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

Black-headed Ibis

Scientific Name - Threskiornis melanocephalus
Month & Year Spotted - All through the year.

Weather - All season

Habitat - Fresh water wetlands

Place - Countryside, Jabalpur.

Status - Resident, uncommon.