Oriental Honey Buzzard

Scientific Name - Pernis ptilorhynchus

Weather - Sunny day

Habitat - Trees

Place - Dumna Nature Reserve, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Status - Resident

Commonly found Raptor species in Jabalpur City. It has a variety of morphs and plumage, I've personally seen 7-8 morphs and plumage of this raptor. It has an notable pigeon-like head (with long neck and a small head).
As their name suggests, they feed on honey, its combs and bees as well, apart from small rodents and reptiles. Sometimes they are seen within the city, in search of food and nesting place.

Indian Grey Hornbill (Dhanesh Pakshi)

Scientific Name - Ocyceros birostris

Weather - Sunny day

Habitat - Trees

Place - South Civil Lines, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Status - Resident

Commonly found species in Jabalpur City. Beautiful bird with long bill, usually seen in pair and sometimes in flocks. Their flock size can increase upto 20-30 in numbers. They are mainly frugivorous but occasionally feed on insects and reptiles.

Plant more trees if you want to see this beautiful bird around you!

Rosy Starling

Scientific Name - Pastor roseus

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Cold and Sunny

Habitat - Open Fields, Trees, Farms etc.

Place - Robertson Lake, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India)

During winter season, one can see this bird in a large flock, making different shapes and movements during flight (aka Murmuration). It is from the same family as Myna. Very often they are seen with other Starling/Myna Species such as Asian Pied Starling, Indian Myna, Brahminy Starling, Jungle Myna and Bank Myna foraging in open fields and farms.

Long-legged Buzzard

Scientific Name - Buteo rufinus

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Cold and Sunny

Habitat - Open Fields, Trees, etc.

Place - Nunsar, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India)

Quite an uncommon and a large raptor to be seen in Jabalpur and its outskirt. It usually look for small rodent and lizards in farm lands and open fields. It's an excellent hunter and also agile in stealing prey from other raptors!

Jungle Babbler (Saat Bhai)

Scientific Name - Turdoides striata

Status - Resident

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Open Fields, Grasslands, Trees, etc.

Place - Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India)

Jungle Babbler ('Saat Bhai' in Hindi) is a Resident to Jabalpur. As the local name suggests, it stays in a group of 7 birds (sometimes 1-2 more/less). It usually makes a chattering noise in a group also while gliding from a place to other and forage in group. It can be usually seen in open forests patches, bushes and trees.

Common Cuckoo (Eurasian Cuckoo)

Scientific Name - Cuculus canorus

Status - Monsoon Migrant

Weather - Cloudy

Habitat - Open Fields, Grasslands, Trees, etc.

Place - Dumna, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Common Cuckoo (aka Eurasian Cuckoo) is a Monsoon Migrant to Jabalpur. It makes the typical "cuckoo-call". Also, in-flight this bird has a distinct body structure and excellent agility. They can be usually seen in open forests patches and trees.

Red Avadavat

Scientific Name - Amandava amandava

Status - Resident

Weather - All Weather.

Habitat - Open Fields, Grasslands

Place - Gokulpur Tank, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Red Avadavat (aka Red Munia) is beautiful bird and a resident species of Jabalpur. Usually found foraging in flock of 10-20 birds. Due to their small size, they are quite difficult to spot in an open ground when foraging. During breeding season, one can see them in pair(s).

Lesser Whitethroat

Scientific Name - Sylvia curruca

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Cold and Sunny.

Habitat - Open Fields, Scrubs and Trees

Place - Dumna Nature Reserve, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is one of the typical warblers that Migrates to Jabalpur during Winters and can be found in open fields and scrub regions of the city. It has a prominent white throat and a distinctive and fast 'tet tet tet' call.

This warbler can be seen in house's backyard as well, searching for insects or feeding on small fruit and flower seeds.

Red-headed Bunting

Scientific Name - Emberiza bruniceps

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Cold and Sunny.

Habitat - Open Fields, Scrubs and Trees

Place - Patan Road, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a Winter Migrant bird to Jabalpur and can be found in open fields and scrub regions of the city. They can be seen in flock that varies from 10-15 and sometimes more than 25-30. The Adult Male has a Red coloration on head and it extends up to throat.

Near any farm fields, one can see them foraging along with House Sparrows and other Bunting species.

Siberian Stonechat

Scientific Name - Saxicola maurus

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Cold and Sunny.

Habitat - Paddy Fields

Place - Mohari, Jabalpur Dist. (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a Winter Migrant bird to Jabalpur and can be found in paddy fields, open fields and scrub regions of the city. Usually they are solitary or with female. In open fields, one can see them preying on insects.

Painted Francolin

Scientific Name - Fracolinus pictus

Status - Local Migrant

Weather - Cloudy and Drizzling (Rainy)

Habitat - Open Grasslans, Scrubs and Trees

Place - Dumna Airport Road, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a Local Migrant bird to Jabalpur and can be found in open grasslands and scrub region of the city. During monsoon, one can hear them calling usually at Dawn and Dusk. It's a bit shy like its cousin Grey Francolin but as the name suggests, Painted Francolin is a beautiful bird.

Black Kite (Pariya Kite)

Scientific Name - Milvus migrans

Status - Resident

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Trees and Mainly near Human Habitat

Place - Katanga, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a resident bird to Jabalpur and can be found throughout the city. They mainly resides near humans for easy food. They feed on rats, carcass, small birds and sometimes human food. When population of Vultures declined in the city areas, Black Kites succeeded them. 

Indian Silverbill (White-throated Munia)

Scientific Name - Eurodice malabarica

Status - Resident

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Scrubs and Grassland.

Place - Gokulpur Tank, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a resident bird to Jabalpur and can be found in most of the open grasslands, scrubs and also in cultivated fields, wherever they can forage easily. They can be seen in a flock of atleast 10-12 birds. Due to their small size, one may face difficult to spot them when foraging on ground (grassland).

Paddyfield Pipit

Scientific Name - Anthus Rufulus

Status - Resident

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Scrubs and Grassland.

Place - Gokulpur Tank, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is the only resident Pipit of Jabalpur. So, it can easily be identified throughout the year except during winters, when its cousins from other region and countries will arrive.

Plum-headed Parakeet (Tuiya Tota)

Scientific Name - Psittacula cyanocephala

Status - Resident

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Trees

Place - Dumna Nature Reserve, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Also known as "Tuiya Tota" in Hindi (named after its distinctive call) is a long-tailed Parrot resident to our Jabalpur region.

They can be seen in forest areas and open woodlands of Jabalpur. These birds live in flocks and are very social. Males have a reddish purple head and females have a grey head. They fly fast with twists and turns followed by their calls.

Verditer Flycatcher

Scientific Name - Eumyias thalassinus

Status - Winter Migrant

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Trees

Place - Dumna Nature Reserve, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

It is a beautiful migratory bird that can be seen at many places in Jabalpur. It is named after its beautiful and quite distinctive shade of copper-sulphate blue.

It is the Himalayan population that migrates to lower altitudes and towards India during winter season.

Shikra a.k.a Little Banded Goshawk

Scientific Name - Accipiter badius
Status - Resident

Weather - Partially Cloudy

Habitat - Trees

Place - Thakurtal, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Shikra is the 2nd most common bird of prey in Jabalpur, after Black Kite. It hunts mainly small birds, garden lizards and small rats. During its young age, the variation of plumages are astonishing. This is one of the plumages of young age, also not a common one.

In Old Days, Indian hunters used Shikra for hunting small animals and birds.

Sarus Crane - World's Tallest Flying Bird

Scientific Name - Grus antigone
Status - Local Migrant, Uncommon

Weather - Sunny

Habitat - Flooded Paddies (Wetlands)

Place - Bhedaghat Road, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

This photograph was taken during the time of courtship. Male was indulged in spectacular display of "dancing" movements that involves a series of jumping, bowing and circling around Female.

Cinnamon Bitern

Scientific Name - Ixobrychus cinnamomeus
Month & Year Spotted - October 2013

Weather - Heavy clouds and Rain showers.

Habitat - Tall reed beds bordering lakes and marshes.

Place - Bhedaghat Road, Jabalpur.

Status - Resident migratory, Very Rare.

Bonelli's Eagle

Scientific Name - Aquila fasciata
Month & Year Spotted - December 2013

Weather - Sunny winter day

Habitat - Well-wooded hills

Place - Lower Gaur Forest, Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India).

Status - Resident, Rare