Indian Wildlife Moments list of Birds | Fauna | sub continent | south asia

Indian subcontinent is a bird watcher's paradise. There are a large number of resident birds in India, some native and some introduced. However, all of them today beautifully reflect the rich natural life of the country. One can also find some of the rarest wild bird species in the subcontinent. Numerous bird sanctuaries have been set up in the country to provide the birds with a natural habitat and augment their population. In this section, we have provided information about the following Indian birds:

Black Bittern
Black bittern, of the Old World origins, is a resident bird of India. The bright color of the bird easily distinguishes it from the other bittern species. In the daytime, one can find Black bitterns of India resting in trees or on the ground, amongst dense reeds. They tend to fly frequently and have a distinct booming call, mainly heard during the breeding season.

Cinnamon Bittern
Indian Cinnamon bittern is a small bird, having Old World origins. It is seen inhabiting the tropical parts of Asia, stretching on from India and Sri Lanka to China and Indonesia. Cinnamon bitterns of India are very shy and secretive by nature and can easily conceal themselves. One can see them only during flight, which is typically short and low.

Little Bittern
Indian Little Bittern Bird is a native of the Old World and is scientifically known as Lxobrychus minutus. The natural habitat of the bird comprises of Africa, central and southern Europe, western and southern Asia and Australia. It may be quite difficult to spot a little bittern, as the bird usually spends its time hidden in dense reed beds.

Yellow Bittern
Yellow bittern of India is one of the smallest members of the bittern species. It is found occupying the Asian countries of India, Sri Lanka, Japan and Indonesia. Yellow bitterns are scientifically known as Lxobrychus sinensis and are of Old World origins. They are shy by nature and are brilliant in the camouflage technique.

Crested Serpent Eagle
Indian Crested Serpent Eagle, a member of Accipitridae family, is scientifically known as Spilornis cheela. It is a specialist reptile eater, which mainly hunts snakes and lizards.

Grey Francolin
Grey Francolin, also known as Grey Partridge, is a resident bird of the Indian subcontinent. The species was introduced for the first time in the Andaman Islands. Since then, it has beautifully adapted itself to the country as well as its climate.

Greylag Goose
Greylag goose, Anser anser, is one of the Old World species of birds and was known in the pre-Linnean times as Wild Goose. It has ancestral relations with the domesticated geese of Europe and North America. Gray Lag Goose is a very frequent winter visitor to the north regions of the Indian subcontinent.

Great Indian Hornbill
Greater Indian Hornbill is considered to be the largest member of the hornbill family. Scientifically known as Buceros bicornis, it is usually found inhabiting the forests of Indian subcontinent, the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, Indonesia. The average lifespan of the Great Pied Hornbill of India exceeds 35 years and may go upto 50 years in captivity.

Grey Heron
Grey heron, scientifically known as Ardea cinerea, is a bird belonging to Indian heron family. It is very strongly related to the American Great Blue Heron as well as Australian White-faced Heron. Infact, many people misunderstand the Australian White-faced Heron as the Grey Heron.

Night Heron
Night heron belongs to the Nycticorax and Gorsachius genera. It is a medium sized bird, which is mainly found in the tropical regions of the Indian subcontinent. The name 'Night Heron' is derived on the basis of the fact that these birds prefer to catch their prey during night.

Pond Heron
Pond herons are one of the most commonly found species of the Indian subcontinent. Docile by nature, they can be seen in their natural habitat as well as on the outskirts of villages. The first description related to the Pond heron bird was given in the year 1832, by Colonel W. H. Sykes. The bird belongs to the Old World species and is scientifically known as Ardeola grayii.

Peacock
Blue peacock is regarded as one of the most beautiful birds throughout the world. It is also the National Bird of the Indian subcontinent. Peacock is the name given to a male peafowl, while the female is known as Peahen. Scientifically known as Pavo cristatus (Linnaeus), the Peafowl of India is a swan-sized bird, with a long and slender neck. It is a forest bird, which usually stay on the ground. However, while roosting, it prefers to stay on trees.

Jungle Bush Quail
Jungle bush quail bird is one of the species of quails found in South Asia. The bird is usually seen in small coveys and is quite shy by nature. One can get a glimpse of the Jungle bush quails of India mainly when they burst out into flight from under the vegetation.

Painted Stork
Painted stork is a tropical species, belonging to the stork family of Ciconiidae. The bird is found in the Asian continent, covering the area from India and Sri Lanka to Southeast Asia. Broad-winged soaring birds, the Painted storks of India fly with their neck outstretched. They are resident birds and are found in Indian lowland wetlands, with trees.

Black Necked Stork
Black-necked stork is a large bird, known scientifically as Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus. It belongs to the Ciconiidae family and counts amongst the huge wading birds of the Indian subcontinent. Black-necked stork is a resident bird of southern Asia and Australasia. The area inhabited by Black-necked storks stretches on from India east to New Guinea and the northern half of Australia. Just like numerous other storks, they also fly with their neck outstretched.