Common Tailor Bird
Latin Name : Orthotomus
sutorius (Tennant)
Local Name : The Tailor Bird
The
common tailor bird is found throughout India, except the desert areas. It is
a small size bird measuring 150 cm in length. The bird is usually bright in
colour; the upper plumage is green or grey whereas the underparts are shiny
yellow white or grey. Though it is found in good numbers throughout India,
it’s sighting is quite insignificant as it spends most of its time
hiding in undergrowth.
The nest of a tailor bird is a delight to see. A tailor bird generally
builds its nest on thorny trees like Acacia arabica. The bird sews together
the edges of a large leaf in which the actual grass nest is made up. The
nest, built of cotton wool, horse hair and grass stems hanging from the
branch, looks like a cradle. A wonderful sight indeed! May to July is the
breeding time for a tailor bird. The bird lays 6 eggs, each of which
measures 1.6 cm*1.2 cm.
Blue Jay
Latin Name : Coracias
benghalensis (Linnaeus)
Local Name : Palapitta (Telugu)
Also
known as the Indian roller, the blue jay has the size of a pigeon. It
occasionally migrates and lives in the plains. It prefers cultivated land to
dense jungles. The length of a blue jay is between 30 and 34 cm. The brown
back, lilac-coloured breast and blue wings, tail and belly present a
wonderful contrast. The bird is also characterised by a strong direct
flight.
It likes to perch on a dead branch of an old tree while its large eyes keep
a watch on the ground for its prey. As soon as it spots a grasshopper or a
mouse, it takes a direct flight down to the spot to capture it. According to
Hindu mythology in India, this bird is also believed to be an incarnation of
Lord Shiva. Its breeding season spans between March and July. It lays 4-5
eggs at a time.
Curlew
Latin Name : Numenius
arquata
Local Name : Kolledu (Telugu)
A
curlew is the largest among wading birds, measuring 50-57 cm in length. The
bird has a wingspan of 1 m. This bird is mainly sandy brown, streaked with
black. It has a white back which is obvious during flight. The most
prominent features of a curlew is its slender down curved bill; the bill has
the maximum length in an adult female.
The bird is highly gregarious in nature except during the breeding season.
The curlew can be seen probing soft mud in search of small invertebrates. It
also feeds on crabs and earthworms. The bird builds its nest on taiga,
meadow or a similar kind of habitat. It lays 3-6 eggs at one time; the
incubation period is one month.
