Birds of Mount Abu FEBRUARY 2019 mountabubirds.blogspot.com

Birding in the Second week of February 2019.

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

8 February 2019.

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus

The Ashy Drongo is a winter and passage migrant in Abu. Not a commonly seen species. Eucalyptus tree seems to be their favourite haunt here in Abu.

The adult Ashy Drongo is mainly dark grey, and the tail is long and deeply forked, very similar to the Black Drongo.

The iris is crimson and there is no white rictal spot like that of the Black Drongo.

 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

9 February 2019.

 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

 White-throated Kingfisher Halcyon smyrnensis

10 February 2019.

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Ashy Prinia - Prinia socialis

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus

Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo 

Rufous treepie -   Dendrocitta vagabunda

Rufous treepie -   Dendrocitta vagabunda

Shikra Accipiter badius 

Shikra Accipiter badius 

Shikra Accipiter badius 

14 February 2019.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros   - Female 

Brown rock chat - Cercomela fusca 

Brown rock chat - Cercomela fusca 

Brown rock chat - Cercomela fusca 

Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Gymnoris xanthocollis

Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Gymnoris xanthocollis

Chestnut-shouldered Petronia Gymnoris xanthocollis

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus 

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus 

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus 

Oriental Honey Buzzard Pernis ptilorhyncus 

Buzzard attacking Bonelli's Eagle

Keep tuned will be adding the third week of February shortly

Shikra Birds of Mount Abu JANUARY 2019 mountabubirds.blogspot.com

Birds of Mount Abu JANUARY 2019

Shikra Accipiter badius

4 January 2019

Shikra Accipiter badius   - Juvenile

Shikra Accipiter badius   -Female

Shikra Accipiter badius   -Female

Shikra the swiftest of the small predators,

With claws drawn, strikes like lightning,

Whizzing through bushes snaring his prey,

Most feared amongst small birds all the way.

As youngsters, we called the Shikra the sparrow hawk. In Rajasthan, the bird is considered a shikari (hunter) for its small size the Shikra is considered a ferocious raptor. It can take on birds twice its size. Most birds skedaddle when the hunter is around. The ever-alert bulbul and the long-tailed shrike, act like sentinels warning the other feathered bird of an impending attack by the Shikra. The only species is the fierce jungle babbler that gangs up to literally chase the shikra from an area where they are flocked together.  The Shikra is a residential bird of Mount Abu.

Shikra over the years

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