white-capped water redstart / grey bushchat

  A bird ofrocky stream in the  himalayas and eles where this species has a distinctive pure white cap ,contasting with the surerrounding black plumage.rump andunder parts from the breast downwards are bright chestnut.tail also chestnut but with a black band terminally .sexes alike ; keeing singly or in pairs beside hill steram which are exposed and not covered by forest very terririal,cathing insects carried by the current and those flying above in a quick sally .has a shrill whitle.in winter descends to himalayan foothills.

   A birds of scrub covered and open hillsides .male has a general pied appearance ,dark ashy grey mixed with black above.a white supercilium a white patch on wing swparating the dark wing quills from rest of the upperparts ,and white underparts suffused with grey on breast and flanks .sides of head ,wings and tail black,the last margined with white ,especially on the outer side .the female has the grey and black replaced with lighter and darker brown,with rusty upper tail coverts and outer tail .underparts lightly suffued with brown ,darker on breast .a typical bushchat in habbits.

Eurasian hobby/commonkestrel

    A dove sized falcon open wooded country and a savanna type habitat.sexes alike with the female being larger .slary grey above with darker head and cheek stripe .under parts reddish white streaked with black and with the thighs and undertail coverts more rufous.diurnal and crepuscular feeding on small birds and small bats as well as large flying insects which are devoured on the wings.flies about in wide arcs raising and faling in height ,atttacking flying prey in a swift,down ward scoop .calls and general habits similar to those of other falcon.

    A dove sized falcon of open country well known for its habits of hovering .head grey streaked darker with a characterstic dark cheek stripe.grey rump uppertail coverts and tail.lower plumage rufous buff with breast and flanks streaked and spotted with brown .tail white tipped with a black subterminal band.femal larger and brownwish rufous above.upperparts with bolder mankings than the male .tail barred with white tip  and dark subterminal band .both sexes have wing tips darker.a bird of open country feeds on insects,lizards and small rodents which it captures by plummetting down.

osprey/peregrine falcon

 A migratory kite sized raptor found near large bodies of water.contrasting dark brown up perparts and pure white underparts and head a dark brown breast band and a dak stripe running along the eyes.sexes alike. in overhead flight,wings tips and carpal patches darker,whiate lunderparts and breast band clearly visible;also the squarish tail .catches fish by plunging into water,the fish being taken later to  a perch to be devoured.seen perch on stake or a tree, or flying about sometimes hovering to take a better look.usually silent in its winter quarters.

  A typical streamlined falcon,dark ashy grey above and fuovous white below .conspicuos black cheek stripe and finely dark barred underparts.jungle crow sized and usually found individlually .captures prey,usually qatefowl,in a fast sive raking  the prey with its hind claw.flight direct and powerful a few fast wing deep beets followed by a glied. like other falcons spends a lot of time waiting for prey from vantage perch.found near wetsland.eats a wide variety of birds species.has a fairly loud ringing scream.

eurasian marsh harrier/crested serpent eagle

    The lagest of the region`s harriers and one of the early winter migrantes to arrive,the euarasian marsh harrier can be seen frequenting wet ground and wet land areas.the pale rufous head, neck and breast look distinct from the dark brown of the rest of the body female is dark chocolate brown with buff head cap and buff leading edge to proximal end of wing.easily distinguished from the slightly larger pariah kite by the rounded not forked tail.more common in the north through seen throughout the indian region.found on marshes and wet cultivation.feeds on fish ,roddents and frogs.

    The large frorest raptor having white spotted browns underpartsthe brown being the same shade dorsally .care,legs,feet and irises yellow .a prominent pied transversely oriented,fan like nuchal crest.underwing pattern distinctive; blackbands  on the main flight feathers preceded with a few more black and white bands .often seen soaring over the forest canopy the birds it self a minlute speck in the heavens. the shrill piercing cry draws attention well before bird is visible.

white rumped vulture/egyptian vulture

   A wide spread vulture and perhaps the most cmmon of the large vultures overall brownish black with the lower back white .a whitish ruff of feather at base of neck ,broken in the front .gives a hunch backed impression when perched a gracefulsreadiness whhhhhhen sailing.distinguished from the long billed in over head flight by the pale leading edge of under wing contrasting with the dark wings quills and dark ventral side of the body.upper flanks and thighs covers white;rooosting and nesting in groups.a carrion feeder hardly ever takkes anylive prey.produces a few rough screeches.

    The smaller vulture in the region beings about the size of the common pariahkite. overallwhite with the relatively short,nakked neck,head and bill yellow.legs pale flesh.main flight feather black;tail wedge shaped.sexes alike.a bird  of open country fnd not usually gregariolus.apart from carrion,scavenges  around village outskirts and garbage dumps;also takes small animals and large insects.builds a plateform nest on edge of cliffs and buildings.found in open country and in the vicinity of human habitation.widespread and locally.

Red headed vulture/long billed vulture

   A  plains vulture of medium size, the red headed valture  has the head and neck bare ,thighs and legs pimkish red ;with flat,pendant wattle behind each ear.white patches on upper thighs and at base of neck;white band along underwing visible in flight.wing helded above land of body .young are darkish brown with white abdomen and under tail.rather timid and unsocial,found in ones and twos at carcasses waiting for the jostling to reduce to have a tug at flesh,withdrawing when the competition increases.builds large ,plaform nest of stick and twigs on some large tree,and if unavailable as in a semi desert ,even bushes.

      A large resident vulture,light to dark brownabove,with paler edges to feathers,and very pale brown below.a ruff of white feather at the base of the neck;head and neck patchily covered with whitish down.sexes alike .distinguished from the white rumped vulture by the back being brown and when flying over head , by the different wing pattern:wing quills black and rest of underwing pale browm merging with the colour of ventral body.sociable and silent.genaral habbits same as other vultures.commonly seen in the drier parts of india like rajasthan,gujrat and most of central india.

white bellied sea eagle/pallas"s fish eagle

A distinctive-looking large bird of preyof the peninsular seaboard,ashy brown above and pure white on the head,neck,under partsand terminal third of tail.sexes alike;femel larger.when gliding long wings held above line of the body.wedge shaped tail distinctive.invariably in pairs,gliding really along the shoreline beyond the surf zones; or perched on some vantage point.feeds on sea snakes,fish and other animals picked up in a neat sweep and devoured at some favourite perch.noisy in the breeding season;often duetting.found on sea coasts and inland especially tfe coast of bombay and and allalong the east coast.

    A huge eagle of the larger north indian rivers and reservoirs.dark brown above and below,golden brown to fulvous head and neck.tail with board dark terminal and a board, white  sub terminal band ;rounded and not usually spread.female larger a typical eagle ,adap[ted to feeding on fish in wetland habitats .uses a mound ,fishing stake or a water side tree to keep a lookout for fish;also feeds on large birds,snake frogs and carrion(including corpses),or flies about for the same .obtains its food frequently by robbing other birds of prey of their body

changeable hawk eagle/steppe eagle

A slim and power ful kite sized raptor of forested habitats.brown above,brown streaked white below,the streaks starting as fine marakings on the throte and becoming thicker and bolder on breast.a black sigittal crest and long, feathered legs distinctive.more of large hwk than an eagle in looks ,sweeping down and ambushing prey.sits on a high perch on the top of some well-foliaged tree and keeps a keen look out for animals moving down below.preys on hares,large birds like junglefowl,partridges,quails,squirrels,lizards and the likehas a loud ,high-pitched call,starting short and ending in a scream:more often heard in the breeding season.

  A large varriable coloured brown migratory eagle.plumage colour ranges from blackish to a pale buffish brown.whitish tips to secondaries and its coverts contribute the two wings bars,visibale both on the upper and uinder wings .has a patch of rufous on nape some times.sexes alike female slightly larger.solitary or serval scattered,it obtains food by piracy,by eating carrion,and also by pounching on small animal that came by .utters loud crackling notes,highpitched call.has a lazy, low fligth. a winter visitor, it is found in open country ,vicities of villages,towns and areas of cultivation.

shikra/white eyed buzzard

  A dearing pegion sized small hawk of well-wooded country.one of the most common hawks to be found in the region it is pale ashy- grey above,white below,finally barred with rusty-brown,especially on the breast.a median grey strpe on the throat.female larger,immatures brown above and boldly steaked brown below.wings short and  rounded,tail us too long and barred.a cat of the bird world the shikra hunts by almost ambushing its prey.a flight is swift: a few rapid wing strokes followed by glide,the bird invariably flyes up into a tree to aligtht on a branch .captures any animal of manageable size,butno carrion.given to soaring on thermals.has challenging call.

   A jungle crow sized ,greyish brown hawk of open forest, scrub and cultivation in the dry zones of in the indian region .a white throte and napepatch, pale eyes.orangish-yellow cere and legs.dark chin and cheek stripes .wings are long,broad and rounded,typically buzzard like.in over head flight ,under wing looks paler than body .sedentaryinhabbits , looking out for prey from a vantage point day in day out .the look out perch could be any thing, trees stumps,poles,even earthen mounds.become very active during the breeding sesion ,especially during courtship.

Pariah kite/Brahminy kite

 A common commonsal,overall brown,the head paler and the wings darker.A black eyepatch .A diagnostic forked tail with numerous dark on close look.Bodyfeathers edged paler .Gregarious ,roosting communally.Seen in most indian town and cities,scavenging and ocasionally snatching food,including like sandwiches.A bird of easy flight,manoevring adroitly even in the most congested of thoroughfares,swooping,down to pick up a dead rat or the likes with out even a slightest hint of a collision.Call a shrill musical"wheehehehehehe"ssqueal.

                                A handsome looking and common bird which is frequently seen around water and is only slightly smaller than the Pariah kite.Its white head,neck,upperback and breast contrast well with the rich,rusty chestnut of rest of the plumage.The abdomen is more brownish.Feeds on carbs ,fish,frog,and such like animals found in around water ,stick birds as big as duck, often scooped up in grace ful sweeping dive.Usually silent,but has a call similar to ,but distinct from,that praiah kite.found on margins of lakes,marshes,rivers and sea cost.