Eurasian Collared Dove

The Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decaocto), a species of dove native to Asia and Europe, is commonly found around Tiruvannamalai. This bird is known as ‘Sambal Pura’ in Tamil Nadu. It is the size of a pigeon and in colouration a pale grey and brown with a narrow black half-collar on the back of its neck

A Collared Dove on Samudram

The Collared Dove is not wary and often feeds close to human habitation, including visiting gardens, bird tables and verandahs.

Can be Easily Persuaded to Come
to Humans

The song is a coo-COO-coo, repeated many times.







The sexes look alike and the bird is almost always seen in pairs and, like many birds, remains loyal to their mate.







It nests practically all year typically in a twig platform located in a bush or small tree and prefers to breed close to human habitation where food resources are abundant and there are trees for nesting; almost all nests are within a kilometre of inhabited buildings.







The female lays two white eggs, which she incubates during the night and which the male incubates during the day. Incubation lasts between fourteen and eighteen days, with the young fledging leaving after fifteen to nineteen days. Both sexes share domestic duties.

Breeding occurs throughout the year when abundant food is available. Three to four broods per year is common, and up to six broods in a year has been recorded.











Its a gregarious species and if there are large food supplies, it congregates in sizable winter flocks.

To look at more videos and photographs of the Eurasian Collared Dove go to this link here.

Lesser Golden Back Woodpecker

I started to want to know more about this interesting looking bird, after I had seen the Woodpecker at various agricultural farms around Tiruvannamalai.

The Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker or Black-rumped Flameback is a Woodpecker commonly found in Tiruvannamalai District and although mainly frequenting agricultural areas, it can also be seen in wooded urban areas.

Such a Long Way to Climb

This bird is large around 26–29 cm in length. Its rump is black with white underparts and dark chevron markings. The adult male Black-rumped Flameback has a red crown and crest. Females have a black forecrown spotted with white, with red only on the rear crest. Young birds are like the female, but duller.

Woodpecker Preening

Its call is like a loud, harsh, chattering laugh uttered mostly when flying. As is common with woodpeckers, this species dips in flight.

My Friend's Tiruvannamalai Farm

Playtime with Friends

This bird has a straight pointed bill, a stiff tail to provide support against tree trunks and four-toed feet for traction on trees, with two toes pointing forward, and two backwards. It has a long tongue which it darts forward to catch insects.

Catching Insects: Notice the Four-Toes

This Woodpecker flies from tree to tree, finding food, starting from the bottom of the tree to the top. The bird works up on the stems of old trees, tapping them to find rotten and hollow wood and then drilling holes to ferret out insects hiding within. This bird also feeds on ripe fruits and sometimes flower nectar. The species is normally seen in pairs or small parties and sometimes joins mixed-species foraging flocks.

Checking out a Nest

Breeding season is between March and August. A nest is usually excavated in a tree with a horizontal entrance descending into a cavity. Sometimes the Woodpecker takes over the nests of other birds. The normal number of a clutch is three glossy china-white eggs which hatch after about 11 days with both parents sharing domestic duties. The chicks generally leave their nest after about 20 days.

Safe and Resting

For more photos and videos go to this link here.

Tourism Boost for Six Bird Zones

An article of May 12th in the Tamil Nadu State Press, announced that six bird sanctuaries are to be developed across Tamil Nadu to promote eco-tourism.

“The State Tourism Department has sanctioned 191 Lakh to the Forest Department to develop six bird sanctuaries across the State to promote tourism.

“Bird watching is one of the most sought-after tourism activity and there has been an increasing preference among urbanites to take it up as a hobby to counter stress.

The Department has identified six bird sanctuaries to be developed to promote tourism in a big way,” a senior official said.

Every year a large number of migratory birds flock to Tamil Nadu to breed. Flamingos, Little Cormorants, Grey Herons, Large Egrets, Open-billed Storks, Spoonbills and Painted Storks are some of the State’s winged visitors.

According to sources, the Tourism Director has recommended the bird sanctuaries at Vedanthangal, Karikil, Pulicat, Koonthankulam, Mela Selvanoor and Keela Selvanoor and Chitrangudi for development.

Accordingly, about 191.02 Lakh has been sanctioned to the Forest Department. The six sanctuaries have been selected after a proposal was submitted to the Tourism Department by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Chief Wildlife Warden, seeking funds to develop 19 bird sanctuaries at an outlay of 979.91 Lakh.

This is on the of the eco-friendly ways to promote tourism, the official said.


*************

Its excellent news that the State Government is promoting eco-tourism and that officials are beginning to understand that conservation can go hand in hand with financial development.

In this respect lets hope that the new State Government will look benignly upon Tiruvannamalai as an ideal location in which to develop a bird sanctuary on the Samudram Erie, instead of allowing the ongoing degradation of the Erie which is being currently treated by developers using the area as a personal sand quarry resource.

White Browed Wagtail

The White-browed Wagtail also known as the Large Pied Wagtail is the largest member of the Wagtail family at around 20 cm in length. It has black and white plummage, a prominent white eyebrow, shoulder stripes and outer tail feathers. In the female the black portions are duller and browner. This slender bird has the characteristic wagging tale of its genus.

Illustration by John Gould

Whilst swimming in the Samudram Erie I noticed a very nice White-browed Wagtail perched on some branches protruding from the water. Although the Wagtail noticed me it was completely unconcerned as I swam around its perch to get a better look.

Its not a surprise that the bird should be at the Samudram, as its commonly found at water bodies, village tanks and irrigation reservoirs. It has also successfully adapted to urban environments and can often be found perched on water tanks at homes and buildings taking advantage of overflows.










It has loud, whistling pleasant calls particularly evident by the male during breeding season.







Breeding season is generally March to September which may be extended depending on river and water levels.

The nest of the Wagtail is a cup-shaped pad of grass, hair, wool, rootlets etc under such projections as rocks, girders or rafters but always located close to water. Normally a clutch is comprised of 3-4 blotched and streaked eggs with both sexes sharing domestic duties.

Chicks in Nest

Photo by Lip Kee

The Wagtail which is insectivorous, is an active bird that flies rapidly for long distances and has been recorded at a speed of around 40 km/h.

Bird in Flight

Common Tailorbird

The Common Tailorbird is an Asian songbird common throughout Tiruvannamalai District. This passerine bird is typically found in open farmland, scrubs and gardens. Its song is a loud cheerful towit-towit-towit.

Adult Bird [Photo: J.M.Garg]

It is a small restless bird olive-green in colour with whitish underparts, a rust coloured crown and two elongated pinpointed feathers in the tail. The Common Tailorbird is insectivorous and is particularly attracted to insects and grubs at flowers and also favours flower nectar.

The Tailorbird gets its name from the way its nest is constructed. The passerine bird has a long pointed beak with which it makes tiny holes in leaves. The edges of a large leaf are pierced and sewn together with plant fibre or spider silk to make a cradle in which the actual nest is built.

Stitched Nest

The nest is a deep, soft cup lined with soft materials and is placed in thick foliage and the leaves used to hold the nest have the upper surfaces outwards so that the nest is difficult to spot. It is said that only the female stitches the leaves of the nest.

Nest with young

A juvenile bird

Eating insects at flower buds

This bird’s breeding season is March to December peaking from May to August. The usual clutch is 3-4 eggs reddish or bluish white in colour. The incubation period is about 12–14 days with both male and female feeding the young, and the young birds fledgling in around 14 days. Mortality of eggs and chicks is high due to predators.

Tailorbirds roosting on my verandah

The birds roost alone during the non-breeding season but may roost side-by-side during the breeding season.The roost sites chosen are thin twigs on trees with cover above them and close to human habitation and lights.

This bird is fearless and the Tailorbirds currently visiting my verandah move around within feet of myself and my large dogs as they have taken a particular liking to the above plant for their night-time perch.

To view videos, audios and more photos of the Common Tailorbird, go to this link here:

Asian Paradise-flycatcher

The Asian Paradise-flycatcher, also known as the Common Paradise-flycatcher is a medium sized Passerine bird. Neighbours with a wooded garden mentioned to me that they had a pair of Flycatchers nesting in their garden some years back, but for me this week was my first actual sighting of the beautiful adult white male Asian Paradise Flycatcher.

I spotted the bird at a lily pond near Samudram Erie. The lily pond which is skirted by trees is cool, inviting and enjoys the presence of many birds, and as the Flycatcher is very territorial, may well be its current permanent place of occupation.

I now understand why this bird has been described as looking ‘fairy-like’ as it appeared ethereal in presence with its graceful, darting movements and tail feathers trailing behind it.

Fairy Like Male Adult

The below video is a short take of the bird in flight.







However this beautiful white male bird is in fact similar to the rufous colour of the female in the first few years of its life.

Sub Adult Male Before Colour Change

Female Bird

As a sub-adult the male's head is glossy black with a black crown, crest and eyes and the female is red on the back with a greyish throat and underparts. But as the male adult matures, its rufous plummage moults into white with a central pair of tail feathers growing into 30 cm long streamers. The function of the long tail is assumed to be related to sexual selection, with females choosing males based on the length of the tail.

Adult Male After Rufous Moulting

The Paradise-flycatcher inhabits thick forests and well-wooded habitats all over India. It is both migratory and residential, and the climate of tropical South India hosts both visiting migrants and locally breeding birds.

This bird is noisy with sharp skreek call. It has short legs and sits upright whilst perched prominently. It feasts on insects using a variety of techniques, including hawking from a perch.

Chick in Nest

Breeding season for this monogamous bird is April-August during which time the female lays 3-4 pink eggs. The nest is a tiny cup of grasses, roots, fibers and leaves bound together with cobweb and plastered on the outside with egg-bags of spiders. The eggs are incubated by both the male and female.

To view videos of this bird, including nest building videos go to this link here.

Spotted Owlet - Athene Brama

The Spotted Owlet (Athene brama) is a small Owl common in the Tiruvannamalai district. Although It prefers open habitats including farmland and areas populated by people it has adapted to living in cities. Nests near human habitations may show higher breeding success due to increased availability of rodents for feeding young.

It’s a small stocky bird with upperparts grey-brown spotted with white and underparts white, streaked with brown. Its face is pale and eyes yellow. Its wings are spotted and banded white, and the tail has narrow white bars.







Although the Spotted Owlet is primarily active during twilight it sometimes can be seen by day. In fact several young Spotted Owlets are regular visitors in my neighbourhood and seem to particularly enjoy roosting on electricity poles outside my cottage.








Its voice is a harsh alternating between a variety of screeches and chuckles. It mainly preys on beetles, moths, earthworms, lizards, mice and small birds. Usually hunts from a perch, pouncing on prey, but occasionally takes insects in flight. Its flight is deeply undulating, consisting of a few rapid flaps followed by a glide with wings pressed to the body.

In the South, this bird breeds from November to March. Nests are in natural tree hollows, or in holes and cavities in human dwellings.







May also nest in cavities in the sides of ravines and earth cliffs when suitable trees are scarce. The nest is sometimes liked with grass and feathers.







It lays up to 5 white, roundish oval eggs with incubation beginning with the first egg thus causing considerable size difference within the brood. Only one or two chicks may fledge and they leave the nest in about 20 days

For an excellent selection of photographs, audios and videos of the Spotted Owlet, go to this link here.

My friend Charlie

I previously posted information about a commonly viewed bird in the Tiruvannamalai District, i.e. the Indian Treepie. To read the posting go to this link here.







I always think of the Treepie as a crow in evening dress. Charlie started visiting our garden some months ago and nowadays even brings his gang of friends to visit and feast.







However, Charlie is a crank and if some of his favourite food (i.e. chapattis, grapes or biscuits) is not waiting for him in his special place in the garden, he comes into my cottage for a fly around to demonstrate his displeasure.

First call of duty when Charlie enters the cottage is ALL FANS OFF and thereafter I can relax and watch him have his fly around. My dogs are so used to him coming into the cottage to visit, that they have stopped reacting. So much so that they don't even blink when emboldened Charlie perches on their food dish for a quick snack.

Greater Coucal

The Greater Coucal is the size of a Jungle Crow, but with a long and broad tail. The bird is a large species of Cuckoo around 48 cm in size. Its head is black and its eyes are ruby red, its upper mantle and underside are black glossed with purple and its back and wings are chestnut brown.





[The poster of this video mentions that several Coucals (and some other birds) are audible on the soundtrack]


The call of this bird is an easily distinguishable deep, resonant coop-coop-coop and its deep calls are associated with spirits and omens. In fact this bird is traditionally associated with many superstitions and beliefs.






The bird is easy to view around the countryside surrounding Tiruvannamalai. They specially like open forest, scrub and bush and groves around human habitation. Several visit my garden regularly and two are in current occupation around a nest constructed in some garden trees.

Coucals enjoy most: caterpillars, insects, snails, lizards, mice and bird’s eggs. But I’ve noticed them also enjoying the nut and fruit snacks strewn under bushes on my garden floor. The Coucal is a clumsy bird which stalks along the ground and hops amongst shrubs and trees.













As well as drying off after rain, this bird enjoys sunbathing in the mornings with its wings spread out. The Greater Coucal is most active in the mornings and late afternoons. The territory of a nesting pair has been found in South India to be around 10 acres on average.

The Coucal’s nesting season is generally around February to September. Its nest is a large untidy mass of twigs and leaves with a lateral entrance.

The below photographs are of a Coucal nest in my garden. The nest definitely has a lateral entrance as its impossible to reach the nest from topside as is evidenced by the third photograph in this nest sequence in which the nest is so well buried in the trees, that its impossible to see the nest from the roof of my house.

Have already experienced a lot of fun with our resident Coucals, as several days previously one of the birds had a slip whilst getting to its nest and was forced to make a hasty and ungainly exit downwards using the branches and leaves as an emergency slide. Since that day I've noticed that the birds seem to approach their own nest much more cautiously.

Nests are usually comprised of three or four white eggs with both sexes sharing domestic duties.

Juveniles are duller black with spots on the crown and with whitish bars on the underside and tail.

A nice catch of a Greater Coucal which I took through a screened window in my cottage whilst it was sitting outside on my compound wall.

Eat Real Food

Is Monsanto Responsible For 200,000 Farmer Suicides?


"A recent study has found that 200,000 Indian farmers have killed themselves in the past ten years.


Well-known Bollywood filmaker Aamir Khan attributes this startling statistic to the fact that many unsuspecting farmers are convinced that genetically modified seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers from American companies like Monsanto will increase their profits. Khan is hoping to spread awareness about this disturbing trend in a new movie.


The film, called Peepli Live, is set in an Indian village named Peepli. A young debt-burdened farmer named Natha is talked into taking his own life after he learns that his family will be financially compensated through a government program created to alleviate the loss of farmers taking their own lives. See this link here.


To afford the supplies and steep licensing fees imposed by Monsanto, many farmers mortgage their farms just to survive to plant another year. The first bad yield due to drought or flooding plunges them so far into debt that many resort to suicide."


The above narrative was taken from this article.

The Problem With Franken-Food

Supporters of genetically engineered foods often claim that bio-crops are the only way to feed the world's booming population in the future.


However, a study from the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that genetically engineered crops have not been proven to produce larger harvests. Crop yield increases in recent years have almost entirely been due to improved farming or traditional plant breeding, despite thousands of field trials of GM crops.


To read a report about failure to increase yield go to this link here and to read the narrative, “Can Genetically Modified Crops Feed the World?” go to this link here


Seeds purchased from companies like Monsanto are also engineered with "terminator technology", which means plants produce sterile seeds after only one season. Farmers, already in debt because of the high price of "superior" GM seeds, are thereby forced to buy more seeds for the next harvest.

Arunachala Bird Population

Right Click on all photographs to view enlarged version.



All photographs included in this narrative are by Mr. Kumar, artist and bird watcher, and whose paintings can be viewed on the paths of the Mountain of Medicine at the foot of Arunachala.







Bird Population at Tiruvannamalai



Those involved in afforestation work around Arunachala, believe that there has been an increase in the number of species found on the Hill and surrounding forests primarily as a result of the enhanced food base which is resulting from the increased green cover of this area.

There is currently 120 species of birds estimated in this area compared to only 20-30 species found a decade ago in the forest surrounding Arunachala. Some of the recent arrivals are: Small Minivet, Sirkeer Malkoha, Lesser-Spotted Eagle Owls, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Paradise Fly Catcher and the Black-Headed Cuckoo.

Common species such Mynah, Swifts, Swallows, Yellow Billed Babblers, Parrots and Indian Rollers (Blue Jays) are seen in large numbers in the forests surrounding Arunachala and also in the town of Tiruvannamalai and outskirts.










Other species such as Red-Vented Bulbuls, Robins, Coucals, Doves, Barbets, Shikra, Bee-Eaters, Sun Birds, Warblers can also be viewed in increasing numbers on the Hill and to a lesser extent, increasing sightings of Peacocks, Golden Oriole, Red Whiskered Bulbul and Koels are being recorded.







The District Forest Office has been ordered to take up a preliminary survey of birds and thereafter with the help of experts conduct a detailed survey of birds in the area.








A local artist and bird watcher Mr. Kumar mentions he has noticed increasingly larger numbers of: Common Wood Shrikes, Painted-Spur Fowls and Gray Francolins. With winter-visitors like Blue Rock Thrush, Pitta and Forest Wag Tail seen around Arunachala this season. Mr. Kumar attributes the growth of species to increase in forest cover, reduction of forest fires and a ban on hunting.









Mr. Kumar is currently engaged at the Mountain Of Medicine painting beautiful representations of the bird and wild life found at Arunachala. The paintings with supporting information are displayed on the paths of the Mountain of Medicine sanctuary which is located on the NH 66 Chengham Road, half a kilometre west of Raman Ashram. All are welcome.

[With thanks to A.D. Balasubramaniyan]

Garuda Mythology

As mentioned in a previous posting, the Brahminy Kite is worshipped as a representation of Garuda (the sacred Eagle and mount of Lord Vishnu). To read about the mythology of Garuda and to watch a video animation of the origin of the Garuda, check out this link here.