Birds in the Indian Subcontinent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The website datazone.birdlife.org has been of great help regarding the geographical distribution of the birds, whereas information about the altitudinal occurrence of birds in the Himalaya is mostly borrowed from R. Grimmett, C. Inskipp & T. Inskipp: Birds of Nepal (Christopher Helm, London, 2000). This book is now out of date taxonomically, but is otherwise an excellent field guide.

Regarding information about etymology of the bird names, I have relied heavily on J.A. Jobling: The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names (Christopher Helm, London, 2010).

As is obvious from most of the pictures below, I like to show the birds in their natural surroundings, or studies of their behaviour.

In case you find any errors on this page, I would be grateful to receive an email. You may use the address at the bottom of the page.

Before presenting the observed bird species, a few lines about the Himalaya, which marks the borderline between most species of flora and fauna from the Indo-Malayan Region and the Palaearctic Region, respectively (see below).

The word Himalaya is derived from the Sanskrit hima (‘snow’) and alaya (‘abode’), thus ‘The Abode of Snow’. The Himalaya consists of a long arch of gigantic mountains, stretching from northern Pakistan southeast to the northern tip of Myanmar – a distance of more than 2,500 km. In these mountains are the Earth’s largest concentration of very high peaks, 14 of which reach an altitude of more than 8,000 m, whereas hundreds are more than 7,000 m high. (For comparison, the highest mountain outside Central Asia, Aconcagua in Argentina, is a mere 6,962 m.)

The borders of the Himalaya are not well defined. To the northwest, the Karakoram Mountains (which some authorities consider a part of the Himalaya, others do not) merge into the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains. To the north and northeast, several mountain chains in Ladakh, Tibet, and China are a continuation of the Himalaya proper.

As a result of the great span in altitude and precipitation – besides various other factors such as micro-climate and soil composition – flora and fauna of the Himalaya are indeed diverse. In these mountains, two bio-geographical regions meet. In most areas, flora and fauna from the Indo-Malayan Region, which includes the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, dominate, but in northern Pakistan, Kashmir, Ladakh, and in areas of far northern Nepal and Bhutan at altitudes above c. 3,500 m, there is a large element of species from the Palaearctic Region, which includes Central and West Asia.

When the monsoon has passed over the Himalaya from the south, almost all its humidity has already fallen as rain. Thus, the Tibetan Plateau north of the mountains receives very little rainfall. In many places, the annual mean precipitation is less than 100 mm, most of which falls as snow in the winter. For this reason, the major part of the landscape is dry and rather barren, with lush and green areas mainly found along rivers and around the numerous lakes of the region.

On this page, Tibet (called Xizang by the Chinese), Qinghai, and Xinjiang are treated as separate areas. The term ‘western China’ indicates Chinese territories just east of Tibet and Qinghai. The term ‘south-western China’ includes the provinces Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for hawks, derived from accipere (‘to grasp’), naturally alluding to the sharp talons.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘chestnut-coloured’, alluding to the barring on the chest. The common name is Hindi, meaning ‘hunter’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for eagle, perhaps derived from aquilus (‘dark in colour’).

 

Previously, birds in southern Spain and Portugal were regarded as a subspecies of the imperial eagle, but are now generally considered a separate species, the Iberian imperial eagle (A. adalberti).

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek heliakos (‘of the sun’), from helios (‘sun’), or heleios, a kind of hawk mentioned by Greek grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria (5th or 6th Century A.D.) in his work Lexicon.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given by British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who described the bird in 1833 after collecting a specimen in Nepal. Presumably, he thought that it was a local species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In some plumages, this species is very similar to the steppe eagle (above), but the yellow gape of that species extends to the back end of the eye, whereas the gape of a tawny only extends to the middle of the eye. However, you have to be rather close to the bird to observe the difference.

The specific name is derived from the Latin rapere (‘to seize’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the common buzzard (B. buteo). The English name is derived from Old French busard, which is a corruption of the classical Latin name.

 

The plumage is variable, rufous, whitish, or a combination.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘golden-reddish’, derived from the Latin rufus. Thus, the species was described from a rufous specimen.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kirkos, a type of hawk, in this connection associated with harriers (Circus); and aetos (‘eagle’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘from Gaul’, a term that in the Roman Era covered the major part of western Europe.

 

 

 

 

 

In Ancient Greek, klangos was an alternative form of plankos, the name of a kind of eagle. In classical Latin, clango had several meanings, including ‘I scream’. Thus, the generic name may be translated to ‘ the screaming eagle’.

 

It breeds from eastern Europe eastwards across the taiga belt to north-eastern China and Ussuriland (south-eastern Siberia). It is migratory, spending the winter in southern Europe, north-eastern Africa, Arabia, the Middle East, the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, and eastern China.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a Latinized form of elanos, the classical Greek word for kite.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin caelum, which, strictly speaking, means ‘sky’, but is often used to indicate the colour ‘sky-blue’; and a diminutive suffix, thus loosely translated as ‘the small sky-blue one’, referring to the bluish sheen in the plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1784, German physician, chemist, and naturalist Gottlieb Conrad Christian Storr (1749-1821) changed the generic name to Gypaetus, from Ancient Greek gyps (‘vulture’) and aetos (‘eagle’). Incidentally, this was an excellent observation done by Storr, as recent research has shown that the bearded vulture is no more closely related to typical vultures than to eagles.

The name lammergeier stems from the German word Lämmergeier (‘lamb-vulture’). It has its root in an old superstition that it would attack lambs. (Source: M. Everett 2008. Lammergeiers and lambs. British Birds 101 (4): 215)

This species was once very widely distributed, from large parts of Central Asia westwards across the Middle East to the Balkans, the Alps, the large Mediterranean islands, the Iberian Peninsula, and north-western Africa, and from Egypt southwards through eastern Africa to South Africa. Today, it has gone extinct in large parts of Europe and Africa, and it is only relatively common in Central Asia, including the Himalaya. It has recently been reintroduced to the Alps.

The lammergeier is restricted to montane or rocky areas, often with grassy areas and small patches of forest. In the Himalaya, it is often soaring at elevations between 1,000 and 5,000 m, rarely observed at low altitudes.

This bird has very unusual feeding habits. When other vultures have cleaned a carcass of meat, it ascends with a bone from the carcass, dropping it on rocky ground, whereupon it descends to eat the marrow of the splintered bone, and also quite large bones.

In his De Materia Medica, Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (died 90 A.D.) says that the stomach of the lammergeier is used against urinary stones – a credible claim, considering that its stomach acid is incredibly acid, able to digest bones completely. But how to get it into the urinary tract without harming tissue is anybody’s guess.

In some areas, the lammergeier has adapted to searching for bones in refuse dumps on the outskirts of villages and towns. This behaviour has been observed in Ethiopia, and I also once noticed it in the Jhong River Valley, Mustang, central Nepal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Greek term for vultures.

Since the 1980s, most populations of vultures in the Indian Subcontinent have diminished alarmingly due to poisoning from diclofenac, a veterinary drug widely used to treat diseases in livestock. Research has shown that when the vultures feed on cattle carcasses, diclofenac will destroy their kidneys. In 2006, the Indian government announced a ban on the usage of diclofenac. Another drug, meloxicam, which seems to be a good substitute for diclofenac, is harmless to vultures. However, it is more expensive than diclofenac, and the ban has not had much effect, as it is largely ignored, probably by corrupt officials who benefit economically from the distribution of diclofenac.

Since 2016, re-introduction programmes have been instigated, primarily in nature reserves, where diclofenac is not present.

The Himalayan griffon vulture (below) is still fairly common, as it lives in the high Himalaya, where cattle cannot thrive.

The African griffon species have also decreased dramatically in numbers in recent years, described on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of Bengal’. Strictly speaking, Bengal is the lowland around the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, but in 1788, when German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin (1748-1804) described the bird, the term ‘Bengal’ indicated a much larger portion of northern India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In former days, in Tibet, a common ‘burial’ method was to cut up deceased people and feed the meat to vultures. I once watched this practice, described on the page Travel episodes – Tibet 1987: Tibetan summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, under the name long-billed vulture, it was regarded as being widely distributed in the Indian Subcontinent and Indochina, but following genetic research, it has been split into two separate species, the Indian vulture and the slender-billed vulture (below). They are geographically separated, the Indian vulture restricted to central and western India, the slender-billed found north of the Ganges River, in a belt along the Himalayan foothills to Assam, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name means ‘slender-billed’, derived from the Latin tenuis (‘slender’) and rostrum (‘bill’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek hali (‘of the sea’) and aetos (‘eagle’). Despite the name ‘sea-eagle’, many of the species are living at freshwater areas inland. These species are termed ‘fish-eagles’.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek ikhthys (‘fish’) and aetos (‘eagle’).

Some authorities place this bird in the genus Ichthyophaga, together with the lesser fish-eagle (H. humilis).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and gaster (‘belly’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and koryphe (‘crown’).

The common name commemorates Prussian naturalist, ethnographer, and explorer Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), who, in 1767, was invited by Catherine II of Russia to become a professor at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Between 1768 and 1774, he led an expedition to the Caspian Sea, the Ural and Altai Mountains, Lake Baikal, and the upper Amur River. His work from this expedition was published in 3 volumes 1771-1776, titled Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des Russischen Reichs (‘Journey through various provinces of the Russian Empire’).

In 1793 and 1794, Pallas led a second expedition to southern Russia, visiting the Crimea, the Black and Caspian Seas, and the Caucasus Mountains. His account of this expedition was published 1799-1801, titled Bemerkungen auf einer Reise in die Südlichen Statthalterschaften des Russischen Reichs (‘Notes from a trip to the southern lieutenancies of the Russian Empire’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek hali (‘of the sea’), and the Latin astur (‘hawk’).

 

The Brahminy kite is sacred to Hindus, reflected in the common name, which alludes to the highest Hindu cast, the Brahmins. In Hindu mythology, it is referred to as Garuda, the ‘king of birds’, and carrier of the mighty god Vishnu. In Tamil, it is known as Krishna parunthu (‘Krishna’s eagle’). Krishna is an avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu (more about this issue on the page Religion: Hinduism).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the red kite (M. milvus). Pictures depicting this bird are shown on the page In praise of the colour red.

 

The rather pale subspecies govinda is distributed from eastern Pakistan eastwards across warmer parts of India and Sri Lanka to Indochina and the Malay Peninsula. It is often observed in urban areas. In the higher parts of the Himalaya, it is replaced by subspecies lineatus, which is widespread in Central and East Asia. The pictures below all show subspecies govinda.

The specific name is derived from the Latin migrare (‘to migrate’), alluding to the northernmost populations being migratory.

The subspecific name govinda alludes to the Hindu god Krishna, an avatar (incarnation) of the mighty god Vishnu. It is told that Krishna persuaded people who lived beneath the mountain Govardhana to worship the mountain instead of the rain god Indra, as he was of the opinion that the mountain, rather than the rain god, provided them with nourishment. Indra got furious, when the people no longer worshipped him and, as a punishment, sent torrential rain in order to drown people and cattle. However, Krishna protected them by raising the mountain, so that they could seek shelter beneath it. Indra acknowledged the superiority of Krishna, giving him the name Govinda, meaning ‘protector of cattle’.

Krishna and other Hindu gods are described on the page Religion: Hinduism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three subspecies are currently recognized, the nominate northern and African birds, which have a mainly grey bill, Indian birds of subspecies ginginianus with a yellow bill, and finally a separate, larger subspecies, majorensis, in the eastern Canary Islands.

It lives in open areas, nesting on cliffs, less frequently in trees. Besides feeding on carcasses, it is often encountered at rubbish dumps, and it will also prey on small mammals, birds, and reptiles. It is among the few bird species known to use tools. Eggs of other birds, which are too large to break open with the bill, are broken by tossing stones onto them, using the bill.

This species is in decline over much of its range due to habitat destruction, hunting, poisoning, and collision with power lines.

The generic name stems from the Greek mythology. Neophron and Aegypius were young men and close friends, but it upset Neophron that his mother Timandra was having a love affair with Aegypius. To punish Aegypius, Neophron made advances towards Aegypius’ mother, Bulis. He succeeded and enticed Bulis into entering the dark chamber where his mother and Aegypius were soon to meet. Neophron then distracted his mother, tricking Aegypius into entering the chamber and sleeping with his own mother. When Bulis discovered the deception, she gouged out the eyes of her son before killing herself. Aegypius prayed for revenge, but Zeus, instead of helping him, changed both young men into vultures as a punishment.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek perknos (‘dark-coloured’) and pteron (‘wing’).

In Ancient Egypt, the bird was held sacred to the Moon God Isis, and its protection by Pharaonic law made it common in the streets, giving rise to the name pharaoh’s chicken.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek, from the name Nisos, and aetos (‘eagle’). Nisos was a king of Megara, who possessed a purple lock of hair, which would protect him and his kingdom. According to one version of the legend, when King Minos of Crete besieged Megara, he tempted Nisos’s daughter Scylla with a golden necklace to betray and kill her father. In another version, she fell in love with Minos from a distance, and after cutting off her father’s purple lock, she presented it to Minos. However, Minos was disgusted with her act, calling her a disgrace. As Minos’s ships set sail, Scylla attempted to climb up one of them, but Nisos, who had turned into a sea eagle, attacked her, and she fell into the water and drowned. She was changed into a bird, possibly a heron, constantly pursued by Nisos.

 

The endemic Sri Lankan race ceylanensis has a proportionally longer crest than the other subspecies, to 10 cm long.

The specific name is derived from the Latin cirrus (‘tendril’), thus ‘having tendrils’, alluding to the long, wavy crest, which may sometimes look twisted.

Formerly, this species was regarded as two separate species, the crested hawk-eagle (subspecies cirrhatus and ceylanensis of southern India and Sri Lanka), and the crestless changeable hawk-eagle (subspecies limnaeetus, andamanensis, and vanheurni). Some authorities retain this split.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another name of this species is Hodgson’s hawk-eagle, referring to British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who described the bird after collecting a specimen himself in the Himalaya.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pernes, a word used by Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) for a bird of prey. The common name refers to the fact that a significant part of the food of these birds consists of honey combs and wasp larvae.

 

The specific name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘feathered bill’, derived from ptilon (‘feather’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’).

 

 

 

 

 

It is the only member of the genus, but is quite closely related to the African lappet-faced vulture (Torgos tracheliotos), which is presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek sarx (‘flesh’) and gyps (‘vulture’), whereas the specific name is Latin, meaning ‘bald’, alluding to the naked red head of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek spilos (‘spot’) and ornis (‘bird’), given in allusion to the white spots on breast and wings of the crested serpent-eagle (below).

 

It is very variable, and some authorities propose treating several of the subspecies as separate species.

The specific name is derived from the Hindi word cheel (‘hawk’ or ‘kite’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin (1811-1863), who was Governor-General of India 1860-1863.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for lark.

 

The specific name probably refers to the fine song of this species, derived from the Latin gula (‘throat’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ammos (‘sand’) and manes (‘passionately fond of’), from mania (‘passion’), alluding to the fact that these birds mainly live in sandy areas.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek phoinix (‘red’) and oura (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a diminutive of Ancient Greek kalandros, the calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra). Apparently, Kaup found that the type species, the greater short-toed lark (C. brachydactyla) resembled a small calandra lark.

 

The specific name is derived from the latin acutus (‘sharp’) and rostrum (‘bill’), referring to the pointed bill. The common name commemorates British naturalist Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912), who described the species. He was a member of the Indian Civil Service and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress. Hume has been called ‘the Father of Indian Ornithology’. He founded a journal called Stray Feathers, in which he and his subscribers recorded notes on birds from across India.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek eremos (‘desert’) and phileo (‘to love’), alluding to the preferred habitat of Temminck’s lark (E. bilopha), which was described in 1823 by Dutch zoologist and museum director Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858). Initially, it was placed in the genus Alauda, but both horned larks were moved to Eremophila in 1828 by German zoologist and lawyer Friedrich Boie (1789-1870).

 

No less than about 42 subspecies of this bird have been described. It is distributed across most of the Northern Hemisphere, along the Arctic coasts from Scandinavia eastwards to Alaska and north-eastern Canada, southwards to Mexico, with an isolated population in Columbia. It is also found in the major part of Central Asia, southwards to the Himalaya, westwards to Ukraine, the Middle East, and the Balkans, with an isolated population in the Atlas Mountains of north-western Africa. Arctic populations are migratory.

In the Himalaya, subspecies longirostris is a rather common breeding bird in Ladakh and other semi-desert areas in the northern outskirts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek eremos (‘desert’) and pteron (‘wing’), i.e. ‘birds of the desert’.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘grey’, alluding to the dominant colour of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The etymology of the generic name is obscure.

 

The common name commemorates British physician and naturalist Thomas Caverhill Jerdon (1811-1872), who described many birds species in India, several of which are named after him.

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are divided into 3 subfamilies: river kingfishers (Alcedininae), tree kingfishers (Halcyoninae), and water kingfishers (Cerylinae).

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for kingfisher.

 

There are three possible explanations to the specific name, all from the Greek mythology. 1) A handsome, richly dressed Indian youth, son of Limniace, nymph of the Ganges. 2) A beautiful young woman of Lesbos, favourite of the female poet Sappho (c. 630-570 B.C.). 3) An Athenian princess, daughter of King Cranaus and his wife Pedias. Jobling (2010) favours the Indian youth.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kerylos, an unidentified bird mentioned by scientist and philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) and other authors. This bird was probably mythical, associated with the halkyon (see genus Halcyon below).

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rude’ or ‘uncultivated’. This strange name was applied by Swedish naturalist Fredrik Hasselquist (1722-1752) who probably confused the Latin word hispida (‘kingfisher’) with hispidus (‘rough’ or ‘rude’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is associated with a bird of Greek legend, called Halcyon, generally thought to be the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis). The Ancients believed that this bird made a floating nest in the Aegean Sea and had the power to calm the waves while brooding her eggs. Two weeks of calm weather were to be expected when the Halcyon was nesting, which took place around winter solstice. These Halcyon days were generally regarded as beginning on the 14th or 15th of December.

This belief in the bird’s power to calm the sea originated in a myth recorded by Roman poet Publius Ovidius Naso (43 B.C. – c. 17 A.D.), known as Ovid. The story goes that Aeolus, ruler of the winds, had a daughter named Alcyone, who was married to Ceyx, the king of Thessaly. Ceyx drowned at sea, and in her grief, Alcyone threw herself into the waves. However, instead of drowning, she was transformed into a bird and carried to her husband by the wind. (Source: phrases.org.uk)

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘capped’, derived from pileus (‘cap’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Ancient Greek city of Smyrna, now called Izmir, in what is today western Turkey. Initially, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) named this bird Alcedo smyrnensis, citing the work A natural history of birds : illustrated with a hundred and one copper plates, curiously engraven from the life (1731-1738), by English naturalist and illustrator Eleazar Albin (c. 1690-1742), which includes a description and an illustration of the Smirna kingfisher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pelargos (‘stork’) and opsis (‘appearance’), alluding to the large bill of these birds.

 

The specific name is a misnomer. The bird was named by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who based his description on the name given to the bird by French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723-1806), Le martin-pescheur du Cap de Bonne Espérance (‘the fish-eating swallow from the Cape of Good Hope’). Brisson believed that his specimen had come from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, but the bird does not at all occur in Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the genus name Todus (todies, small New World birds, resembling kingfishers), and Ancient Greek rhamphos (‘bill’), thus ‘with a bill like todies’.

 

The specific name is a Latinized version of Ancient Greek khloros (‘green’). Most subspecies have green or blue wings and tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for duck.

 

The winter months are spent in the southern half of North America, in Central America and the Caribbean, in the major part of Europe and the Middle East, in northern and eastern Africa, and in the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, southern China, Taiwan, and the northern Philippines.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘sharp-pointed’, like the common name alluding to the long, pointed tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek poikilos (‘pied’ or ‘spotted’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’).

The eastern spot-billed duck is described on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for goose.

 

In many countries, it now breeds in city parks, where it often becomes remarkably confiding – sometimes even showing a threatening attitude towards people (more about this issue on the page Animals: Urban animal life).

In winter, it occurs in Europe, north-western Africa, the Middle East, and from Afghanistan in a belt across the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent and Indochina to eastern China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek aithyia, an unidentified seabird, mentioned by Greek grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria (5th or 6th Century A.D.), and also by Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘wild game’, derived from ferus (‘wild’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’) and kyknos (‘swan’), alluding to the fact that these ducks often breed in tree cavities, and to their fairly long neck. Several members have clear, whistling calls, which gave rise to the popular name.

 

The specific name refers to the Indonesian island Java. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a Latin word, used by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) as the name of an unspecified waterbird.

Previously, two other ducks were included in the genus, the hooded merganser, now called Lophodytes cucullatus, and the smew, today named Mergellus albellus. Research has shown that they are not closely related to mergansers.

 

The specific name is a concoction of the generic name and the Latin anser (‘goose’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘duck’.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘golden-red’, derived from rufus (‘rufous’), alluding to the striking colour of the male’s head.

 

 

 

 

 

Traditionally, these birds are called pygmy geese, although genetic research indicates that they are more closely related to dabbling ducks than to geese. The name alludes to the short, goose-like bill.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek netta (‘duck’) and pous (‘foot’), Apparently, German naturalist Johann Friedrich von Brandt (1802-1879), who erected the genus in 1836, regarded these birds as a kind of small geese due to their short bill, but also found that they possessed the feet and body of a duck.

 

The specific name refers to the Coromandel Coast, in present-day Karnataka. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there. The common name alludes to the dominant colour of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is probably derived from Ancient Greek sarx (‘meat’, or ‘body’) and ornis (‘bird’), maybe alluding to the compact body of the bird. The specific name is also derived from Ancient Greek, from melas (‘black’) and noton (‘back’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the Latin word for ‘spoon’ or ‘spatula’, alluding to the spatulate bill of shovelers.

 

The winter months are spent in the southern half of North America, in Central America and the Caribbean, in the major part of Europe and the Middle East, in northern and eastern Africa, and in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, southern China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the northern Philippines.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘shield-bearing’, alluding to the broad and flat bill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is from tadorne, the French name of the common shelduck (T. tadorna). It may have Celtic roots, meaning ‘pied waterfowl’. The English name, originally sheld duck, dates from around 1700, with a similar meaning.

 

This is essentially a Central Asian species, with breeding populations extending across the Middle East as far as south-eastern Europe, with isolated populations in north-western Africa and the highlands of Ethiopia. It is very common on the Tibetan Plateau.

It spends the winter months in the lowlands of northern Africa, Ethiopia, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, northern Indochina, and southern China.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One or three species are found in the Old World. If only one species is acknowledged, it is called A. melanogaster. Most authorities, however, recognize three full species: Oriental (below), African (A. rufa), and Australasian (A. novaehollandiae). The American darter (A. anhinga) lives in the New World.

The generic name means ‘little head’ in the Tupi language of Brazil, referring to an evil spirit of the forests, the devil bird. (Source: G. Marcgrave 1648. Historiae rerum naturalium Brasiliae. Liber V)

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melas (‘black’) and gaster (‘belly’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for swifts, derived from Ancient Greek a (‘without’) and pous (‘foot’). Due to the tiny, weak legs of these birds, the Ancients believed that they were a type of swallow without feet.

 

It is very common in Nepal, at all seasons encountered up to elevations around 1,000 m, in summer up to about 2,100 m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many members of the family are presented on the page Fishing.

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for herons.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin cineris (‘ashes’), thus ‘ash-coloured’.

Other pictures, depicting this bird, are shown on the pages Fishing, Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan, and Animals: Urban animal life.

In America, it is replaced by the similar, slightly larger great blue heron (A. herodias), presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in the United States and Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to its size, intermediate between the great white egret (Ardea alba) and the little egret (Egretta garzetta, below), both of which are also white.

Some authorities place this bird in a separate genus, Mesophoyx.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the year, the plumage of these birds is buff or brownish, making them extremely well camouflaged among various types of vegetation. When they take to flight, however, they are transformed as if by magic, when their brilliant white wings are displayed.

The generic name is composed of ardea, the Latin word for heron, and ola, a suffix denoting something diminutive, thus ‘small heron’.

 

It is easily overlooked in its drab winter plumage when standing at the edge of lakes, ponds, or paddy fields. It relies on its camouflage to a degree that it can be approached closely before taking to flight. This behaviour gave rise to the Hindi name andha bagla (‘blind heron’), as well as the Sri Lankan name kana koka (‘half-blind heron’).

Formerly, this bird was shot for meat. In his book A New Account of the East Indies, from 1744, Alexander Hamilton writes the following: “They have also store of wild fowl; but who have a mind to eat them must shoot them. Flamingoes are large and good meat. The paddy-bird is also good in their season.”

The specific name honours British zoologist John Edward Gray (1800-1875), who was keeper of zoology at the British Museum in London 1840-1874, until the natural history department was re-named the Natural History Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, in the late 1800s it began expanding its range into southern Africa, and in 1877 it was observed in northern South America, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. By the 1930s, it had become established as a breeding bird in this area, rapidly spreading to North America, where it is now found as far north as southern Canada. In later years, it has also spread northwards in Europe.

As its name implies, it often follows cattle to snap grasshoppers and other small animals, flushed by the grazers. It is also often observed in newly ploughed fields. The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘cowherd’. The specific name is the classical Greek term for ibises. Why it was applied to the cattle egret is not clear.

Today, some authorities split the cattle egret into two species, the western (B. ibis) and the eastern (B. coromandus). Apart from minor differences, they are identical, so why this split was made, is incomprehensible. I prefer to regard all cattle egrets as a single species.

Other pictures, depicting this bird, are shown on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Provençal French aigrette, a diminutive of aigron (‘heron’).

 

The specific name is the Italian name for the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In historic times, 4 other species of the genus, which were all restricted to small islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, have gone extinct.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek nyktos (‘night’) and korax (‘raven’), referring to the mainly nocturnal feeding habits of these birds, and to their hoarse, raven-like call.

 

It figures in Japanese classical folklore, where it is called Goi-sagi, from goi (‘fifth rank’) and sagi (‘heron’). According to legend, the all-powerful Emperor Daigo (reigned 897-930 A.D.) ordered a vassal to capture a black-crowned night-heron. Upon hearing the imperial command, the heron submitted itself to capture. The emperor was pleased that the heron had confirmed his omnipotence over nature as well as man, whereupon he granted it the title ‘king of the herons’ and the position of fifth rank in his court, and released it unharmed. (Source: Jobling, 2010)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name and the name of the type genus, Buceros, are derived from Ancient Greek bous (‘cow’) and keras (‘horn’), referring to a peculiar protuberance, or casque, on the bill of most species. Hornbills are very noisy, and the casque is probably a means to increase the volume of their call, which carries a long distance. The casque of males is larger than that of females.

A number of species are presented on the page Animals – Birds: Hornbills.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek anthrax (‘coal-black’) and keros (‘horn’), thus ‘the coal-black ones with a horn’.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin albus (‘white’) and rostrum (‘bill’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oxys (‘sharp’ or ‘pointed’) and keras (‘horn’).

 

The male has a dark bill with a yellowish lower mandible, whereas that of the female is more yellow.

The specific name is derived from the Latin bi (two) and rostrum (‘bill’), alluding to the small protuberance on top of the bill, which, with a bit of imagination, looks like an extra bill.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘grey’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek aisakos. In Greek mythology, Aesacus was a prince of Troy, who was transformed into an unidentified bird. There are two versions of the myth. In one, Aesacus caused the death of the nymph Hesperie. He then committed suicide to share her days in eternity and was transformed into a long-necked, long-legged shorebird. In another version, he married Sterope. Mourning her premature death, he threw himself into the sea and was transformed into a cormorant. (Source: Jobling, 2010)

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin recurvus (‘bent backwards’) and rostrum (‘bill’). The upper mandible is straight, whereas the lower one is curved, giving the impression that the bill is upturned.

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are not closely related to cuckoos or shrikes. The name may refer to the grey colour of many cuckooshrikes, which makes them superficially resemble cuckoos.

 

Several of the species are very colourful, the males being predominantly red and black, the females yellow and black. Some members of the genus are presented on the pages Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan, and Birds in Bagan.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek peri (‘very’ or ‘all around’) and krokotos (‘golden-yellow’). The type specimen must have been a female!

The word minivet is of unknown origin.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek kinnamon (‘cinnamon’), thus ‘cinnamon-coloured’.

 

 

 

 

 

Formerly, it was regarded as a subspecies of the scarlet minivet, which is now called P. speciosus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the old days, these birds were often called goatsuckers, as it was believed that they would suck milk from goats at night. This belief dates back to Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder (c. 23-79 A.D.), who called these birds caprimulgus, derived from capra (‘she-goat’) and mulgere (‘to milk’). He wrote: “Those called goat-suckers, which resemble a rather large blackbird, are night thieves. They enter the shepherds’ stalls and fly to the goats’ udders in order to suck their milk, which injures the udder and makes it perish, and the goats they have milked in this way gradually go blind.”

In 1758, the name caprimulgus was adopted by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), when he named the European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus. In German, nightjars are still called Ziegenmelker (‘goat-milkers’).

 

The specific name refers to Mahratta, today called Maharashtra, in central India. This is odd, as the species is not supposed to occur so far south. The common name commemorates British colonel and naturalist William Henry Sykes (1790-1872), who served in India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only other member of the genus, the grey plover (P. squatarola), is presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa.

The generic name is from the Latin pluvia (‘rain’). An old word said that when golden plovers flocked, it would mean imminent rain.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘tawny’ or ‘yellowish-brown’, referring to the winter plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Latin, diminutive of vannus (‘winnowing fan’), referring to the whirring sound, produced by the wings of the northern lapwing (V. vanellus) during courtship display.

The common name is derived from Old English hleapewince, of hleapan (‘to leap’) and wince (‘move rapidly’), likewise alluding to the courtship display of the northern lapwing, when the male twists and turns at a tremendous speed over the meadows.

 

The specific name commemorates French naturalist and explorer Alfred Duvaucel (1793-1824), who went to India in 1818, and later to the Dutch East Indies (today Indonesia). Over the years, he collected numerous animals and plants for the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris. He died in India, only 31 years old, and rumours had it that he was killed by a tiger. In fact, this was not the case. In 1823, he was shooting an Indian rhinoceros, when another rhinoceros attacked and wounded him. His assistants transported him on an oxcart to the town of Sakrigali, from where he went to Bhagalpur, 50 km away. Here he was treated by a Scottish surgeon, and then travelled to Calcutta (today Kolkata), and further on to Madras (today Chennai), where he later died from weakness and dysentery.

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed from south-eastern Turkey through Iraq and Iran to the Indian Subcontinent and Indochina.

In Sinhalese, the bird is called kirala. It figures in the title of a novel, Call of the kirala, by Sri Lankan author James Shedden-Goonewardene (1921-1997), Hansa Publishers Limited, Colombo, 1971. Incidentally, his name is spelled Goonawardene on the cover of the book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Malabar Coast of south-western India, where the type specimen was collected.

 

 

 

 

 

The family and generic names are derived from Ancient Greek khloros (‘green’) and opsis (‘appearance’).

 

Previously, Jerdon’s leafbird was regarded as a subspecies of the more widespread blue-winged leafbird (then called C. cochinchinensis). However, it differs in morphology, lacking the blue flight feathers of that species. Following recent genetic research, C. cochinchinensis has been split into 3 separate species.

The specific name commemorates British physician and naturalist Thomas Caverhill Jerdon (1811-1872), who described many birds species in India, several of which are named after him.

 

 

 

 

 

The word stork originates in Ancient Germanic sturkoz.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek anastomoo (‘to furnish with a mouth’), in this connection meaning ‘with mouth wide open’.

 

When the British were ruling in India, hunters often shot the open-billed stork for meat, calling it the ‘beef-steak bird’, a term that was also used for the woolly-necked stork (below).

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘yawning’, derived from oscitare (‘to yawn’), naturally alluding to the beak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for storks.

 

Formerly, birds in Africa were regarded as a subspecies, microscelis, but today a number of authorities consider these birds a separate species, the African woolly-necked stork (C. microscelis), based entirely on geographical separation, which is odd, as many other bird species are found in tropical areas of the two continents, without being regarded as separate species.

When the British were ruling in India, hunters often shot this species for meat, calling it the ‘beef-steak bird’, a term that was also used for the open-billed stork (above). The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘bishop’, referring to the white ‘collar’, contrasting with the otherwise dark plumage, similar to a bishop’s attire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are characterized by sexual dimorphism in iris colour. The female has yellow iris, whereas that of the male is black or dark brown.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ephippios (‘saddle’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’), alluding to the yellow saddle-shaped shield on the bill of the saddle-billed stork.

 

The pictures below are all from Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, where 5 to 6 pairs of this species are usually present, except in very dry periods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek leptos (‘thin’ or ‘slender’) and ptilon (‘feather’), alluding to the scarcity of feathers on the head of these birds.

The marabou is presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa.

 

In Assamese, the bird is called hargila, derived from har (‘bone’) and gila (‘swallower’). As it often feeds in garbage dumps, it is regarded as an unclean bird and is generally left in peace, although it is sometimes hunted for the usage of its meat in local folk medicine.

In his book A General Synopsis of Birds (1781-1802), English physician and naturalist John Latham (1740-1837) included this bird, calling it the ‘giant crane’, and remarked that “the bird here quoted seems to be of the Heron tribe, and is a very large species.” Latham based his description on that given by British surgeon Edward Ives (1719-1786) in his A Voyage from England to India (1773). In his Supplement to the General Synopsis of Birds (1787), Latham included a coloured plate of the bird, based on a drawing in the collection of British naturalist Lady Mary Impey, wife of Sir Elijah Impey (1732-1809), who was chief justice of the Supreme Court at Fort William, the first settlement of the British East India Company in Bengal.

Based on Latham’s description, the bird was named Ardea dubia (‘doubtful heron’) in 1789 by German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin (1748-1804), who apparently had his doubts that it really was a heron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to Vietnam, and thence southwards to Indonesia, with the largest population in Cambodia. It is partial to wetlands, and, unlike the the greater adjutant and the marabou, it is not often seen near villages.

A portrait of this bird is shown on the page Animals: Portraits. It is also seen in a picture above of the greater adjutant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek mykterizo (‘to turn up the nose’), from mykter (‘snout’). Presumably, it refers to the large bill of these birds, causing them to raise their ‘nose’.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and kephale (‘head’). The common name alludes to the bright pink tertials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek orthotomeo (‘to cut straight’), which, like the common name, alludes to the way the nest of these birds is constructed. The edges of a large leaf are pierced with the bill and then ‘sewn’ together with plant fibre or spider silk, forming a ‘sack’, in which the actual grass nest is built.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of a shoemaker’, derived from suere (‘to stitch’ or ‘to sew’).

The tailorbird plays a significant role in the delightful short story Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, which relates how a valiant young grey mongoose (Urva edwardsii) rids a garden of dangerous cobras (Naja naja). This story is included in the famous The Jungle Book (1894), by English author Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). In the story, the tailorbird is named Darzee, which refers to one of the calls of the bird, rendered as whee-whee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin cinereus (‘ash-coloured’) and capillus (‘hair on the head’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who described numerous new species of birds and mammals in the Himalaya.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin in (‘not’) and ornatus (‘adorned’), alluding to the plain plumage of this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khalkos (‘bronze’) and phaps (‘pigeon’), alluding to all 3 species having more or less bronze-green wings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘dove’, the feminine form of columbus (‘male dove’), a Latinized version of Ancient Greek kolumbos (‘diver’). This name was applied by Greek comic-writer Aristophanes (c. 446-386 B.C.) to the rock pigeon (below), due to the ‘swimming’ motion made by its wings in flight.

 

It was named in honour of British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who described numerous new species of birds and mammals in the Himalaya. The common name alludes to the speckled breast of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and noton (‘back’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, the bird was domesticated at a very early stage and has since been brought to almost every corner of the world. Over time, more than a thousand breeds have evolved. In numerous cities around the world, birds have escaped to form huge feral populations. Feeding these birds is often a very popular occupation, despite the fact that they are a nuisance, dropping their guano everywhere, and maybe also spreading contagious diseases.

The specific name stems from Theodore Gaza’s work from 1476, Aristotelis de natura animalium, in which he translates the classical Greek word for dove, peleia (probably derived from pellos = ‘dark-coloured’), into livia, derived from the Latin livens (‘lead-coloured’), ultimately from livere (‘being bluish’).

Other pictures, depicting this bird, are shown on the page Animals: Urban animal life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin rupes (‘rock’ or ‘cliff’), alluding to the main habitat of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin dux, genitive ducis, meaning ‘leader’, like the common name presumably alluding to the large size of these birds.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘coppery’, presumably referring to the green wings.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek spilos (‘spot’) and peleia (‘dove’), referring to the white spots on the neck of the spotted dove.

 

It is widely distributed in Asia, from the Indian Subcontinent eastwards to China and Taiwan, and thence southwards through Indochina and the Philippines to Indonesia. 5 subspecies have been described.

The specific name is an alternative form of the Latin sinensis, meaning ‘Chinese’ or ‘from China’. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

Some authorities split this species into eastern spotted dove (S. chinensis) and western spotted dove (S. suratensis).

 

 

 

 

 

Alternative names include palm dove and Senegal dove, and in India it is known as little brown dove. The name laughing dove stems from its characteristic cooing, a low, drawn-out croo-doo-doo-doo-doo, somewhat reminiscent of a laughter.

Other pictures, dipicting this species, are shown on the pages Animals – Birds: Birds in Africa, and Animals: Urban animal life.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek streptos, which literally means ‘twisted’, but in this connection ‘wearing a torque’ (a twisted necklace), alluding to the semi-collar of many members of the genus; and peleia (‘dove’).

Other species, which were formerly placed in this genus, have been moved to the genera Spilopelia (above) and Nesoenas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male is quite distinct, having grey head, black collar on the hind neck, red wings, and reddish breast, which has given rise to the name of the species. The female is brownish, also with a black collar.

The specific name means ‘from Tranquebar’, a former Danish colony on the east coast of South India, in present-day Tamil Nadu. Presumably, the type specimen of the red turtle dove was collected there. This area is presented on the page Culture: Entrances.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘shy’ or ‘timid’, a term often used about doves by classical poet Homer (c. 750 B.C.).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘related to’ or ‘similar to’, presumably another Treron species.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek phoinix (‘crimson’) and pteron (‘wing’) – an odd name for this bird, which shows no red in the wing.

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed in the entire Himalaya, and in Bangladesh, north-eastern India, south-western China, Indochina, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java, living in subtropical and tropical, moist forests.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek sphen (‘wedge’) and oura (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

The name roller was given in allusion to the aerial acrobatics that some of these birds perform during courtship display.

 

The majority of these birds live in sub-Saharan Africa, with one species in Europe and western Asia, two widespread Asian species, and one species restricted to Sulawesi and surrounding islands.

The generic name is a Latinized form of Ancient Greek korakias (‘crow-like’), from korax (‘raven’). When he named the genus in 1758, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) presumably regarded rollers as closely related to crows.

A number of species are presented on the page In praise of the colour blue.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of Bengal’. Strictly speaking, Bengal is the lowland around the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, but in 1758, when Linnaeus described the bird, the term ‘Bengal’ indicated a much larger portion of northern India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numerous members of the family are presented on the page Animals – Birds: Corvids.

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the common raven (below).

 

Due to its intelligent behaviour, this bird appears in several mythologies across Eurasia. In Norse mythology, two ravens, Hugin (‘thought’) and Munin (‘memory’), were the servants of the supreme god Odin, bringing news to him from all over the world.

The specific name is the classical Greek word for the common raven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In its widest sense, including the two splits, this bird is found from Afghanistan and the entire Indian Subcontinent eastwards to south-eastern Siberia (Ussuriland) and Japan, and thence southwards through Indochina and the Philippines to Indonesia. It lives in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, rocky areas, cultivated land, and along rivers. In the Himalaya, it is found up to elevations of at least 3,000 m.

The large-billed crow is quite similar to the common raven (above), but, besides its smaller size, it may be identified by the slimmer bill and the steeper ‘forehead’.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek macros (‘long’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the last hundred years or so, this species has spread to many cities in Asia and Africa, arriving as ‘blind passenger’ on board ships. It is also found in a few coastal towns of Europe and North America.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘brilliant’ or ‘glittering’, derived from splendere (‘to shine’). From certain angles, the wings of this species are shining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’) and kitta, which was the classical Greek name of the common jay (Garrulus glandarius), but also refers to magpies in general. The word pie is of Indo-European origin, meaning ‘pointed’, referring to the long, pointed tail of these birds.

 

In 1544, when the Portuguese first saw Taiwan from the sea, they named it Formosa (‘beautiful’). Since then many plants and animals, which were described from specimens collected on the island, were named various forms of this word.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and gaster (‘belly’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name means ‘wanderer’ in the Latin. It is not known what it refers to. A local name of this bird in India is taka chor (‘coin thief’), alluding to its habit of picking up shiny objects, similar to the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most important food item for these birds are seeds of various pines (Pinus), which they break open with their powerful bill. This fact is reflected by the generic name, which is derived from the Latin nuci (‘nut’) and frango (‘to break’).

When pine nuts are abundant, they make caches of surplus seeds, storing as many as 30,000 in a single season. They are able to remember the location of as many as about 70% of their stash, even when buried in snow. They often store the nuts far away from where they were collected, and are thus important in re-establishing forests in logged or burned areas. (Source: D.F. Tomback 2016, in Why birds matter: avian ecological function and ecosystem services, edited by Sekercioglu, Wenny & Whelan, University of Chicago Press)

In regions without pine trees, seeds of spruce (Picea) and hazelnuts (Corylus) form an important part of the diet.

 

Four subspecies are recognized, hemispila in the western and central Himalaya, macella from the eastern Himalaya eastwards to south-western and central China, interdicta in northern China, and owstoni in Taiwan.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek hemi, which, strictly speaking, means ‘half’, but in this connection should be translated as ‘small’, and spilos (‘spot’), alluding to the rather small white spots on the breast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, following genetic research it has been suggested that the former black-billed magpie should be split into a number of separate species, the Eurasian magpie (P. pica), the Maghreb magpie (P. mauritanica) of North Africa, the Asir magpie (P. asirensis) of south-western Saudi Arabia, the Oriental magpie (P. serica) of eastern and southern China, Taiwan, and northern Indochina, the black-rumped magpie (P. bottanensis) of west-central China and the north-eastern Himalaya, and the black-billed magpie (P. hudsonia) of western North America. They are all very much alike, so why this split was made is a mystery to me, and I prefer to regards these magpies as subspecies of a single species.

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the magpie, derived from the Latin picata, which, strictly speaking, means ‘smeared with tar’, but in a wider sense ‘black-and-white’.

The word pie is of Indo-European origin, meaning ‘pointed’, in this case no doubt referring to the long, pointed tail of these birds. The prefix mag dates from the 16th Century, a short form of the name Margaret, which was a term used for women in general. The call of the bird was likened to the chattering of women, and so it was called mag-pie. (Source: etymonline.com/word/magpie)

The role of the magpie in European folklore is related on the page Animals: Urban animal life.

 

As described above, some subspecies have been upgraded to separate species by some authorities.

The distribution of subspecies bactriana, called Russian magpie, just reaches northern Pakistan and Ladakh. The subspecific name refers to Bactriana, in Persian Bakhtar, an ancient region north of the Hindu Kush Mountains and south of the Amu Darya River, covering a flat region in present-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The black-rumped magpie, subspecies bottanensis, is found in Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pyrrhos (‘flame-coloured’), from pyr (‘fire’), and korax (‘raven’), presumably alluding to the bright red bill of the red-billed chough.

 

It is very common in the Himalaya, generally found at higher altitudes than the red-billed chough (below).

The specific name was the classical Latin word for an unidentified bird, which later authors identified as the jackdaw (Coloeus monedula). Perhaps it refers to the fact that this bird is small, just like the jackdaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These birds feed mainly on large insects and other invertebrates, and on various fruits, but are also notorious plunderers of eggs and young from smaller birds’ nests.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oura (‘tail’) and kissa, which, originally, was the name of the jay (Garrulus glandarius), but could also refer to magpies in general, thus ‘long-tailed magpie’.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’).

 

 

 

 

 

It resembles the red-billed blue magpie (above), but has a yellow bill and less white on the hindneck. It also mainly lives at higher altitudes.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘yellow-billed’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its food mainly consists of frogs, lizards, insects and other invertebrates, and to some degree it also eats fruit.

The pictures below were all taken in Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Blue magpies arrive every morning at a forest lodge to eat dead or injured moths beneath the lamps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kentron (‘spur’ or ‘spike’) and pous (‘foot’), alluding to the spur of these birds.

 

In India, the deep call of this bird was associated with spirits and ill omens. In traditional medicine, it was believed that the meat of the bird could cure pulmonary diseases.

When the British were ruling in India, newly arrived soldiers often mistook it for a pheasant and shot it for the pot. However, it has a bad taste, and soldiers in India gave it the nickname ‘griff’s pheasant’, griff or griff-haw being a term used by experienced soldiers about new recruits or other ignorant persons.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘from China’. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin clamare (‘to shout’), alluding to the loud mating call of the type species of the genus, the great spotted cuckoo (C. glandarius).

 

The Jacobin cuckoo is associated with a mythological bird, known as the chataka, from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Book 12. This bird had a beak on top of its head and was waiting for rain to quench its thirst.

The specific and English names refer to the plumage of this bird, which resembles the black and white garments of Dominican monks, who, in French, were known as Jacobins.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for cuckoos.

The English name was adapted from Old French cucu. Its earliest recorded usage in England is from around 1240, in a Middle English song, the first two lines of which are: Sumer Is Icumen In, Lhude Sing Cuccu (‘Summer has come in, loudly sing, cuckoo!’). (Source: Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press)

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘melodious’, derived from canere (‘to sing’).

 

 

 

 

 

This bird is very noisy during the breeding season, with a distinctive chattering call of 5 to 6 notes, rendered as ‘That’s your choky pepper … choky pepper’ (accent on the first choky), or pretty-peel-lay-ka-beet. It lays its eggs in the nests of babblers, warblers, and other small birds. (Source: indiabiodiversity.org)

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek polios (‘grey’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, it was known as oriental cuckoo, and was regarded as occurring over wide areas of Asia. However, in 2005, it was split into 3 separate species, mainly based on vocalization, the Himalayan cuckoo, the oriental cuckoo (C. optatus), which occurs in northern Asia, and the Sunda cuckoo (C. lepidus), which breeds in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rich’ or ‘full’. It is not clear what it refers to.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek phoinix (‘crimson’) and phao (‘to shine’), like the Sinhalese name malkoha (‘flower-cuckoo’) alluding to the red-faced malkoha (P. pyrrhocephalus), which is endemic to the highlands of Sri Lanka.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin viridis (‘green’) and rostrum (‘bill’). The common name alludes to a patch of bare blue skin around the eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek dikros (‘forked’) and oura (‘tail’), referring to the forked tail of these birds.

In Australia, the common name is slang for foolish or stupid people. It stems back from the 1920s, when an Australian racehorse, which was apparently named after the bird, never won a race during its active 5 years, and the word was transferred to any slow-witted or clumsy person. This can by no means apply to the clever and agile drongos!

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘bluish’, alluding to the bluish sheen on the crown and wing coverts.

 

 

 

 

 

Several of the subspecies resemble the black drongo (below), but are greyer. At close quarters, you notice the red iris, whereas the black drongo has black iris. The latter often has a small white dot below the eye.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and phaios (‘dusky’), thus, strictly speaking, it means ‘dusky-white’. However, it is mostly used to indicate ‘ash-coloured’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The black drongo lives in open areas, where it catches flying insects from a prominent perch, such as an electric wire or a bare branch.

As its name implies, the plumage of this species is jet-black, with very little sheen. It often has a small white dot below the eye (see picture below).

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek macros (‘long’) and kerkos (‘tail’).

Previously, it was regarded as conspecific with the African fork-tailed drongo, which is today treated as a separate species, D. adsimilis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is widely distributed, living in forests of the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It often follows mixed flocks of feeding birds and is an expert in stealing their food. An example of this behaviour is described on the page Quotes on Nature.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Old German word for these birds, Embritz.

 

In the Himalaya, it is distributed from central Nepal westwards, in the summer occurring at elevations between 2,400 and 4,600 m, in the winter descending to about 1,800 m.

The specific name is derived from a local Italian name for this bird, from zirlare (‘to chirp’).

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of these birds are in the pet trade, and many of them have escaped to form feral populations.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek lonkhe (‘spear-head’ or ‘lance’) and oura (‘tail’), alluding to the pointed tail of some members of the genus.

 

The specific name alludes to the pale brown streaks on the upperside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin falx, or falcis (‘sickle’), referring to the claws.

 

The species was described by French naturalist and explorer François Levaillant (1753-1824), based on a specimen from Bengal. According to his notes, he was told that its local name was chicquera, but what he probably heard was the Hindi word shikari (‘hunter’).

 

 

 

 

 

When diving for prey, this bird is the fastest of all animals, sometimes reaching speeds of more than 300 km/h.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘wanderer’.

 

 

 

 

 

In the Indian Subcontinent it breeds in western Pakistan, the Himalaya, and the West Ghats, and is a common passage migrant and winter visitor elsewhere in the subcontinent.

The specific name is the classical Latin name of the kestrel, derived from tinnulus (‘shrill sound’). The term kestrel is usually applied to smaller falcons, which often hunt by hovering.

The term kestrel is usually applied to falcons, which often hunt by hovering.

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Latin fringilla (‘finch’), originally from frigutio (‘I chirp’).

 

The generic name is a Latinized version of Ancient Greek bukanetes (‘trumpeter’), alluding to the call of the trumpeter finch (below).

 

The specific name refers to the corn-cockle (Agrostemma githago). The connection is obscure.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek karpos (‘fruit’) and dakno (‘to bite’).

 

In the Himalaya, it is a fairly common breeding bird, in summer found at elevations between 3,300 and 4,000 m, in winter descending to the lowlands and up to about 2,000 m. Two subspecies are encountered, roseatus, in which the male is bright red all over, except for the reddish-brown wings and the whitish vent, and erythrinus, where the red is restricted to the upper breast and head, and the rump. The former race is resident, the latter a passage migrant.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’), alluding to the bright red plumage of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is composed of the Latin pulcher (‘beautiful’), and a superlative adjective, thus ‘very beautiful’.

Some authorities now regard subspecies davidianus as a separate species, named Chinese beautiful rosefinch (C. davidianus).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is found from north-eastern Afghanistan along the Himalaya eastwards to Bhutan and adjacent areas of Tibet, breeding in alpine meadows, shrubberies, and forest edges at elevations between 2,400 and 4,200 m. In winter, many birds descend to lower areas, some as low as 1,800 m.

The specific name was given in honour of Thura Nilsson, daughter of Swedish zoologist and archaeologist Sven Nilsson (1787-1883).

Eastern populations have been elevated to a separate species, the Chinese white-browed rosefinch (C. dubius).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from khloris, the classical Greek name of the European greenfinch, from khloros (‘green’).

 

This species occurs from Afghanistan along the Himalaya to northern Vietnam, living in temperate forest and shrubland. In the Himalaya, it may be encountered in summer at altitudes between 2,400 and 4,000 m, in winter between 900 and 1,800 m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek leukostiktos (‘white-speckled’, ‘white-spotted’, or ‘grizzled’), from leukos (‘white’) and stiktos (‘spotted’). It may apply to the speckled underside of Brandt’s mountain finch (below).

 

In the Himalaya, it occurs at elevations above 4,200 m in summer, occasionally encountered up to about 6,000 m. In winter, it descends to slightly lower altitudes, usually above 3,000 m.

This species is also known as black-headed mountain finch, alluding to the black head of the male in the breeding season.

The specific and common names honour Johann Friedrich von Brandt (1802-1879), a Prussian zoologist in the Russian service, and explorer of Siberia.

 

 

 

 

 

Another name of this species is Hodgson’s mountain finch, so named in honour of British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who described numerous new species of birds and mammals in the Himalaya, including this bird, in 1836.

The specific name is derived from the Latin nemus (‘forest’ or ‘wood’) and cola (‘dweller’), from colere (‘to dwell’) – not a well-chosen name for this bird, which is mainly living in open areas.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek mykerobas (‘nut-breaker’), from mykeros (‘almond’).

 

In the Himalaya, it breeds at elevations between 2,700 and 4,200 m, in winter moving to lower altitudes, occasionally as low as 1,100 m.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘related to’, in this case referring to the black-and-yellow grosbeak (M. icterioides).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Himalaya, it breeds at elevations between 3,000 and 4,600 m, in winter moving to lower altitudes around 2,800 m.

The specific name is derived from the Latin carnis (‘flesh’) and pes (‘foot’), thus ‘with flesh-coloured feet’. The popular name alludes to a white patch on the primaries.

The popular name alludes to a white patch on the primaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Himalaya it is rather uncommon, in summer encountered up to altitudes around 3,400 m, in winter found as low as 1,400 m.

The male is similar to the male collared grosbeak (above), but mantle and back are black, and it has many white spots in the wing. The female is yellowish, heavily streaked with black above and below. Immature males are a mixture of the two.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melas (‘black’) and xanthos (‘yellow’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pro (‘before’ or ‘close to’), and the genus name Carduelis (European goldfinch). It is not easy to see the connection, as the two birds look entirely different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1836, British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894) described this bird, calling it Pyrrhoplectes epauletta, from Pyrrhula (bullfinch, below), Euplectes (the African bishops), and the French épaulette (‘shoulder ornament’), thus ‘the epauletted bird that looks like a mixture of a bullfinch and a bishop’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pyr (‘fire’), and the Latin ulus, a suffix indicating something small, thus ‘a small fire’, naturally alluding to the red or reddish colour of the males of several species of the genus.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a diminutive of the Latin glarea (‘gravel’), thus ‘the one found in small gravel’, alluding to the preferred nesting place of these birds.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘milky-white’, derived from lactis (‘milk’), presumably alluding to its underside.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Maldive Islands. In his book A General Synopsis of Birds (1781-1802), English physician and naturalist John Latham (1740-1837) writes: “This (bird) was taken at open sea, in the latitude of the Maldivia Isles. It lived a month on flies, and bread soaked in water.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Greek mythology, Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus, who unwittingly killed his father Laius, king of Thebes, and married the widow, his mother Jocasta. When Jocasta learned the truth of their relationship, she hanged herself, and Oedipus, according to one version of the story, went into exile after blinding himself, accompanied by his daughters Antigone and Ismene.

 

Even though the Indians for religious reasons leave the large birds alone, it declined drastically here for a number of years due to draining, increased cultivation, urban development, induatrial pollution, and increased usage of pesticides. In Indochina, it is threatened by draining, building of dams, overgrazing, poaching, and illegal collecting of eggs. The prolonged wars in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia also took its toll of cranes. In Australia, threats include draining and grazing by cattle.

Today, it is estimated that the total global population is 15-20,000, of which 8-10,000 are found in northern India, where it is now slowly recovering due to increased protection.

It is resident, but outside the breeding season it disperses to areas with abundant rainfall. The two eastern subspecies are found in wetlands, and outside the breeding season also in grasslands and farmland. The Indian subspecies is used to people and may nest in very small wetlands in agricultural areas.

In India, it is said that when the sarus cranes flock, it is a sign of the imminent monsoon rains. As cranes pair for life, the sarus crane is also a symbol of a happy marriage. In Hindu mythology, the goddess Baglamukhi has the head of a crane. She is a master of black magic and all sorts of killing with poisons.

The common name is the Hindi name for the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of cranes, presumably an imitation of their call.

 

The common crane usually breeds in larger wetlands, but in Europe it has adapted to smaller marshes. The western populations spend the winter in the Iberian Peninsula, France, north-western Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Iran, whereas eastern populations winter in northern India and eastern China. In winter, it forms flocks counting several thousand, feeding in meadows and farmland, and along rivers. Birds in the Iberian Peninsula may also be encountered in woods of holm oak (Quercus ilex), whose acorns they eat.

With a total population of nearly 700,000, the Eurasian crane is one of the most numerous crane species, only surpassed by the sandhill crane (G. canadensis). In western Europe, breeding numbers have increased dramatically in several countries, including Sweden with 15,000 to 20,000 pairs, Germany with about 8.000 pairs, and Denmark with about 500 pairs. In 1998, the total number in Europe was estimated at 45,000 pairs, but this number has since increased significantly.

The rise in numbers in Europe is probably due to the fact that hunting has decreased significantly, and that waste maize, which is very nutritious, now constitutes a significant part of its food. In the other parts of its distribution area, it is slightly decreasing due to draining, building of dams, increased cultivation, mercury pollution, oil drilling, hunting, and persecution due to crop damage. The relict population of subspecies archibaldi in Turkey and the Caucasus counts less than 100 pairs and is thus severely threatened.

 

 

 

 

 

In winter, the birds migrate to less harsh areas of southern Tibet and the provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan, and also a few hundred to Assam and Bhutan.

An account of my encounter with this bird is related on the page Travel episodes – China 2009: Among black-necked cranes.

The specific name is derived from the Latin niger (‘black’) and collum (‘neck’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The demoiselle crane lives on steppes with scattered wetlands, but may also be found in stony plains and deserts, as long as it has access to water. Occasionally, it breeds in farmland. It is distributed in a belt from Ukraine through Kazakhstan to Mongolia and north-eastern China. There is a tiny population in Turkey, and previously it was also found in Morocco where it is now extinct. It has also formerly bred in Romania.

It is a migrant, western populations wintering in north-eastern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia westwards to Chad and eastern Nigeria, whereas the East Asian populations migrate along the valleys of the Himalaya in autumn, spending the winter in India, where it occurs in flocks counting thousands. In the winter quarters, it often feeds in farmland.

The demoiselle crane is a common species, altogether counting around 250,000. Overall, it is increasing, even though some populations decline a little due to draining, overgrazing, increased farming, urban development, poisoning by pesticides, and hunting. About 5000 demoiselle cranes and common cranes are shot every year for human consumption during the migration through Afghanistan and Pakistan. In the wintering areas, some birds are shot due to crop damage. The species is classified as vulnerable, and populations in Ukraine and Turkey are threatened.

In Gujarat and Rajasthan, demoiselle cranes are fed with corn, donated by rich Jain traders. The pictures below are from the village of Kichan, Rajasthan, where 5-6000 demoiselle cranes that winter in the area, are traditionally fed. Every morning at dawn, the birds arrive to a certain place in the village, where corn is spread out for them. After feeding they fly out to a nearby dune area to rest.

 

 

 

 

 

This bird, which is restricted to wetlands, was formerly widely distributed in northern Siberia, but has been declining drastically since the 1800s. The eastern population, counting 3500-3800 individuals, predominantly breeds in the Yakutia Republic and a little further eastwards. It is wintering at the Yangtze River in China, 98% in Lake Poyang. A part of this lake is protected, but is threatened by a collection of huge dams, Three Gorges, which now control the annual inundations of the lake area. Other threats include mercury poisoning and oil drilling in Siberia.

The central and western Siberian populations, whionce bred along the Ob River, are now practically extinct. The western population spent the winter around the Caspian Sea. In the 1990s, up to 10 birds could still be seen there, but the number dwindled to 4 in 2002, and just a single bird since 2010.

The central population spent the winter in northern India. In Keoladeo National Park, up to around 200 birds were still found here until the 1960s, but the number was declining alarmingly, and in the 1970s only about 75 birds remained.

The International Crane Foundation attempted to try to save this population by placing eggs of Siberian cranes in nests of common cranes, which would then rear the young. But numbers still declined in Keoladeo to count just 4 individuals in 1996, and the last observation was in 2002. The birds were shot for human consumption during the migration through Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Keoladeo, attempts have been made to hatch eggs of Siberian cranes in nests of sarus cranes, but the young were imprinted on their foster parents and stayed with them year-round in the area.

In Ancient times, the Siberian crane was wintering as far west as Egypt. A relief from Saqqara, which is now in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, depicts 6 Siberian cranes, and there is also a picture depicting a Siberian crane in Senet’s grave from the 12th dynasty (1991-1785 B.C.). A Siberian crane is also mentioned in a text, written by Egyptian author an-Nuwayri (1279-1332 A.D.).

The pictures below are all from Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan, taken in the 1970s and 1980s. At that time, a few Siberian cranes still spent the winter here, but the species has been absent from the park since 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Europe, the term swallow is mainly used for species with forked tails, martin mainly for species with squarish tails. In America, however, the term martin is reserved for members of the genus Progne.

 

The genus may be named for Kekropia, a mythical king of Athens. Jobling (2010) mentions Kekropis, a woman from Athens, without further explanation.

 

This bird has now been split into 3 separate species, the European red-rumped swallow (C. rufula), the African red-rumped swallow (C. melanocrissus), which occurs from the Sahel zone, Sudan, and Eritrea southwards to Zambia, and the eastern red-rumped swallow, which is found from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, south-eastern Siberia, and Japan southwards to central India and Indonesia. The latter includes the formerly accepted striated swallow (C. striolata), which breeds in the Far East and Southeast Asia.

The specific name refers to Dauria, a landscape in south-eastern Siberia, in which a nomadic Mongolian tribe, the Dauuri or Daguuri, once lived. Presumably the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for swallow.

 

The underside is almost snow-white, the upperparts dark blue, and the cap is chestnut. The female has shorter ‘wires’ on the tail than the male.

The specific name commemorates Norwegian physician, botanist, and geologist Christen Smith (1785-1816). He participated in an expedition to the Canary Islands and Madeira, collecting more than 600 species of plants, of which about 50 were new to science. Later, he joined a scientific expedition, the aim of which was to travel up the Congo River to determine whether it had any connection to the Niger basins further west. The expedition ship HMS Congo was so heavy that it could only negotiate the lower part of the river, and the lighter vessel Dorothy was stopped by rapids 160 km inland. The expedition members continued on foot along the river, but lack of food, hostile natives, and disease soon took their toll, and the expedition members had to turn back. Altogether, 18 of the 56 participants perished, including Smith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek petros (‘rock’) and khelidon (‘swallow’), alluding to a type of swallow building its nest on rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin ripa (‘riverbank’), alluding to the preferred breeding habitat of these birds.

 

Previously, it was regarded as a subspecies of the plain martin (R. paludicola), today called brown-throated martin, which is now restricted to Africa.

The specific name is an alternative form of the Latin sinensis, meaning ‘Chinese’ or ‘from China’. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It places its nest among pebbles in broad, shallow rivers of Central Asia, distributed from southern Kazakhstan southwards to northern Afghanistan and thence eastwards across the entire Tibet to western and north-central China. In the Himalaya, it is a fairly frequent breeding bird, found at elevations between 3,800 and 4,200 m. The winter months are spent in the foothills.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ibis (‘ibis’) and rhynkhos (‘bill’), alluding to the ibis-like bill. The specific name was given in honour of Dr. Struthers of Glasgow, who collected specimens of the bird from the Himalaya in the 19th Century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacana was the spelling that Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) used when he named the wattled jacana Parra jacana in 1766 (today Jacana jacana). The original Portuguese spelling was jaçana (pronounced approximately zasana), which was derived from a local Tupi name of the bird, ñahana.

 

This is one of the few polyandrous bird species, each female mating with several males and laying several clutches of eggs. When they hatch, the slightly smaller male will take care of the chicks.

The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘water-pheasant’, alluding to its long tail in the breeding plumage.

The specific name takes some explanation. It is derived from Ancient Greek kheirourgos (‘surgeon’). French naturalist, colonial administrator, and explorer Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814) travelled widely in Asia for many years, where he described numerous species of plants and animals. In his book Voyage à la Nouvelle Guinée (1776), he included an illustration of a bird, which he called Le Chirurgien de l’Isle de Luzon (‘The surgeon of the island of Luzon’), alluding to its long toes and the spine on its wing, which he likened to a surgeon’s scalpel. Based on his description, Italian physician and naturalist Giovanni Scopoli (1723-1788), in his book Deliciae Florae et Faunae Insubricae (1786), named the bird Tringa chirurgus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Ancient Greek, meaning ‘on the forehead’, derived from metopon (‘forehead’ or ‘brow’), alluding to the clear white eyebrow, stretching from the eye to the hindneck.

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, the family was much larger, including bushshrikes, puffbacks, tchagras, boubous, and helmetshrikes. However, genetic research has shown that these groups are not closely related to shrikes. As a consequence, bushshrikes, puffbacks, tchagras, and boubous have been moved to the family Malaconotidae, helmetshrikes to the family Vangidae (below).

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin lanio (‘butcher’), derived from laniare (‘tearing to pieces’). Shrikes were formerly known as ‘butcher-birds’, referring to their habit of storing prey by impaling it on thorns and sharp twigs, thus resembling a butcher’s slaughterhouse. The name shrike stems from Old English scric, alluding to their call.

 

The brown shrike spends the winter in warmer parts of Asia.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘crested’ – not an appropriate name for this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘sentinel’. Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) notes that this bird watches for the approach of hawks and warns other small birds, hence the Swedish name varfågel, derived from varna (‘to warn’) and fågel (‘bird’). However, according to A dictionary of birds, by A. Newton & H. Gadow (1893-1896), the name stems from the usage of the bird as a sentinel by falconers when catching wild hawks. (Source: Jobling, 2010)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The distribution area of two subspecies overlap in northern India and central Nepal, erythronotus, sometimes called rufous-backed shrike, in the western part, and tricolor, often called black-headed shrike, in the eastern part. Occasionally, mixed breeding pairs of the two races occur. It may be encountered up to elevations around 3,000 m.

The specific name is onomatopoeic, applied to the long-tailed shrike in 1757 by Swedish explorer and naturalist Pehr Osbeck (1723-1805), who was an apostle of the famous Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778). In 1750-1752, he travelled on board the Prins Carl to Asia, where he spent four months studying flora, fauna, and culture in the Canton region of southern China. Returning home, he contributed more than 600 plant species to Linnaeus’ Species Plantarum, published in 1753. In 1757, he published an account of his work in China, called Dagbok öfwer en Ostindisk resa åren 1750, 1751, 1752: Med anmärkningar uti naturkunnigheten, främmande folkslags språk, seder, hushållning, m. m. (‘Diary of a Journey to the East Indies 1750, 1751, 1752: with comments on natural history, and language, customs, household etc. of foreign peoples’).

Other pictures, depicting this bird, may be seen on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the breeding season, it may be found at elevations between 2,200 and 4,600 m, in winter descending to lower altitudes around 2,000 m, sometimes as low as 300 m.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek tephros (‘ash-coloured’) and noton (‘back’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘banded’, presumably alluding to the striking black face mask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A large number of species are described on the page Animals – Birds: Gulls, terns and skimmers.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khelidonios (‘swallow-like’), from khelidon (‘swallow’), referring to the elegant flying style of these terns.

 

The specific name, meaning ‘hybrid’ in Latin, was applied by Prussian naturalist Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811), who presumed that the bird he shot was a hybrid between white-winged tern (C. leucoptera) and common tern (Sterna hirundo). Pallas’s travels are described above under Haliaeetus leucoryphus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and pteron (‘wing’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khroizo (‘to colour’) and kephale (‘head’), alluding to the dark head of many of the species in the breeding season.

 

It resembles the widespread black-headed gull (C. ridibundus), but has a pale, ‘staring’ eye.

The specific name is derived from the Latin brunneus (‘brown’) and Ancient Greek kephale (‘head’), alluding to the brown head in the breeding plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name stems from German naturalist and explorer Peter Simon Pallas (1741-1811). During his travels in Siberia and Kyrgyzstan in 1773, he collected a large gull, naming it Larus ichthyaetus, derived from Ancient Greek ikhthys (‘fish’) and aetos (‘eagle’), loosely translated as ‘the fish-eating gull that resembles an eagle’, presumably alluding to its large size. Thus the generic name means ‘fish-eagle’ – a very unfortunate name for a genus of gulls!

 

As explained above, the scientific name of this species means ‘fish-eagle fish-eagle’ – a ridiculous name for a gull.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Old English stearn, which appears in the poem The Seafarer, from the 10th Century. A similar word was used for these birds by the Frisians, whereas the Scandinavians used, and still use, the word terne (Danish and Norwegian) or tärna (Swedish).

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin acutus (‘sharp-pointed’) and cauda (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin aurantia (‘orange’), which refers to the colour of the bill.

 

 

 

 

In the remaining part of the subcontinent, the species may be observed on passage. It spends the winter along coasts from about 20 degrees northern latitude southwards to southern South America, Africa, India, and Australia.

The specific name is the Latin name of swallows. It dates back to the 1600s, where the bird was called Hirundo marina (‘sea-swallow’) by English ornithologist and ichthyologist Francis Willughby (1635-1672). The name alludes to the elegant flight of terns.

 

 

 

 

 

In the past, these genera all belonged to the family Timaliidae, which constituted a true ‘waste-bin of systematics’, in which hundreds of bird species were placed. Today, most of these species have been moved to other families.

The Asian members of the family live in a wide range of habitats, from humid tropical rainforests to rather cold areas in China, Taiwan, and the Himalaya.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek actinodes (‘ray-like’) and oura (‘tail’), perhaps alluding to the rays of the sun.

 

It is divided into at least 6 subspecies, living in montane forests at elevations between 1,800 and 3,750 m, but in winter sometimes observed as low as 1,300 m. It is distributed from western Nepal eastwards across north-eastern India, Indochina, and Malaysia to southern China and Vietnam.

The specific name is derived from the Latin stria (‘furrow’) and gula (‘throat’), thus ‘with a striated throat’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin argutus (‘noisy’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘related to’ or ‘similar to’, presumably another Argya species.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin cauda (‘tail’), referring to its very long tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name honours Major-General John Malcolm (1769-1833), who was administrator and diplomat in the British East India Company, and governor of Bombay 1826-1830.

 

 

 

 

 

It is often confiding. In his novel Kim (1901), English author Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) writes: “By this time, the sun was driving broad golden spokes through the lower branches of the mango trees; the parakeets and doves were coming home in their hundreds; the chattering, grey-backed Seven Sisters, talking over the day’s adventures, walked back and forth in twos and threes almost under the feet of the travelers.”

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘striated’ – not a descriptive name, as this bird is not heavily streaked. The name would have been more appropriate for the common babbler (above).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin garrire (‘to chatter’), referring to the intense noise that many of these birds create when travelling around in groups.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and lophos (‘crest’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek grammatos (‘line’ or ‘letter’) and ptilon (‘wing’ or ‘feather’), thus ‘with lined wing’ (or plumage).

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘haltered’. Maybe it refers to the black cap, which, with a good portion of imagination, resembles a halter.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ianthos (‘violet-coloured’), and the Latin cinclus (‘thrush’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘marked with small eyes’, derived from oculus (‘eye’), alluding to the markings on back and wings.

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin mons (‘mountain’), and Ancient Greek kinklos, which denotes a small unidentified bird, possibly a trush.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin cachinnare (‘to laugh’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘related to’, in this case referring to the variegated laughing-thrush (below).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

The plumage of this species is quite variable, reddish-brown with varying amounts of grey. The flight feathers, however, are always bright reddish-brown. It is very confiding, and if you stand still, it may even hop around at your feet.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘marked with lines’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin turdus (‘thrush’), and Ancient Greek oides (‘resembling’).

The popular name refers to the noisy behaviour of some babblers of the genus Argya, which were previously placed in Turdoides.

 

It was described in 1836 by British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), but was not seen again until the late 1940s, where it was re-discovered by American ornithologist Sidney Dillon Ripley (1913-2001).

It is threatened by expansion of urban areas and clearance of shrubberies to create fields.

 

 

 

 

These colourful, small to medium-sized birds were formerly placed in the family Capitonidae, which also included New World barbets and African barbets, but the Asian species have been found to be distinctive and now constitute a separate family, with African barbets (Lybiidae) and toucans (Ramphastidae) as sister groups.

 

Fruits of various fig species (Ficus) constitute a significant part of the diet of these birds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Now,” he said, when he awoke, “I will go back to the house. Tell the Coppersmith, Darzee, and he will tell the garden that Nagaina is dead.”

The Coppersmith is a bird who makes a noise exactly like the beating of a little hammer on a copper pot; and the reason he is always making it is because he is the town-crier to every Indian garden, and tells all the news to everybody who cares to listen. As Rikki-Tikki went up the path, he heard his ‘attention’ notes like a tiny dinner-gong; and then the steady “Ding-dong-tock! Nag is dead—dong! Nagaina is dead! Ding-dong-tack!”

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek haema (‘blood’) and kephale (‘head’), referring to the bright red forehead. The monotonous call of the bird has been likened to the sound produced by a hammering coppersmith, hence its name.

 

 

 

 

 

It resembles the brown-headed barbet (below), but crown and neck are paler and more heavily streaked.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Malabar Coast of south-western India.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘green’ – an odd name for this colourful bird, especially when many other species in the genus are mainly green!

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘green’ – a rather non-descriptive name, as all members of the genus are mainly green.

 

 

 

 

 

It resembles the lineated barbet (above), but crown and neck are darker brown and less heavily streaked.

The specific name refers to Sri Lanka, called Ceylon in the British colonial time. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Greek name of the European bee-eater (M. apiaster). Originally it meant ‘endowed with speech’, used in poetry to describe articulated people who ‘divided voices’, from meros (‘portion’) and ops (‘voice’).

 

The specific name was given in honour of French botanist and ornithologist Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour (1773-1826), who travelled widely in Java, India, and South America, bringing large collections of plants and birds back to France.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to the Philippines. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek terpsi (‘delighting in’) and phonos (‘voice’).

These birds were previously regarded as Old World flycatchers of the family Muscicapidae.

 

Divided into 3 subspecies, this bird occurs from southern Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan southwards through eastern Afghanistan to the entire Indian Subcontinent and western Myanmar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) mentions anthos, a small, brightly coloured bird, and Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) mentions anthus, both maybe referring to the yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava).

In Greek mythology, Anthos, son of Antinous and Hippodamia, was trampled to death by his father’s horses. The gods transformed him into a bird, which would imitate the neighing of a horse, but always flee from the sight of horses. Perhaps Aristotle had noticed wagtails taking off because of horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is very widely distributed, found from Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan eastwards across the Tibetan Plateau and western China to north-eastern China, southwards to the Himalaya and northern Indochina. In summer, it breeds in high-altitude meadows at elevations between 4,000 and 5,100 m, and the winter is spent in marshy areas and grasslands at the foothills in the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent and Indochina, and in southern China, usually at altitudes between 700 and 1,500 m.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘reddish’ or ‘rufous’.

The taxonomy of this species is complex. Some of the presently 6 recognized subspecies were formerly treated as subspecies of the Australasian pipit (A. novaeseelandiae), and some authorities regard it as a subspecies of Richard’s pipit (A. richardi).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the white wagtail (below). It is derived from motare (‘to move’ or ‘to shake’), and the diminutive suffix illa, thus ‘the little shaker’, alluding to the tail of the white wagtail always bobbing up and down. However, some time during the Middle Ages the erroneous belief arose that cilla meant ‘tail’.

 

Subspecies alboides is a common breeding bird in the Himalaya, from Pakistan eastwards to south-western China. In summer, it may be encountered up to altitudes around 4,800 m. In autumn, it descends to the lowlands.

Subspecies leucopsis breeds from Ussuriland in south-eastern Siberia southwards through central and eastern China to Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, spending the winter in southern China, Taiwan, Indochina, and the northern part of the Indian Subcontinent. A number of pictures, showing this bird, are presented on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

Subspecies personata breeds in southern Siberia, Xinjiang, and western Mongolia, southwards to northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and north-western India, wintering from Oman eastwards to northern India.

Several subspecies are also presented on the page Animals: Urban animal life.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘white’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a common breeding bird in the Himalaya, found along fast-flowing streams, mainly at elevations between 1,100 and 4,000 m. In winter, it descends to the lowlands, but may occasionally be encountered up to 1,500 m.

A number of pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘ash-grey’, derived from cineris (‘ashes’). A strange named for this mainly yellow bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, like the common name meaning ‘lemon-coloured’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, from Pakistan eastwards to Bangladesh, and from the foothills of the Himalaya southwards to Cape Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin). It breeds in wetlands, but has adapted well to urban areas. It is largely resident, but is occasionally observed in Sri Lanka in winter.

In the Himalaya, it may be encountered up to elevations around 1,700 m, occasionally higher.

The specific name refers to Madras, a city in Tamil Nadu, South India, today known as Chennai. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Latin musca (‘a fly’) and capere (‘to catch’).

 

Calliope was the most prominent of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, who presided over poetry, song, and the arts and sciences. The name is derived from kallos (‘beauty’) and ops (‘voice’), in this context alluding to the fine song of these birds.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of the breast’, derived from pectus (‘breast’). It probably refers to the black band across the breast.

In former days, birds in western China, Tibet, and northern Myanmar were included in this species, but have now been split to form a separate species, Chinese rubythroat (C. tschebaiewi).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kopsykhos, the name of the blackbird (Turdus merula), but also generally meaning ‘thrush’.

 

It lives in open forest, secondary growth, and gardens, found in the major part of the Indian Subcontinent, from Indochina eastwards to central and eastern China, and thence southwards to Indonesia. In the Himalaya, it may be encountered up to altitudes around 3,000 m.

In his 3-volume work A natural history of birds : illustrated with a hundred and one copper plates, curiously engraven from the life (1731-1738), English naturalist and illustrator Eleazar Albin (c. 1690-1742) calls this bird Dial Bird or Bengall Magpie. The former name alludes to the Hindi name of the bird, dayal. Some authorities have suggested that when Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) included it in his Systema Naturæ in 1758, he named it Gracula saularis, misunderstanding Albin’s name, thinking it had something to do with a sun dial. He then meant to call it Gracula solaris (solaris, ‘of the sun’), but by mistake wrote saularis instead.

It is the national bird of Bangladesh.

Other pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kyanos (‘dark blue’) and ornis (‘bird’), alluding to the fact that most members of the genus have partly blue plumages.

 

The specific and common names commemorate British army officer and naturalist Samuel Richard Tickell (1811-1875), who collected birds, mammals, and other animals in India and Myanmar.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek henikos (‘singular’) and oura (‘tail’), alluding to the forked tail.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘without spots’.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘spotted’.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name was given in honour of Scottish physician and naturalist John Scouler (1804-1871), who made several travels, one 1824-26 on board a Hudson Bay Company ship, bound for the Columbia River, which anchored at Madeira, Rio de Janeiro, and the Galapagos Islands on the way. His companion was the celebrated botanist David Douglas (1799-1834), who taught Scouler a great deal of botany. A second journey was on board a merchant vessel, bound for Calcutta, making stops at Cape Horn and Madras in southern India.

The interesting, albeit short life of David Douglas is related on the page Plants – Ancient and huge trees: Pseudotsuga menziesii.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek eu (‘good’) and myia (‘fly’), implicit meaning ‘good at catching flies’.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin albus (‘white’) and cauda (‘tail’), referring to two small white patches at the base of the tail.

 

 

 

 

 

It is endemic to the central hills of Sri Lanka, usually found above elevations around 900 m.

 

 

 

 

 

The male is slightly more turquoise than the female.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek thalassios (‘sea-coloured’), in this case translated as ‘sea-green’. Verditer is a word that indicates a light blue or turquoise colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for nightingales, probably derived from luscus (‘half-blind’), presumably in the meaning ‘well hidden’, alluding to the crepuscular habits of these birds, and cano (‘to sing’). Thus, it could be translated as ‘the little-seen songster’.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘Swedish’. Olof Rudbeck the Younger (1660-1740), Swedish naturalist and linguist, professor of medicine, and principal of the university of Uppsala, was a pioneer of botany and ornithology. He collected the bluethroat in Lapland in 1695. To him, the colours of the male resembled those of the Swedish flag (which is today blue with a yellow cross, but in those days the yellow had a more orange hue), and he named it Avis Carolina in honour of the Swedish king Carl XI.

However, by 1758, when Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) renamed the bird, the absolute power of the monarchy had been abolished, and Linnaeus, who normally followed his mentor Rudbeck closely, had strong links with the political party Hattarna (so named due to the hats the members wore). For this reason, he probably considered Svecica to be more politically correct than Carolina.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the thrush-like appearance of these birds, genetic research has shown that they are in fact ground-living flycatchers.

 

This bird breeds in forests and shrubberies at elevations between 1,200 and 2,200 m, from Afghanistan along the Himalaya eastwards to Arunachal Pradesh. In winter, it may be encountered in the entire Indian Peninsula and parts of Myanmar.

The specific name means ‘with a bill like a dipper (Cinclus)‘, derived from Ancient Greek kinklos, which denotes a small unidentified bird, possibly a trush, and rhynkhos (‘bill’), alluding to the long, thin bill of this species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species is distributed from Afghanistan along the Himalaya eastwards to northern Indochina and southern China. In the Himalaya, it breeds at elevations between 1,800 and 3,400 m, in winter descending to lower altitudes, between 900 and 2,400 m.

The specific name is derived from the Latin rufus (‘rufous’) and ventris (‘belly’).

 

 

 

 

 

In winter, it is found in a vast area, around the Mediterranean, in Ethiopia, from Arabia across southern Iran and the Indian Peninsula to southern and eastern China, Korea, and Japan, and thence southwards to the Philippines and Java.

The eastern subspecies philippensis differs quite a lot from the other races in that the belly of the male is chestnut-coloured. It may merit specific status.

The specific name dates back to English naturalist John Ray (1627-1705) who, in his work The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton (1678), calls it the ‘Solitary Sparrow’, making this comment: “It is wont to sit alone on the tops of ancient Edifices and Roofs of Churches, singing most sweetly, especially in the Morning, whence it took its name.” (Source: Jobling, 2010)

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin musca (‘a fly’) and capere (‘to catch’).

 

Previously, this species was known as sooty flycatcher, but that name is now reserved for M. infuscata from Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek myia (‘fly’) and phoneus (‘slayer’), from phonos (‘murder’). The common name alludes to the call of the blue whistling-thrush (below), a sharp, piercing note, which can be heard far away.

 

The sexes are similar in plumage, being dark purple or bluish with tiny silvery spots on head, back, and wings, and the bill is various shades of yellow, sometimes rather dark.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘bluish’, alluding to the blackish-blue plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The genus was named by English naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who worked in India and Nepal. He described numerous species of birds and mammals from the Himalaya, and many plants and animals are named for him.

The word niltava is a corruption of niltau, the Nepalese name of the rufous-bellied niltava (below).

 

The specific name is derived from the Hindi word sundar (‘beautiful’).

 

 

 

 

 

These birds are widely distributed in Europe, Asia, and Africa, with a single species, the northern wheatear (O. oenanthe), also breeding in Greenland and eastern Canada, and in Alaska and western Canada.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek oenos ‘wine’ and anthos (‘flower’), alluding to the northern wheatear returning from Africa to Greece in spring, when the grapevines blossom.

The common name is an old folk name of the northern wheatear, meaning ‘white arse’, referring to the conspicuous white rump of the bird.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘brown’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As its name implies, the plumage is very variable. There are 3 distinct morphs. In the black-bellied morph, the male is jet-black with white rump, under tail-coverts, and base and sides of the tail. The female is similar, but sooty black. In the white-bellied morph, the male is similar to the black-bellied morph, but with a white belly. In the white-crowned morph, the male is similar to the white-bellied phase, but crown and nape are white. Females of the last two morphs are brownish instead of black.

Strictly speaking, the Latin word picatus means ‘smeared with tar’, but the common meaning is ‘pied’, i.e. black-and-white.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek phoinix (‘crimson’) and oura (‘tail’), like the English name referring to the red tail of these birds. Start is an old word for tail.

 

It is a large species, to 18 cm long. The male is easily identified by its white crown, black throat and upper breast, orange-red belly, and a white patch on the wing. The female is orange-buff, with a reddish tail.

It breeds in high-altitude meadows and stony areas at elevations between 3,600 and 5,600 m, in winter descending to slightly lower altitudes, between 1,500 and 4,800 m. Some of the Central Asian birds are migratory, spending the winter in north-eastern China and northern Indochina.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek erythros (‘red’) and gaster (‘belly’).

The alternative popular name commemorates Baltic naturalist and explorer Johann Anton Güldenstädt (1745-1781), who participated in a Russian expedition, sent by Catherine II to explore the Caucasus and other Russian frontier areas. This expedition was the first systematic study of the Caucasus. Güldenstädt died from an outbreak of fever in St. Petersburg.

 

 

 

 

 

Occupying a wide range of habitats, including forest clearings, shrubberies, and villages, this species is the commonest redstart in the Himalaya, where it breeds at elevations between 3,300 and 4,900 m, descending to altitudes between 1,000 and 3,000 m in winter.

It is very widely distributed, from eastern Afghanistan eastwards along the Himalaya to large parts of eastern Tibet and western China.

The specific name is derived from the Latin frontis (‘forehead’), alluding to the blue forehead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is distributed from Tajikistan and Afghanistan along the Himalaya to Bangladesh, Indochina, most of China, and Taiwan, living exclusively along fast-flowing streams and often seen perched on a rock, from where it takes off to snap some bypassing insect.

It is common in the Himalaya, breeding at elevations between 1,500 and 4,000 m, descending in winter to the foothills and lower mountains, occasionally encountered up to 2,500 m.

The specific name is derived from the Latin fuligo (‘soot’) and ous (‘prone to’), alluding to the slaty-black colour of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This species, by some authorities called white-capped water-redstart, is distributed in a vast area, from Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan eastwards along the Himalaya to the major part of eastern Tibet and China, southwards to northern Indochina. It breeds at altitudes between 1,800 and 5,000 m, descending to slightly lower elevations in winter.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and kephale (‘head’).

Previously, this bird was placed in the monotypic genus Chaimarrornis, derived from Ancient Greek kheimarrhos (‘torrent’) and ornis (‘bird’), alluding to its habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The plumage varies considerably, males of the eastern subspecies having a black mask and upper breast, slaty-grey upperparts, and rufous belly and tail, whereas those of the western subspecies are blackish with whitish vent and secondaries, and a rufous tail.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek okhros (‘pale yellow’) and oura (‘tail’) – an odd name, as the tail of all subspecies is rufous.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin saxum (‘rock’) and incola (‘dwelling among’), alluding to the preferred habitat of the type species, the common stonechat (S. torquatus), which has since been divided into 5 species (see S. maurus below).

 

It is sexually dimorphic, males being largely black, with white lower belly, rump, and undertail coverts, and a white wing patch, whereas females have brown upperparts, pale brown underparts, often finely streaked, reddish rump, white undertail coverts, and a black tail.

According to French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723-1806), in his work Traquet de l’isle de Luçon, from 1760, Maria-capra was the name given to the pied bushchat by the inhabitants of Luzon, Philippines – indeed an odd name, meaning ‘the she-goat of Virgin Mary’. He may have misunderstood, as other sources maintain that it is the Luzon name of the pied fantail (Rhipidura javanica).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The male has a black mask and white supercilium, the back is dark grey with blackish streaks, and the underparts are pale grey. The female has a faded version of the male’s head pattern, dark brown upperparts, and reddish-buff underparts, with a reddish tail.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘iron-grey’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and oura (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

Subspecies indicus breeds in the Himalaya, from Kashmir eastwards to Arunachal Pradesh, in summer found at elevations between 400 and 4,900 m, in winter descending to below 1,500 m.

It resembles the European stonechat (S. rubicola), but is darker above, with a white rump and whiter underparts with less orange on the breast.

The specific name is Latin, originally indicating an Arab Moor of Spain, but in a wider sense an African (i.e. ‘black’ or ‘dark’). Why this name was applied to an Asian bird is not clear. Perhaps it is a bit darker than the European stonechat.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek tarsos (‘tarsus’, ‘shank’, ‘flat of the foot’), and the Latin ger (‘bearing’), presumably alluding to the very long tarsus of these birds.

 

In the Himalaya, this species breeds at altitudes between 3,500 and 4,200 m, moving down in winter to elevations between 1,700 and 2,800 m.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek khryseios (‘golden’), from khrysos (‘gold’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin rufus (‘rufous’) and latus (‘flank’ or ‘side’).

Previously, this bird was regarded as a subspecies of the common bluestart (T. cyanurus), but today most authorities consider it a separate species.

 

 

 

 

 

Africa holds a bewildering array of sunbirds, and a large number of species are also found from the Middle East across the Indian Subcontinent to Indochina, southern China, Indonesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia.

In general, males are much more colourful than the females, and they often also have longer tails. Outside the breeding season, males of many species moult into a much duller eclipse plumage.

Formerly, most sunbirds were lumped in the genus Nectarinia, which has since been divided into 15 genera.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek aithos (‘fire’) and pyge (‘rump’).

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin ignis (‘fire’) and cauda (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name refers to Nepal, where this bird is fairly common.

 

 

 

 

 

In poor light, the male seems dark all over, but in good lighting, the wine-red back and breast, and the purplish-blue crown, may be noted.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rich’ or ‘full’. It may refer to the colours of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name alludes to a small bird, mentioned by Greek grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria (5th or 6th Century A.D.) in his work Lexicon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek leptos (‘delicate’ or ‘fine’) and kome (‘hair’). What it refers to is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin name of the European golden oriole, being an imitation of its call.

 

The specific name may be a local Indian name of the bird, or from the Hindu mythology, or it may refer to kundu, a surname in Bengali of persons belonging to the Kayastha community.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek xanthos (‘yellow’) and ornis (‘bird’). Presumably, the ‘u’ is a writing mistake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Presumably, the name bustard is a distortion of Old French bistarde or oustarde, both derived from the Latin avis tarda (‘slow bird’), perhaps alluding to the gravitational walking style of the larger species.

 

The generic name is a combination of two other genus names, Ardea (herons) and Otis (bustards).

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin niger (‘black’) and ceps (‘-headed’), from caput (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

The first part of the generic name refers to the Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata), whereas the second part is from Ancient Greek opsis (‘appearance’), thus ‘resembling the Houbara bustard’.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of Bengal’. Strictly speaking, Bengal is the lowland around the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, but in 1789, when German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin (1748-1804) described the bird, the term ‘Bengal’ indicated a much larger portion of northern India.

The name florican is of unknown origin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name refers to Pandion, a mythical king of Athens. However, there were two kings with that name in Athens. They were frequently confused by later authors, but neither was ever metamorphosed into a bird of prey. Pandion II had four children, one of whom, Nisos of Megara, was transformed into a hawk. This metamorphosis, which is related in detail above under genus Nisaetus, was probably what French naturalist Marie Jules César Lelorgne de Savigny (1777-1851) had in mind, when he moved the osprey to a separate genus in 1809.

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek hals (‘sea’) and aetos (‘eagle’).

The name osprey was first recorded around 1460, a corruption of the Latin avis praedae (‘bird of prey’).

Other pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in the United States and Canada.

 

 

 

 

 

Later studies found that parrotbills were not at all related to tits, and, together with the bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus), they were moved to a separate family, Paradoxornithidae (‘paradoxical birds’), which was placed near the timalids (Timaliidae). The bearded reedling has since been moved to a family of its own, Panuridae.

Recent genetic research has had the effect that a number of birds, which were previously placed in Timaliidae, have been moved to Paradoxornithidae, including Chrysomma and some fulvettas, formerly of the genus Alcippe, now Fulvetta (below). Other fulvettas, which were retained in Alcippe, have been moved to a separate family, Alcippeidae.

Today, Paradoxornithidae contains about 16 genera with c. 37 species of small to medium-sized birds.

 

Previously, these birds were placed in the family Timaliidae (Old World babblers). However, genetic research has revealed that they are related to parrotbills.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khrysos (‘gold’) and omma (‘eye’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘Chinese’ or ‘from China’. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a diminutive of the Latin fulvus (‘tawny’ or ‘yellowish-brown’), thus ‘a small tawny bird’.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin vinum (‘wine’) and pectus (‘breast’), thus ‘with wine-coloured breast’. A much diluted wine, I must say!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek myzao (‘I suck’) and ornis (‘bird’), whereas the specific name stems from pyrrhos (‘flame-coloured’) and oura (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

The name titmouse can be traced back to the 14th Century, composed of the words tit, which denotes something small, and the Old English name for these birds, mase, from Proto-Germanic maison, which is also the source of the German name Meise, the Danish and Norwegian mejse, and the Swedish mes.

 

The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek lophos (‘crest’) and phaino (‘to show’), alluding to the prominent crest of both species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The nest is very unusual for that of a passerine, being built inside a burrow which the birds excavate themselves into a bank, sometimes reaching a depth of 1.8 m.

The peculiar appearance of this bird confused German palaeontologist and zoologist Johann Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim (1771-1853), who worked in Russian service 1804-1853. He assumed that it was a kind of small ground jay, naming it Pseudopodoces, from Ancient Greek pseudos (‘false’), and Podoces, the genus name of ground jays, with the specific name humilis, from the Latin humus (‘ground’).

Genetic research has since revealed that it is a tit, with its closest relatives in the genus Parus.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek gymnos (‘naked’) and rhis or rhinos (‘nose’ or ‘nostrils’).

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek xanthos (‘yellow’) and the Latin –collis (‘-throated’), from collum (‘neck’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin mons (‘mountain’) and fringilla (‘finch’). Initially, these birds were regarded as finches, of the family Fringillidae (above). However, genetic research has shown that they are in fact sparrows.

Formerly, five other birds were included in this genus, but 4 have been moved to the genus Pyrgilauda, one to Onochostruthus.

 

The specific name honours Scottish physician and naturalist Andrew Leith Adams (1827-1882), who served as army physician in India 1849-1854, where he spent his spare time studying the natural history of the area.

Previously, this bird was called Tibetan snowfinch. However, that name is now reserved for M. henrici, also referred to as Henri’s snowfinch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for sparrows.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘belonging to houses’, from domus (‘house’).

Another picture, depicting this species, is shown above at common babbler (Argya caudata), others on the pages Animals: Urban animal life, and Nature: Invasive species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘belonging to mountains’, from mons (‘mountain’). An odd name for this bird, which is very common in lowlands.

Other pictures, depicting this species, are shown on the pages Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan, and Animals: Urban animal life.

 

 

 

 

 

Formerly, it was presumed that the gular sac was a means to store food for several days, but this is not the case. This belief was the cause of a funny limerick, written in 1910 by American poet Dixon Lanier Merritt (1879-1972):

 

 

However, recent DNA research has revealed that the 5 Old World species (great white, Dalmatian, pink-backed, spot-billed, and Australian) form one lineage, whereas the American white, the brown, and the Peruvian form another. The great white was the first to diverge from the common ancestor, which suggests that pelicans evolved in the Old World and later spread into the Americas.

Traditionally, pelicans were thought to be related to cormorants, darters, gannets, frigatebirds, and tropicbirds, but genetic research has shown that they form an order, Pelecaniformes, together with herons, the hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), and the shoebill (Balaeniceps rex).

 

The specific name refers to the Philippines, where the species was first collected. It was abundant here until the early 1900s, but became extinct as a breeding bird in the 1960s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cormorants and shags are a cosmopolitan family of about 41 species of small to medium-sized, fish-eating birds. Recent genetic studies have concluded that these birds should be placed in 7 genera: Phalacrocorax (12 species), Leucocarbo (16 species), Microcarbo (5 species), Urile (3 species), Nannopterum (3 species), Gulosus (European shag), and Poikilocarbo (red-legged cormorant).

Numerous cormorant species are presented on the pages Fishing, and Silhouettes.

 

The generic name is a combination of Ancient Greek mikros (‘small’), and the original generic name of cormorants, Carbo, introduced in 1799 by French naturalist Bernard-Germain-Étienne de La Ville-sur-Illon (1756-1825), Count of Lacépède.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek phalakros (‘bald’) and korax (‘raven’), where ‘bald’ refers to the white (but feathered) crown of the great cormorant (below) during the breeding season, whereas ‘raven’ presumably alludes to its otherwise black plumage.

 

In the 1800s, this species was persecuted all over Europe, partly because it was competing with fishermen, partly because its guano destroyed the trees, in which it was breeding. The complete contrast to this persecution is seen in the Far East, where fishermen, for thousands of years, have been using tamed great cormorants for fishing. Pictures, depicting this practice, are found on the page Fishing.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘charcoal’, naturally alluding to the colour of this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin fuscus (‘dusky’ or ‘brown’) and collum (‘neck’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the latest genetic research, guineafowl and New World quails are treated as separate families, Numididae and Odontophoridae, respectively.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek alektoris (‘chicken’).

 

In the Himalaya, it is distributed as far east as western Nepal, found at elevations between 2,100 and 4,000 m. It is very common in Ladakh.

The specific and popular names refer to the bird’s call, a far-reaching chuck-chuck-chukar-chukar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Asian species have been retained in Francolinus, whereas the remaining two Asian species have been moved to the genus Ortygornis (below).

The generic name is derived from Italian francolino. In his work The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton (1678), English naturalist John Ray (1627-1705) writes: “They are by the Italians called Francolini, as it were Franci, that is, Free Fowl, because the common people are forbidden to take them, and Princes grant them freedom of living.”

Maybe francolins had been introduced by royalty to Italy at that time. Otherwise, the talk may be about the grey partridge (Perdix perdix).

 

It is more often heard than seen, often detected by its penetrating, rather nasal call: eek-eek-e-eek-eek, with a short break after the third syllable, and the last two syllables uttered very quickly after each other.

It has been elected as the state bird of Haryana.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for domestic chickens, which mainly originate from the red junglefowl (G. gallus). More about this issue is found on the page Animals – Animals as servants of Man: Poultry.

 

The specific name commemorates French aristocrat and military officer Marie-Joseph du Motier de La Fayette (1757-1834), who is regarded as a hero in the United States, where he fought in the American Revolutionary War, commanding revolutionary troops in several battles. After returning to France, he was a key figure in the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830.

I find it rather odd that a Sri Lankan bird was named in honour of this man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name commemorates French naturalist, colonial administrator, and explorer Pierre Sonnerat (1748-1814), who travelled widely in Asia for many years, describing numerous species of plants and animals.

 

 

 

 

 

It is rather tame around the Sherpa monastery of Tengboche, Khumbu, eastern Nepal, where hunting is banned for religious reasons. It is the state bird of Sikkim.

The generic name is a Latinized version of Ancient Greek ithagenes (‘noble’), whereas the specific name is Latin, meaning ‘bloody’, like the common name alluding to the red streaks on the breast and rump of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek lophos (‘crest’) and phoros (‘bearing’), alluding to the small crest of the Himalayan monal (below).

 

It is the national bird of Nepal, locally called danphe, and often referred to as ’the bird of nine colours’. In sunshine, the brilliant plumage of the male is glittering in almost all imaginable colours. The female is brownish and heavily streaked, with naked blue skin around the eyes and a pale patch on the throat.

It is also the state bird of Uttarakhand.

The specific name commemorates Lady Mary Impey, wife of Sir Elijah Impey (1732-1809), who was chief justice of the Supreme Court at Fort William, the first settlement of the British East India Company in Bengal.

As with most other gamebirds, the meat of monal is delicious, and for this reason it is hunted in many places. However, it is still common locally, and in the Khumbu area of eastern Nepal it is very common, as the local Buddhist Sherpas are against killing. So even though the monal does some damage by digging up potatoes and eating them, they are not persecuted here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek ortyx (‘quail’) and ornis (‘bird’), referring to the relatively small size of these francolins.

 

The specific name refers to the former French colony Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, today called Puduchcheri. The type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for peafowl.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘crested’.

The classical Greek word for peacock was taos, derived from Persian tavus. The famous Peacock Throne, in Persian known as Takht-i-Tavus, was a splendid piece of Mughal workmanship, covered in gold and jewels. It was commissioned in the early 17th Century by Emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666), and located in the Diwan-i-Khas (Audience Hall) in the Red Fort in Delhi. It got its name from two dancing peacocks, depicted at its rear.

By the beginning of the 18th Century, the power of the Mughal Empire was crumbling, and in 1739 Nader Shah (1688-1747), a Turkoman Muslim from north-eastern Iran, invaded Delhi with his army, killing tens of thousands of its inhabitants. When they left in 1739, they brought with them the Peacock Throne and many other valuables as war trophies. When Nader Shah was assassinated by his own officers in 1747, the throne disappeared, most probably being destroyed for its valuables.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a combination of two other genus names, Tetrao (capercaillie) and Gallus (junglefowl).

 

It is rather common in drier areas of the higher parts of the Himalaya, breeding mainly at altitudes between 4,500 and 5,500 m, descending to slightly lower elevations in winter.

At dawn, the call of this bird can be heard from a considerable distance, a penetrating gukka-gukka-guk-guk-guk-grrr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaf-warblers are about 80 species of small insectivorous birds, all belonging to the genus Phylloscopus. Previously, the family included the genus Seicercus, but recent genetic studies concluded that members of this genus should be moved to Phylloscopus.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek phyllon (‘leaf’) and skopos, from skopeo (‘to watch’), in this connection presumably meaning ‘to search’ (for insects).

 

The specific name honours British physician and naturalist William Augustus Burke (1769-1836), who served in India as Inspector General of Army Hospitals.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin regulus (‘kinglet’ or ‘petty king’) and oides (‘like’), alluding to the likeness of the bird to goldcrests and kinglets, genus Regulus.

The popular name refers to English zoologist Edward Blyth (1810-1873), who described a number of birds from the Himalaya. He worked as a curator of zoology at the museum of the Asiatic Society of India in Calcutta (today Kolkata).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name means ‘resembling the chiffchaff’ (P. trochilos).

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek xanthos (‘yellow’) and the Latin schistus (‘slate’), thus ‘the yellow and slate-coloured’ (bird).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek khrysos (‘gold’) and kolaptes (‘chiseller’).

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘cheerful’, presumably alluding to its colourful plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek dendron (‘tree’) and kopos (‘hard work’), of course alluding to their way of feeding.

 

The specific name commemorates French captain and explorer Marc Joseph Macé Marion-Dufresne (1724-1772), who explored the Indian and Pacific Oceans, making important new discoveries in Tasmania and New Zealand. He was killed by Maoris, when the expedition made a prolonged stay ashore in New Zealand.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek deinos (‘mighty’) and ops (‘appearance’), referring to their colourful plumage.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek psaros (‘speckled like a starling’), from psar (‘starling’), and oides (‘resembling’), alluding to its speckled underside.

 

 

 

 

 

The first part of the generic name honours German naturalist Salomon Müller (1804-1864), who explored parts of the East Indies (today Indonesia) 1826-35. The last part is the classical Latin word for woodpecker.

 

The great slaty woodpecker is restricted to old-growth forest, mainly in the lowlands, but occasionally found up to elevations around 2,000 m. It is distributed in the Himalaya, Indochina, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the southern Philippines.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘dusty’, presumably referring to its grey plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for woodpecker.

 

It is found from Turkmenistan and Afghanistan eastwards across Pakistan and north-western India to eastern Nepal, living in forests from the lowlands up to elevations around 3,100 m.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘scaly’.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek xanthos (‘yellow’) and pyge (‘rump’).

It is quite similar to the slightly larger scaly-bellied woodpecker (above), which, however, has no streaks on the throat and upper breast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek plokeus (‘weaver’), ultimately from pleko (‘to entwine’). It was applied due to the nests of these birds, which are often intricately woven strips of grass or other plants.

 

It breeds in small colonies, building the nest in tall plants along lake shores or in marshes.

The specific name is derived from Tamil manja, a word applied to various weavers.

 

 

 

 

 

It lives in various habitats, including grasslands, secondary forest, shrubberies, and farmland, building a hanging nest from bushes or trees.

The specific name was applied in 1760 by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723-1806), as he mistakenly believed that the type specimen had been collected in the Philippines. The common name is the Hindi name of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a rather common resident in Ladakh and the driest parts of northern Nepal, found in summer at altitudes up to about 4,900 m, in winter descending to between 2,300 and 4,000 m.

The specific name is derived from the Latin fulvus (‘tawny’ or ‘yellowish-brown’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a diminutive of the genus name Lorius (lorys), a group of colourful parrots, found in Indonesia and New Guinea. The word lory stems from the Malay luri, a word used for a number of colourful parrots.

The name hanging parrot alludes to the fact that these parrots are able to sleep, hanging upside down. An older name for these birds was lorikeet, a combination of lory and parakeet. Today, this term is used exclusively for members of the subfamily Loriinae, a group of colourful parrots in Australia and New Guinea.

 

Strictly speaking, the specific name means ‘spring’ in the Latin, but it may also mean ‘green’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is a diminutive of the Latin word for parrots, psittacus, thus ‘small parrot’ – not a very good name, as the genus contains several rather large species.

 

The specific name refers to Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), whose soldiers brought numerous birds from India back to Europe, presumably including this species. The common name is not very appropriate, as the breast is pink, not red.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin columba (‘dove’) and Ancient Greek oides (‘resembling’), alluding to the soft, pastel-shaded blue and grey plumage.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek kyanos (‘dark-blue’) and kephale (‘head’).

Previously, it was regarded as being conspecific with the blossom-headed parakeet (P. roseata), but was since upgraded to a separate species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek eu (‘good’) and patria (‘descent’), thus ‘of noble descent’. The common name refers to Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.), whose soldiers brought numerous birds from India back to Europe, presumably including this species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning and evening, large flocks fly from and to their night roost, making a racket due to their penetrating call.

The specific name was given in honour of German physician and naturalist Wilhelm Heinrich Kramer (1724-1765), who worked as a phycisian near Vienna for 14 years. In 1756, he published a work entitled Elenchus Vegetabilium and Animalium per Austriam inferiorem Observatorum, a description of flora and fauna of Lower Austria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin longus (‘long’) and cauda (‘tail’).

 

 

 

 

 

These birds live in open plains, grasslands, and semi-deserts. They belong to two genera, Pterocles (below), and Syrrhaptes with 2 species. The latter are restricted to Central Asia, although Pallas’s sandgrouse (S. paradoxus) is famous for its irregular invasions of Europe.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pteron (‘wing’) and kles (‘notable’ or ‘splendid’), alluding to the many beautiful members of the genus.

 

It lives in arid habitats, and in the Indian Subcontinent it is especially common in the Thar and Sindh Deserts.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘burnt’ or ‘scorched’, referring to the dark belly of the male.

 

 

 

 

 

Sub-Saharan members of the family, called greenbuls, brownbuls, leafloves, and bristlebills, are mainly forest birds, whereas the majority of North African and Asian species live in open areas.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek akritos (‘confused’) and illas (‘thrush’). What it refers to is not clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formerly, the black bulbuls of Asia were regarded as subspecies of the Malagasy bulbul (H. madagascariensis), but most authorities now recognize two separate Asian species, the Asian black bulbul (below), which is widely distributed, found from north-eastern Afghanistan along the Himalaya to Indochina, China, and Taiwan, and the square-tailed bulbul (H. ganeesa), which is restricted to montane areas of South India and Sri Lanka.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek hypsi (‘high’) and petes (‘flyer’), thus ‘the one that flies high’.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and kephale (‘head’), so the species must have been described from a white-headed specimen.

In the Himalaya, subspecies psaroides is distributed from eastern Afghanistan eastwards to northern Myanmar, living in forests from the lower valleys up to elevations around 3,000 m. It is much greyer than the other subspecies, with a conspicuous grey patch behind the eye.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pyknos (‘thick’ or ‘compact’) and noton (‘back’), applied in 1826 by German zoologist and lawyer Friedrich Boie (1789-1870), who described many new species and several new genera of birds. Presumably, Boie found that these birds were quite compact.

He and his brother Heinrich also described about 50 new species of reptiles.

 

In a zoological context, the specific name merely means ‘of South Africa’. It was applied due to a misunderstanding. When the bird was described in 1760 by French naturalist Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723-1806) in his Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés, he obviously thought that the type specimen was collected at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa.

Strictly speaking, the word cafer originates from the Arabic kafir (‘unbeliever’ or ‘infidel’), implying people who did not ‘admit’ (to the blessings of God), i.e. non-Muslims. Later, the term was mainly used for Christians, but in East Africa also for pagan black Africans. In the 1700s, English missionaries in South Africa adopted the word as an equivalent of ‘heathen’, referring to non-Christian black Africans. In the 1900s, it changed meaning, becoming a derogatory term for black Africans in general. (Source: etymonline.com/word/kaffir)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin iocosus (‘merry’), from iocus (‘joke’), presumably alluding to its Harlequin-like colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and genys (‘cheek’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and otis (‘-eared’), from ous (‘ear’), referring to the large white patch on the cheek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘with brush-like tufts’, from penicillus, a diminutive of peniculus (‘brush’). The name refers to the yellow tufts behind the eyes.

Previously, it was placed in the genus Kelaartia, named after Sri Lankan physician and naturalist Edward Frederick Kelaart (1819-1860), who described many plants and animals from the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek amauros (‘dusky’ or ‘brown’) and ornis (‘bird’).

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek phoinix (‘crimson’ or ‘reddish’) and oura (‘tail’), alluding to its reddish-brown undertail coverts.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for coot.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘black’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the Ancient Greek word for the European swamphen (P. porphyrio).

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek polios (‘grey’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the genus name Rallus (rails). The original meaning of the suffix ina denotes something feminine, but in this connection the name merely means ‘resembles rails’.

 

The specific name honours British statesman Charles John Canning (1812-1862), 1st Earl of Canning and Governor-General of India 1856-1862.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first part of the generic name is derived from the Latin amentum, a leather strap, which was attached to a javelin, used in ancient Greek athletics, hunting, and warfare. This strap helped to increase the range and stability of the javelin in flight. (Source: E. Gardiner 1907. Throwing the Javelin. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 27: 249-273)

The second part of the name is derived from Ancient Greek pous (‘foot’). Thus, Himantopus may be translated as ‘strap-leg’, which of course refers to the very long, thin legs of these birds.

 

The male is usually a little larger than the female, with black wings and back, often with a greenish sheen, whereas back and wings of the female are dark slate-coloured. Head and neck can be pure white, but have more or less extended parts of dark on many birds. Immature birds, up to one year old, have more greyish legs, but are difficult to distinguish from adults.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formerly, fantails were included in the Old World flycatcher family (Muscicapidae), but following a number of genetic studies they now form a separate family, together with two species of silktail (Lamprolia) and the drongo fantail (Chaetorhynchus papuensis).

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek rhipis (‘fan’) and oura (‘tail’). In his book A General Synopsis of Birds (1781-1802), English physician and naturalist John Latham (1740-1837) writes: “flies always with its tail spread in shape of a fan.”

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin aurum (‘gold’), but may also mean ‘brilliant’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek kalidris, a term used by Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) for some grey-coloured water bird.

 

When the breeding season begins, the males gather on an arena on a grassy spot, a so-called lek. When a female arrives at the arena, the males start fighting (in deep silence) to attract the attention of the female. She walks around to survey the entire group before choosing a male, which will mate with her. She then leaves to take care of nest-building, incubating, and chick-rearing by herself.

Previously, this species was named Philomachus pugnax, but genetic research has shown that it is closely related to Calidris sandpipers. The former generic name is derived from Ancient Greek philos (‘loving’) and makhomai (‘to fight’), whereas the specific name is derived from the Latin pugno (‘I fight’) and ax (‘inclined to’).

This bird is widely distributed in Arctic and Northern Temperate areas, from eastern England across northern Europe and Siberia, eastwards to around the Kolyma River. The wintering area includes southern and western Europe, Africa, southern Asia, and Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is Latin, meaning ‘muddy’.

 

It winters in a vast area, including southern Europe, the northern half of Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was applied to the green sandpiper (T. ochropus) by Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1599), who was the founder of the botanical garden of Bologna – one of the first of its kind. The name is derived from Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, tail-bobbing wading bird, mentioned by Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin nebula (‘mist’). It refers to a Norwegian name of the bird, skoddeføll (‘fog-foal’), alluding to its foggy, marshy habitat, and to its call, which was likened to whinnying.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek sitte, a bird like a woodpecker, mentioned by Greek grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria (5th or 6th Century A.D.), and also by Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle (384-322 B.C.).

 

Despite the name of this bird, the white at the base of the upper tail is difficult to see in the field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek glaukidion (‘small owl’), diminutive of glaux (‘owl’).

 

The specific name is derived from cuculus, the old Latin name for cuckoos, and Ancient Greek oides (‘resembling’), presumably alluding to the cuckoo-like plumage of this owl.

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘barred’, derived from radius (‘ray’).

Birds in the western wet zone of Sri Lanka were once considered a subspecies of jungle owlet, but is now regarded as a separate species, called chestnut-backed owlet (G. castanotum).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Malay word for fish-owl, ketupok.

Some authorities still include these birds in the genus Bubo.

 

The specific name alludes to the Coromandel Coast, Karnataka, where the type specimen was collected.

 

 

 

 

 

It has yellow feet, reflected in the specific name, derived from the Latin flavus (‘yellow’) and pes (‘foot’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the past, it was regarded as a subspecies of the widespread tawny owl (S. aluco), but its call is different, and the shorter tail is barred.

The specific name is derived from the Latin nix (‘snow’) and colere (‘to inhabit’), alluding to this bird living at high altitudes.

 

 

 

 

 

Many species have been introduced elsewhere, including North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand. They often compete with native birds, and many are regarded as invasive species, especially the common myna (below), and in North America the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), described on the pages Nature: Invasive species, and Animals – Birds: Birds in the United States and Canada.

Following genetic research, a number of species, which were previously placed in the genus Sturnus, have been moved to other genera, leaving only the common starling and the spotless starling (S. unicolor) in that genus.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek akridos (‘locust’) and theras (‘hunter’). When locusts or grasshoppers are abundant, starlings and mynas gorge themselves on these insects. An example is described below, see Pastor roseus.

Several species in this genus are described on the page Animals – Birds: Birds in Taiwan.

 

It has been introduced elsewhere, often escaping to form feral populations, for example in Japan, Western Samoa, and Fiji. In the latter country, it was introduced around 1890 to control insect pests in sugarcane, and from there it has spread to other Pacific Islands, including Niuafo’ou, where it has become a threat to native bird species, competing for nesting holes.

The population of subspecies torquatus, which lives in Malaysia, is declining, probably being outcompeted by Javan mynas (A. javanicus), with which it forms hybrids. (Source: David Wells 2010. The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Vol. 2. Bloomsbury Publishing)

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘brown’, alluding to the brownish tinge on the otherwise slate-coloured plumage of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

The bank myna is similar to the more widespread common myna (below), but is a bit smaller, its plumage is more greyish, and the bare skin around the eye is orange rather than yellow.

The specific name refers to the town of Gingi, presumably a corruption of its former name Singapuri (‘Lion City’), near the Coromandel Coast, in present-day Tamil Nadu. Presumably, the type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The common myna was originally a woodland bird, but has adapted very well to agricultural as well as urban environments.

Escaped cage birds have established populations in numerous other countries, including South Africa, Madagascar, several Arabian states, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. In many places it has become a pest, which expels native birds, especially in Australia, where it has been called “a most important problem”. The IUCN Species Survival Commission has declared it one of the world’s most invasive species and a threat to “biodiversity, agriculture, and human interests”.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘sad’ or ‘gloomy’. Apparently, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who named the bird in 1766, found its plumage rather drab.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from graculus, the Latin word for the jackdaw, and pica, the Latin word for the magpie, originally from picata, which, strictly speaking, means ‘smeared with tar’, but in a wider sense ‘black-and-white’, thus ‘the jackdaw-like, black-and-white bird’, alluding to the pied plumage of these birds.

Some authorities include these birds in the genus Sturnus, others in the genus Sturnia.

 

In his 3-volume work A natural history of birds: illustrated with a hundred and one copper plates, curiously engraven from the life (1731-1738), English naturalist and illustrator Eleazar Albin (c. 1690-1742) says that this bird was called contra by the people of Bengal. Strictly speaking, Bengal is the lowland around the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, but in the 1700s, the term ‘Bengal’ indicated a much larger portion of northern India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bird was first described by Swedish naturalist Pehr Forsskål (1732-1763) in Turkey, during the Danish Royal Expedition to Arabia Felix (Yemen) 1761-1767. He was told by locals that, according to the Koran, it was prohibited to kill this bird, because it was able to eat more than 10,000 grasshoppers a day.

He named it Turdus seleucis, as he thought it was a thrush. When it was realized that it is a starling, the name was changed to Sturnus roseus, and today it is the sole member of the genus Pastor, which is Latin, meaning shepherd, derived from pascere (‘to lead to a pasture’), alluding to the fact that the bird often follows flocks of grazing animals to eat grasshoppers and other insects disturbed by the flock.

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘rose-coloured’, derived from rosa (‘rose’).

The interesting, albeit short, life of Forsskål is described on the page People: Pehr Forsskål – brilliant Swedish scientist.

 

 

 

 

 

It is declining rather drastically due to loss of suitable habitat, which is moist lower-montane forests, which are cleared to create farmland. In the Himalaya, it is mainly found below an elevation of 1,000 m, but may occasionally stray up to about 1,800 m.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek saron (‘broom’) and glossa (‘tongue’). Maybe the tongue of this bird is split into more than two points? The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek spilos (‘spot’) and pteron (‘wing’).

The Madagascar starling (Hartlaubius auratus) is placed in this genus by some authorities. It is endemic to Madagascar.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the genus name Sturnus, in which these birds were formerly placed. Some authorities still regard them as belonging there.

 

Most authorities now regard blythii as a separate species, the Malabar starling (S. blythii), which has a white head and upper breast, contrasting sharply with an orange-reddish belly and grey back.

However, subspecies nemoricola also looks very different from malabarica, as it is mainly a grey bird without chestnut underparts or tail, only having pale reddish-brown undertail, and sometimes also vent and belly. In my opinion, it also merits specific status. Chestnut-tailed starling is a very bad name for it. Grey starling would be much more descriptive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘living on temples or pagodas’, derived from Portuguese pagoda (‘pagoda’ or ‘temple’). In his work The nests and eggs of Indian birds (1890), English naturalist Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912) mentions that the bird is often seen on these buildings in southern India.

The common name alludes to the colour on the underside, which resembles that of the robe of certain Brahmins (the uppermost caste of Hinduism).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from the Latin sturnus (‘starling’), and presumably ornis (‘bird’). The specific name is also Latin, from albus (‘white’) and frons (‘forehead’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name was the Ancient Greek name of the Eurasian spoonbill (below), derived from platea (‘broad’), alluding to the spatula-shaped bill.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek leukos (‘white’) and erodios (‘heron’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek pseudos (‘false’) and ibis (‘ibis’) – a strange name, as these birds are ibises.

 

The specific name is derived from the Latin papilla (‘pimple’), referring to the warty skin on crown and nape.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek threskeia (‘religious worship’) and ornis (‘bird’), alluding to the sanctity of the sacred ibis (T. aethiopicus) in Ancient Egypt.

 

The specific name is derived from Ancient Greek melas (‘black’) and kephale (‘head’).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is very widely distributed in montane areas, from Spain eastwards across southern Europe, the Middle East, and the Caucasus to the southern parts of Central Asia. Some movements take place in the winter. In the Himalaya, it is a rather scarce breeding bird at altitudes above 3,000 m. It is more common in the winter, and may sometimes be observed in the lower valleys.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek teikhos (‘wall’) and dromos (‘to run’), alluding to the habit of this bird, feeding on steep rocks and cliffs. The specific name is derived from the Latin murus (‘wall’).

 

 

 

 

 

The word thrush is derived from Old English throstle, from Proto-Germanic þrustlō, an ancient name for the song thrush (Turdus philomelos). In Old Saxon, þrustlō became throsla, in German Drossel. The latter name was adopted by the Danes, whereas the Swedes use the name trast for these birds, and the Norwegians trost.

Many thrush species are presented on the page Animals – Birds: Thrushes.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek geo (‘ground’) and kikhle (‘thrush’), referring to the almost exclusively ground-feeding habit of these birds.

 

Subspecies cyanota of southern India is very distinct, having a white face with two vertical black streaks below and behind the eye. It has been suggested that it forms a separate species, but intermediate forms occur where its range overlaps with that of nominate citrina.

 

 

 

 

 

The male is a gorgeous bird, with a plumage an almost iridescent hue of blue, whereas the female is greyish with faint white stripes on head, nape, and breast, and a brownish tinge to the wings.

Classification-wise, this species has been knocked about a great deal. Initially, it was regarded as belonging to the thrush family, but following genetic studies it was then transferred to the flycatcher family (Muscicapidae). However, recently it has been moved back to the thrush family!

Its behaviour shows traits from both families. It may feed on the ground like a thrush, but may also hover like a flycatcher to snap a flying insect (see picture text below).

The generic and common names are derived from the Latin grandis (‘grand’) and ala (‘wing’). However, in a broader sense the name may mean ‘grand bird’. The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘of sky-colour’, i.e. ‘sky-blue’, derived from coelum (‘sky’ or ‘heaven’) and color (‘colour’).

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is the classical Latin word for thrush.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘very similar’, undoubtedly referring to the common blackbird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek zoon (‘animal’) and theras (‘hunter’), referring to the habit of these thrushes to be searching for invertebrates on the forest floor.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘very soft’. It may refer to the plumage of the bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upupa and epops are the old Latin and Greek names for the hoopoe. Like the English name, they are onomatopoeic, imitating the call of the bird, a most characteristic hoop-up-up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The family name is derived from the Malagasy word vanga, the name of the hook-billed vanga (Vanga curvirostris).

 

Classification-wise, this genus has been knocked around a great deal. First it was thought to belong to the shrikes (Laniidae), then it was moved to the cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae), then to the woodshrikes (Tephrodornithidae), and finally to Vangidae.

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek hemi (‘half’, in this connection meaning ‘small’) and pous (‘foot’). Presumably, British naturalist and ethnologist Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801-1894), who erected the genus in 1844, found that these birds had small feet.

 

The specific name is Latin, strictly speaking meaning ‘smeared with tar’, but in a wider sense ‘black-and-white’.

 

 

 

 

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek tephrodes (‘like ashes’, i.e. ‘ash-coloured’) and ornis (‘bird’).

 

The specific name refers to Pondicherry, a former French colony in southern India, today called Puduchcheri. The type specimen was collected there.

 

 

 

 

 

As of today, the family Zosteropidae contains 14 genera with about 139 species, but some experts have pointed out that further studies must be made, before the true relationship of white-eyes with other birds can be determined.

 

The generic name is derived from Ancient Greek zoster (‘girdle’) and ops (‘eye’), referring to the bright white eye-ring of most species.

 

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘having prominent eyelids’, derived from palpebra (‘eyelid’), which presumably refers to the white eye-ring.