags its
apology for a tail in wagtail-like manner.
(Illus. B. B., p. 168.)

193. Totanus glareola : The Wood Sand-
piper, or Spotted Sandpiper. (F. 1461), (J.
891), ( + 11, but with a very short tail.)

The upper plumage of this is dark brown
207

Indian Birds

spotted with white. The abdomen is white, as
is also the tail.

The habits of this species are very like those
of the snipe, so that the sportsman out shoot-
ing constantly puts up the bird, but it can be
distinguished from the snipe, because instead
of emitting the sharp " fsip " of the snipe on
rising, it utters a shrill note. Moreover, it is
a much smaller bird than even the Jack-snipe.

194. Totanus ochropus : The Green Sand-
piper. (F. 1462), (J. 892), (+11, but with a
short tail.)

This bird is very like the last species, except
that it is larger and less conspicuously spotted,
and has more white in the tail. It is distin-
guishable from the snipe, alongside of which it
is often found, by its " shrill piping note,"
which it utters on the wing, and its white tail,
which is conspicuous as it flies away.

A winter visitor ; commoner in N. India
than in the south.

Among the sandpipers that visit India during
the winter in large numbers are (i) Totanus
glottis : The Greenshank. (F. 1466), (J. 894),
( — IV) and (2) Totanus calidris : The Red-
shank. (F. 1464), (J. 897), ( + III). The green-
shank may be recognised by its large size and
208

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

the redshank by the red legs, which are not so
extravagantly long as those of the stilt (187).

195. Tringa minuta : The Little Stint. (F.
1471), (J. 884), ( + 1, but with a short tail.)

Upper parts dingy brown, with white fore-
head and under parts.

" If," writes Eha, " you see a hundred dingy
little birds, about the size of sparrows, all
feeding together knee-deep in water, you may
safely put them down as stints."

A winter visitor to India ; common on the
coasts.

The Snipes

These being game birds are not dealt with
in this volume. It must suffice that all four
species — The Common, Full, or Fantail Snipe
(Gallinago ccelestis), The Pintail (G. stenura),
The Little Jack-Snipe (G. gallinula), and The
Painted Snipe (Rostratula cafensis), who is not
a true snipe, all He up closely in marshy ground
or paddy fields in the daytime, and are not
likely to be seen by the naturalist unless he is
prepared to wade and flush them.

When flushed the first three go off at a great
pace, either uttering no call or a short, sharp
" fsip.''^ The flight of the last species is com-
o 2og

Indian Birds

paratively feeble. (Illus. I. G. III., pp. 339,
359. etc.)

l^he Gulls, 196-199

Gulls are very familiar birds to every one
who has performed the journey from England
to India. The beautiful flight and the loud
screams of these kites of the sea are indelibly
impressed upon the memory of most Anglo-
Indians.

These magnificent fliers are able to keep pace
with the steamer for hours at a time without
putting forth any effort. They saunter through
the air in the wake of the ship, and when any-
thing edible is thrown overboard they drop
down and pick it off the water (they can swim
like ducks), and having devoured what there is
to be eaten, they fly on after the ship, and catch
up in a few seconds.

They are largely scavengers. At sea-coast
stations no sight is more famihar than that of
a number of crows and gulls squabbling over
the little fish, etc., that the fishermen throw
away when overhauling their nets on the sea-
shore. (Illus. B. D., p. 272 ; also B. B., p. 190.)

The four commonest gulls in India are :

196. Larus ridihundus : The Laughing Gull
(F. 1490), (J. 891), (IV.)

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

A white bird with grey shoulders and some
black in the wings. In summer the head and
neck become brown and in winter traces of
this usually remain. The bill and legs are red.

A winter visitor to India.

197. Larus brunneicephalus : The Brown-
headed Gull. (F. 1491), (J. 980), (+IV.)

This bird is very like the last at all seasons,
so that it is scarcely possible to distinguish them
on the wing.

198. Larus affinis : The Dark-backed Her-
ring-Gull. (F. 1494), (J. 978), (V.)

This bird is distinguished from Nos. 196 and
197 by the fact that its wings and shoulders are
slate-grey instead of pale grey, and its legs are
yellow. It is a much larger bird than the above
two species.

It is said to be very common at Karachi.
It is found on other parts of the West Coast,
but apparently not on the East Coast.

199. Larus cachinans : The Yellow-legged
Herring-Gull. (F. 1495), (V.)

This is very like No. 198, except that its
shoulders are of a lighter shade of grey. It has
yellow legs.

This gull is often seen on the rivers and
large jhils of Northern India in winter.
211

Indian Birds

7 he ^erns, 200-205

These beautiful birds have been aptly termed
the swallows of the sea, for like swallows they
are birds of powerful flight, and remain for long
periods on the wing. But they are not confined
to the sea. In India, wherever there are rivers,
jhils^ or ponds there are terns to be found.

Their prevaiHng colour is white, and most
of them have some black in their plumage.

To repeat what I said in Bombay Ducks : "No
one can fail to recognise a tern. If you see a
slenderly-built bird of whitish tinge, with long
swallow-like wings and forked tail, a bird which
sails along easily over water, sometimes diving
for a fish, more frequently picking something
off the surface of the water, you may set that
bird down as a tern." (Illus. B. D., p. 270.)

200. Hydrochelidon hybrida : The Whis-
kered Tern, or the Small Marsh Tern. (F.
1496), (J. 984), ( + 11.)

Winter flumage : A white bird with grey
back, wings, and tail. Some black on the nape
of the neck and a black streak behind the eye.
Bill, legs, and toes dull red.

Summer flumage : The whole of the upper
part of the head is black. The abdomen be-
212

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

comes dark grey, so that at this season the
whiskered tern is Hable to be confounded with
the black-belUed tern (204). The tail, however,
of the whiskered species is not so deeply forked.
Very common in N. India. An inland bird
found on marshes, rivers, tanks, and paddy fields.

201. Hydrofrogne caspia : The Caspian Tern.
(F. 1498), (J. 982), ( + IV.)

This is the largest of the terns. It is a white
bird save for the fact that there is a good deal
of black in the head. Its wings are pearl grey.
Its bill is bright red. Its legs are black. Its tail
is not very deeply forked. It goes about in
pairs. It is local in its distribution.

It is common at Madras, and it is said to be
particularly common in Sind. I have never
seen it in the Punjab. Eha does not mention
it as one of the birds of Bombay.

202. Sterna angelica : The Gull-billed Tern.
(F. 1499), (J. 983), ( + III, with a longish tail.)

Printer's devils are particularly spiteful to
this bird. In l^he Common Birds of Bombay
they have mutilated its name into " gull-
gilled." In Bombay Ducks it appears as the
" gull-bird tern."

It is the least beautiful of the terns, being
more heavily built than most of them.
213

Indian Birds

In winter it is a white bird with grey wings
and some black in the head. In summer its
head is jet black. The bill, legs, and feet are
black. Its tail is not very deeply forked.

It is found both inland and on the coast.

203. Sterfia seena : The Indian River Tern.
(F. 1503), (J. 985), (+III, with a long, deeply
forked tail.)

This is the common tern of N. India, and
frequents all the large rivers.

Its head and nape are deep black. The upper
plumage French grey. Lower plumage very
pale grey. Chin white, and a white patch on
each cheek. Bill bright deep yellow. Legs red.
This bird moults about Christmas time, and
for a few weeks after the moult there is much
white in the head, but this soon disappears.

204. Sterna melanogaster : The Black-bellied
Tern. (F. 1504), (J. 987), (-III, but with a
long, deeply forked tail.)

Head black (with some white after the moult
at Christmas), abdomen black. Cheek, chin-
throat, and wing lining white. Rest of plum,
age grey, paler on the tail than on the back.
Bill orange-yellow ; legs and feet dull red.

One of the commonest of the terns, especially
inland.

214

Desmjjtive List of the Common Birds

205. Sterna minuta : The Little Tern.
(F. 1510), (J.988), (-11.)

A tern not much bigger than a sparrow, with
a white forehead and black head, white cheeks
and lower parts, grey wings, dark red bill and
legs, is probably this species.

It is fairly common in N. India ; rare in the
south.

206. Rhyncho'ps alhicollis : The Indian Skim-
mer, or Scissors-bill. (F. 15 17), (J. 995),
(-IV.)

A long-winged, tern-like bird, which flies
about in little flocks a few inches above the sur-
face of the water, with white forehead, tail, and
lower parts, and a white collar round the neck ;
rest of upper plumage dark brown. Bill deep
red ; legs bright red. (Illus. F. IV., p. 296.)

^he Pelicans, 207 and 208
Description of these well-known birds is

superfluous, as every one knows what they look

like.

Four species are found in India, but they

can scarcely be described as common birds.

Two species, however, are fairly abundant on

the big jhils of Northern India.

207. Pelicanus crispus : The Dalmatian

215

Indian Birds

Pelican. (F. 1522), ( + V; a large bird as big
as a swan.)

The beak is one and a half feet in length.
A white bird with some black in the wings.
Bill dark grey.

Winter visitor to U. P. and Sind. (Illus.
F. IV., p. 331.)

208. Pelicanus fhilippensis : The Spotted-
billed or Grey Pelican. (F. 1523), (J, 1004),
( + V ; much smaller than 207.)

This may be distinguished by the curious
dark spots and markings on its pinkish yellow
bill. (Illus. B. P., frontispiece.)

The Cormorants, 209-211

These are large black birds, which live
largely on the water, and catch fish by diving.
When not fishing they have the habit of stand-
ing on top of a post with wings outspread and
then look rather like a church lectern.

Three species occur in India :

209. Phalacrocorax carbo : The Large Cor-
morant. (F. 1526), (J. 1005), ( + V.)

210. Phalacrocorax fuscicollis : The Indian
Shag. (F. 1527), (J. 1006), (+V, but smaller
than 209.)

211. Phalacrocorax javanicus : The Little
Cormorant. (F. 1528), (J. 1007), (IV.)

216

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

All three have similar habits, the last being
the only common member of the genus. No.
210 has no white throat. Nos. 209 and 211
have a white throat, but can be readily dis-
tinguished by the fact that No. 209 is one foot
longer than No. 211.

l^he Ibises^ 212-214
Ibises are birds about the size of a common
fowl, but having a long curved bill like that of
the curlew. As Finn has pointed out, " Ibises
fly like storks with the neck outstretched, but
with a quicker stroke of the wings and frequent
intervals of sailing with the pinions held level,
so that they are easily distinguished from other
waders when on the wing." They usually occur
in small flocks.

212. Ibis melanocephala : The White Ibis.

(F. 154O, (J- 941). ( + V.)

The bald head and neck are black, as are the
long bill and legs. The rest of the plumage is
white.

213. Inocotis fapllosus : The Black Ibis.
(F. 1542), (J. 942), ( + V.)

The Black Curlew, or King Curlew, or King
Ibis of Anglo-Indians.

In this species the head only, and not the
217

Indian Birds

neck as in No. 212, is devoid of feathers. The
3kin is black, but the back of the head is covered
w^ith Httle red v^arts. The plumage is glossy
black, save for a small white patch on the w^ing.
The bill, v^hich is nearly six inches long, is dull
dark green. Legs bright red.

214. Plegadis falcinellus : The Glossy Ibis.
(F. 1544), (J- 943), (+V.)

In this species only the front of the face is
devoid of feathers. A chestnut bird v^ith head,
wings, and tail dark brown with a green gloss.

215. Platalea leucorodia : The Spoonbill.
(F. 1545), (J._939), (+V.)

A large white bird with a crest in the breed-
ing season. The long bill, which is flat and
expanded at the end like a spoon, is black, as
are the long legs. It is impossible to mistake
spoonbills. There are no other birds like them.
They are found in small flocks on sandbanks,
etc., at the water's edge.

^he Storks^ 216-221

Every one is familiar with the appearance

of the common stork. The leading features of

the stork family are their large size, their long

legs, neck, and bill, and their perching habits.

218

Descriptive List of the Cominon Birds

In this last respect they differ from cranes,
which never perch in trees. During flight
their long necks are stretched out forwards, and
their long legs stretched out backwards. They
fly by a slow, steady flapping of the wings, but
often sail on outstretched wings like vultures.
Their nests are in India, huge platforms of
sticks built in trees.

216. Ciconia alba: The White Stork. (F.
1546), (J. 919). (+^ ; 3i feet long.)

A white bird with some black in the wmgs.
Bill and legs bright red.

A winter visitor, common in North India.

217. Dissura episcopus : The White-necked
Stork, or the Beefsteak Bird. (F. 1548), (J.
920), ( + V ; 3 feet long.)

A black bird, except for the neck and lower
abdomen and feathers under the tail, which
are white. Bill black ; legs dull red.

Not found in Punjab or Sind.

218. Xe7iorhynchus asiaticus : The Black-
necked Stork. Sportsmen call this bird the
Australian Stork. (F. 1549), (J. 917). (+^5 4i
feet long.)

Beak, head, neck, and shoulders black;
wings black and white. Rest of plumage
white ; legs bright red.
219

Indian Birds

219. Leptopilus dubius : The Adjutant. (F.
1550), (J- 915). ( + V ; 5 feet long.)

This huge bh*d is characterised by an enor-
mous beak, over a foot in length, and a head
devoid of feathers. From its neck hangs a
pouch. There is a ruff of white feathers round
the neck. The lower parts are white. The
wings are partly dark slaty grey and partly
French grey. The bill is dirty pink, and the
legs dirty greyish white.

Not found in S. India. (Illus. B. P., pp. 28
and 34 ; also I. F., p. 232.)

220. Pseudo tantalus leucocephalus : The
Painted Stork. The Pelican Ibis of old writers.
(F. 1552), (J. 938), (+V; 3i feet long.)

This is a stork which is trying to turn into
an ibis ; its bill, which is ten inches long,
having a marked downward curve. It is a
white bird with a black band across the breast.
The wings are mainly black, but some of the
feathers are pink with white borders.

The front of the head is devoid of feathers
and is orange-yellow, as is the bill. The legs
are brown.

Not found in the Punjab ; very common in
the Deccan. (Its head is figured in Vol. IV.,
p. 376 of F.)

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

221. Anastomus oscitans : The Open-Bill.
The Shell Ibis of the older writers. (F. 1553),
(J. 940), ( + V ; nearly 3 feet long.)

This bird is distinguished from all others by
the fact that the mandibles do not meet in the
middle ; indeed the beak looks as though it had
become distorted owing to the attempts of
the bird to crack a very hard nut ! (The head
is figured on p. 378, F. IV.) It is a greyish
white bird with black shoulders, wings, and
tail. The bill is Hght horn colour, and the
legs dirty pink.

To my mind this bird looks like a white
stork that sadly needs a wash and brush up
and its beak put straight !

Found only in N. India. Abundant in
Oudh and Bengal.

The Herons^ 222-225

Herons are wading birds with long, sharp,
stiletto-like bills and telescopic necks. It is
their habit to stand motionless in shallow
water with the head almost buried on the
shoulders. When a victim shows itself, out
shoots the neck of the fisher, and woe betide
his victim ! On the wing herons are easily
identified by their large size, the steady flap-
221

Indian Birds

ping of their wings, and the fact that they fly
with the neck drawn in and the legs projecting
behind beyond the tail. A great many species
of heron occur in India, but only four are
commonly seen by the average observer.

222. Ardea cinerea : The Common Heron.
This is the familiar heron of England. (F.
1555), (J. 923), (+V; a little over a yard
long.)

An ashy-grey bird with some white on the
head. From the back of the head some black
plumes hang. Lower parts white. Bill dark
yellow. Legs dirty green.

Usually a solitary bird.

223. Buhulcus coroniandus : The Cattle Egret.
(F. 1562), (J._929),_(+IV.)

A pure white bird with a yellow bill and
black legs. In the breeding season some yellow
plumes grow from the back of the head.

This is a sociable species. These birds fre-
quently accompany cattle, which serve as
efficient beaters. The quadrupeds put up
grasshoppers, etc., which the egrets seize. The
birds sometimes perch on the backs of cattle.

There are three larger species of egret which
are also white ; these belong to the genus
Herodias, but these are scarcely common birds.
222

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

A large white egret with the bill black is one
of these species. (Illus. B. D., p. 240.)

224. Ardeola grayi : The Pond Heron.
This is the ubiquitous Paddy Bird. (F. 1565),

(J. 930), (+IV.)

This bird, which may be seen squatting at
the margin of every tank and every village
pond, looks greenish brown— much the colour
of its muddy surroundings. But startle it and
it opens out milk-white wings on which it flies
away with steady flappings. It is impossible
to mistake a paddy bird. It sits all brown and
flies all white. Close inspection shows that
every feather has the shaft of a colour different
from the web. (Illus. B. D., p. 236; also
B. P., p. 114; alsoB. P., p. 178.)

225. Nycticorax griseus : The Night Heron.

(F. 1568); (J. 937). (V.)

A large dusky-coloured bird which is seen flap-
ping its way along about sunset with loud raucous
cries that sound like " wdk " is the night heron.

The head, nape, back, and shoulders are
black. Forehead, cheek, breast, and lower parts
white. Remainder of plumage ashy grey. Eyes
bright red. Some of the feathers of the back of
the neck are white and are lengthened to form
plumes. (Illus. B. D., pp. 232 and 238.)
223

Indian Birds

225a. Butorides javanica : The Little Green
Heron. (F. 1567), (J. 93i)> ( + IV-)

A small skulking heron of greenish plumage,
with long black crest and a black line from the
base of the bill running backwards below the
eye.

226. Phoenicofterus roseus : The Common
Flamingo. (F. 1575), (J. 944), (+V ; nearly
4i feet long.)

These beautiful birds occur in flocks in
shallow lakes. They are white with a pink
tinge. The wings are white, black, and cerise.
The long legs are deep pink. The curious beak
is bent in the middle to form an obtuse angle.
(The beak is figured on p. 408 of Vol. IV. of
O. and B. B.)

The Geese, 227 and 228
As geese are game birds they do not come
strictly within the scope of this book. How-
ever, as these birds are much en evidence in
Upper India in the cold weather, I will briefly
describe the two common species.

In the U. P. during the winter months no

sight is more common than that of a V-shaped

flock of geese cleaving its way through the air

on quivering wings. The birds, as they fly,

224

Descriptive List of the Common Birds

utter a curious cackle easy to recognise, but
difficult to describe. This call is often heard
at night. When riding in the early morning
one often surprises a flock of geese feeding in
some field. They pass the day on a sandbank
in some large river, most of the flock asleep on
one leg with heads tucked under the wing, but
one or two birds are invariably posted as
sentinels.

227. Anser ferus : The Grey-lag Goose.
(F. IS79), (J. 945), (V.)

Upper parts brown, the shoulders having a
number of narrow pale cross bars. Lower
parts pale grey. Bill, legs, and feet are a dirty
pink colour.

Not found in S. India. (Illus. I. G. III.,

P- 55-)

228. J user indices : The Barred-headed
Goose. (F._i583),(J.949), (-V.)

This species is distinguished from the other
by its yellow bill and feet, and the fact that its
head is white with two conspicuous broad black
cross bars, from which the bird derives its name.
Its general colour is more grey than that of the
last species.

Rare in S. India. (Illus. I. D., p. 84 ; also
I. G. III., p. 81.)

p 22s

Indian Birds

^he Ducks, 229 and 230

These being game birds do not come within
the scope of this work. Two species, however,
which are commonly seen are not usually shot
by sportsmen on account of their indifferent
flavour. These I describe.

229. Casarca rutila : The Ruddy Sheldrake,
or Brahminy Duck. (F. 1588), (J. 954), ( - V.)

This is a curious pale ruddy-brown bird,
whitish on the head. Tail and wings black.
Bill, legs, and feet blackish.

This handsome duck is a winter visitor to
India. It is very abundant in N. India, less
abundant in S. India, not being found at all on
the Malabar coast. It invariably goes about in
pairs, which dwell in rivers rather than in
tanks. They are wary birds and a great
nuisance to sportsmen, since they warn other
water-fowl of danger. " It is difficult," writes
Blanford, " so long as one is on an Indian
river to get out of sight of these birds or out of
hearing of their peculiar clanging bi-syllabic
call or alarm cry, which is uttered frequently
on the smallest excuse." The cry is like a soft
" chakiva^^ hence the Hindustani name of the
226

Descrijjtive Lwt of the Conimon Birds

bird. (Illus. I. D., p. 114; also I. G. III.,
P- 123.)

230. Spatula clyfeata : The Shoveller. (F.
1602), (J. 957), (-V.)

This handsome duck, although it occurs in
jhils, is pre-eminently a village duck. If there
be any considerable piece of stagnant water
near a village in N. India, there are likely to
be some shoveller ducks on this — in winter,
for they are only winter visitors to India.
This species is distinguishable from other
ducks by its great flat bill being much broader
at the tip than at the base. It has a pecuHar
habit of swimming in circles with its bill rest-
ing on the surface of the water.

Cock, after February : Head and upper neck
glossy green. Lower neck and breast white.
Abdomen chestnut. Rest of body brown with
a green patch or speculum in the wing.

Cock before February^ and Hen : Reddish
brown with a lighter-coloured border to many
of the feathers. (Illus. I. D., p. 196 ; also I. G.
III., p. 141.)

231. Podicipes albipennis : The Indian Little
Grebe, or Dabchick. (F. 1617), (J. 975), ( + IL)

This is one of the most aquatic birds in
existence. It rarely walks on terra firma, and
227

Indian Birds

never takes to flight from the water. When
alarmed it seeks safety by diving. Writing of
this bird, Eha says, " I do not know how to
describe it better than to say that you might
take it for a small chicken without a tail. Its
colour is dark glossy brown on the upper
parts, with some rich chestnut on the sides of
the neck. Young birds are lighter." (Illus.
B. B., p. 184.)

THE END

INDEX TO DESCRIPTIVE LIST

Adjutant, 220
Babblers, 95
Barbets, 157
Bee-eaters, 160
Bulbuls, 99
Bunting, 139
Bustards, 199
Buzzards, 180
Cranes, 197
Crows, 93
Cormorants, 216
Cuckoos, 169
Cuckoo-shrikes, 115
Curlews, 205
Chats, 126
Doves, 189
Drongos, 105
Ducks, 226
Eagles, 180
Egret, 222
Falcons, 186
Finches, 136
Flycatchers, 122
Geese, 224
Godwit, 206
Gulls, 209
Harriers, 184
Piawks, 186

Hornbills, 164
Hoopoe, 166
Herons, 221
Ibises, 217
lora, 99
Ja9anas, 200
Kingfishers, 161
Kites, 184
Lapwings, 201
Larks, 148
Martins, 142
Merlin, 187
Minivets, 113
Munias, 133
Mynas, 119
Nightjars, 168
Nuthatches, 104
Orioles, 116
Owls, 174
Osprey, 176
Parrots, 172
Partridges, 193
Pipits, 147
Pitta, 154
Pelicans, 215
Plovers, 203
Pigeons, 188
Quails, 192

229

Indian Birds

Rails, 195
Redstart, 128
Robins, 126
Roller, 159
Sandpipers, 206
Sand Grouse, 191
Shrikes, iii
Sparrows, 138
Spoonbill, 218
Starling, 118
Stint, 208

Stork, 218
Sunbirds, 151
Swallows, 141
Swifts, 167
Terns, 211
Vultures, 177
Wagtails, 144
Warblers, 107
Weaver-birds, 131
Woodpeckers, 155

a^o

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