PART I. _a. Hindustani Names of Common Birds_

A. Hindustani Names of Common Birds B. Classification according to Structural Peculiarities C. Classification according to Colour D. Classification according to Habits

A. HINDUSTANI NAMES OF COMMON BIRDS

In all cases the number in brackets which follows the name of a bird is the number of the bird in the Descriptive List that composes Part II of this book.

Ababil, Swallow, Martin, Swift (80-90, 124 and 125). Ablak Maina, Pied Myna (54). Baglā, Paddy bird (224). Bara Kowā, Corby (1). Batér, Quail (171). Bāya, Baya or Weaver bird (70). Bāz, Eagle (146); also Goshawk. Bhairi, Peregrine Falcon. Bhīmrāj, Racket-tailed Drongo (27). Brāhmini Chīl, Brahminy Kite (151). Buchanga, King Crow (25). Būlbūl, Bulbul (15-21). Chahā, Snipe. Chakwá, Brahminy Duck (229). Chandūl, Lark (97-103). Chīl, Kite (152). Chotā Chahā, Jack Snipe. Daryā Mainā, Bank Myna (53). Dayāl, Magpie Robin (68). Desi Shāma, Brown Rock-chat (64). Dhobin, Wagtail (91-94). Fakhtā, Dove (166-169). Gheti, Goose (Mirzapur district). Gidh, Vulture (141-145). Golābi Mainā, Rose-coloured Starling (48). Gonriya, Sparrow (82). Gūgū, Dove (166-169). Hāns, Barred-headed Goose (228). Harre Lāl, Green Munia (78). Harriāl, Green Pigeon (163 and 164). Jānghil, Painted Stork. Jangli tota, Sirkeer Cuckoo. Kabūtār Pigeon (165). Kālā Pidhā, Pied Bush Chat (61 and 62). Kālā Tītar, Black Partridge (172). Kārkarra, Demoiselle Crane (179). Koil, Koel (130). Kotwāl, King Crow (25). Kowā, House Crow (3). Kūlang, Common Crane (177). Laggar, Lugger Falcon (160). Lahtora, Shrike (34-37). Lāl, Lāl Mūnia, Amadavat (77). Machlimār, Osprey (140). Mainā, Myna (52). Mōhok, Crow-pheasant (131). Mor, Peafowl (170). Nīlkant, Roller (115). Pahāri Mainā, Grackle (46 and 47). Pāndubi, Dabchick. Pan-kowa, Cormorant (209-211). Perki, Dove. Phutki, Tailor-bird, warbler (28-33). Pīlak, Oriole (44 and 45). Popīyā, Brain-fever bird (128). Rāj Hans, Grey-lag Goose (227). Safēd Gīdh, Scavenger Vulture (144 and 145). Sārās, Sarus Crane (178). Sāth Bhai, Seven Sisters (7-9). Sawan, Bar-headed Goose (Unao district). Shāh Būlbūl, Paradise Flycatcher (57). Shikrā, Shikra (158). Silahi, Whistling Teal. Siphāhi Bulbul, Red-whiskered Bulbul (20 and 21). Sūbak, Night Heron (Baraich district). Sūga, Paroquet. Sūrkiā Baglā, Cattle Egret (223). Surkhābi, Brahminy Duck. Thampāl, King Crow (25). Tilyer, Rose-coloured Starling (48). Tīsa, White-eyed Buzzard (147). Tītar, Grey Partridge (173). Tītiri, Plover, Lapwing (183 and 184). Tōtā, Paroquet (132-134). Turamti, Red-headed Merlin (161). Tūti, Rose Finch (80). Ūllū, Owl (135-139). Wāk, Night Heron (225). Wokāb, Tawny Eagle (146).

The following words are used by Indians as equivalent to the English word “nest.”

Jhonj or Jhūnj. (In some parts of the country this is used to describe a hanging nest.) Ghonsla or Gonchila. Bil or Gahda. Used for a nest in a hole.

B. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO STRUCTURAL PECULIARITIES

I. Bills. II. Crest. III. Legs. IV. Tail. V. Sexual Dimorphism.

I. BILLS

Birds with Long Bills

1. The Sunbirds (106-108). (Very small birds with long curved bills.) 2. The Kingfishers (118-120). (Fairly long and straight.) 3. The Hornbills (121 and 122). (Big birds with long tails.) 4. The Hoopoe (123). (Bill very long and slightly curved.) 5. The Black-winged Stilt (187). (Fairly long, very slender.) 6. The Avocet (188). (Fairly long, slender, with an upward curve.) 7. The Curlew (189). (Very long and curved.) 8. The Whimbrel (190). (Long and curved.) 9. The Black-tailed Godwit (191). 10. The Snipes. 11. The Pelicans (207 and 208). 12. The Ibises (212-214). (Very long and slightly curved.) 13. The Spoonbill (215). (Long, straight, and flattened with a ladle-like tip.) 14. The Storks (216-221). 15. The Herons (222-225). (Fairly long and dagger-shaped.).

II. CREST

Crested birds

1. The Madras Red-vented Bulbul (15). 2. The Burmese Red-vented Bulbul (16). 3. The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul (17). 4. The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul (18). 5. The White-eared Bulbul (19). 6. The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul (20). 7. The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul(21). 8. The Large Racket-tailed Drongo (27). 9. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). 10. The Brahminy Myna (51). 11. The Paradise Flycatcher (57). 12. The Crested Lark (101). 13. Sykes’s Crested Lark (102). 14. The Malabar Crested Lark (103). 15. The Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (110). 16. The Golden Woodpecker (111). 17. The Pied Kingfisher (small crest) (118). 18. The Indian Hoopoe (123). 19. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129). 20. The Common Peafowl (170). 21. The Large Cormorant (small crest) (209). 22. The Indian Spur-winged Plover (184a). 23. The Herons (222-225).

III. LEGS

Birds with very long legs

1. The White-breasted Water-hen (174). (Moderately long.) 2. The Purple Coot (175). 3. The Cranes (177-179). 4. The Stone Curlew (180). 5. The Lapwings (183 and 184). 6. The Black-winged Stilt (187). 7. The Avocet (188). 8. The Curlew (189). 9. The Whimbrel (190). 10. The Spoonbill (215). 11. The Storks (216-221). 12. The Common Flamingo (226). 13. The Indian Spur-winged Plover (184a).

Birds with legs feathered to the toe

1. The Owls (135-139). 2. The True Eagles (146). 3. The Sandgrouse.

IV. TAIL

1. Birds with the tail deeply forked

1. The Drongos (25-27). 2. The Swallows (88-90). 3. The Palm Swift (125). 4. The Common Kite (152). (Tail slightly forked. This distinguishes the Kite from all other raptorial birds which have round, square, or wedge-shaped tails.) 5. The Terns (200-206).

2. Birds with long tails (i.e. long in proportion to rest of body)

1. The Indian Tree-pie (5). 2. The King Crow (25). 3. The White-bellied Drongo (26). 4. The Larger Racket-tailed Drongo (27). 5. The Tailor Bird (cock in breeding plumage when the two middle feathers are prolonged as two bristles) (28). 6. The Paradise Flycatcher (cock only) (57). 7. The Shama (69). 8. The Wire-tailed Swallow (two of the tail feathers are prolonged beyond the others and look like wires. These frequently get broken off) (89). 9. The Common Indian Bee-eater (the two median tail feathers are prolonged as bristles) (116). 10. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (the two median tail feathers are prolonged as bristles) (117). 11. The Hornbills (121 and 122). 12. The Cuckoos (128-130). 13. The Crow-pheasant (131). 14. The Large Indian Paroquet (132). 15. The Rose-ringed Paroquet (133). 16. The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet (134). 17. The Peacock (170). In this species it is not the tail, but the upper tail coverts which are elongated. 18. The Pheasant-tailed Jaçana (in breeding plumage) (182). 19. Terns (202-204).

3. Birds with a very short tail

1. The Nuthatches (23 and 24). 2. The Munias (74-79). (Fairly short). 3. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). 4. The Indian Pitta (109). 5. The Woodpeckers (110 and 111). (Fairly short.) 6. The Barbets (113 and 114). 7. The Kingfishers (118-120). 8. The Common Indian Swift (124). 9. The Spotted Owlet (135). 10. The Scops Owl (138). 11. The Vultures (140-142). (Fairly short.) 12. The Common Quail (171). 13. The Partridges (172 and 173). 14. The White-breasted Water-hen (174). 15. The Purple Coot (175). 16. The Coot (176). 17. The Plovers (185 and 186). 18. The Avocet (188). 19. The Black-tailed Godwit (191). 20. The Sandpipers (192-194). 21. The Little Stint (195). 22. The Pelicans (207 and 208). 23. The Cormorants (209-211). 24. The Ibises (212-214). 25. The Spoonbill (215). 26. The Egrets (223). 27. The Paddy Bird (224). 28. The Night Heron (225). 29. The Common Flamingo (226). 30. The Geese (227 and 228). 31. The Ducks (229 and 230). 32. The Little Grebe (231). (No tail at all.)

4. Birds in which a part of the tail feathers are prolonged beyond the rest as bristles

(a) Median pair prolonged

1. (Cock) Tailor Bird (in hot weather). 2. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

(b) Outer pair prolonged

1. The Larger Racket-tailed Drongo (27). (The web reappears at the tip, so as to form a disc at the terminal part of the feather.) 2. The Wire-tailed Swallow.

V. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

Birds in which the sexes differ greatly in appearance

1. The Common Iora (13). 2. The Minivets (39-41). 3. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42). 4. The Orioles (44 and 45). 5. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). 6. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (57). 7. The Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62). 8. The Indian Bush Chat (63). 9. The Indian Redstart (65). 10. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). 11. The Magpie Robin (68). 12. The Shama (69). 13. The Weaver Birds (70-73). (In breeding season only.) 14. The Indian Red Munia (79). (Particularly in breeding season.) 15. The Common Rose-Finch (80). 16. The Common Sparrow (82). 17. The Buntings (84 and 85). 18. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). 19. The Sunbirds (106-108). 20. The Koel (130). 21. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (134). 22. The Harriers (153-157). 23. The Red Turtle Dove (169). 24. The Common Peafowl (170). 25. The Black Partridge (172). 26. The Shoveller (230). (In breeding plumage.)

C. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO COLOUR

I. Black. II. Blue. III. Brown. IV. Coffee or fawn colour. V. Green. VI. Grey. VII. Pink. VIII. Red. IX. White. X. Yellow. XI. Birds of many colours.

Colour affords the easiest means of identifying the great majority of birds, but in many cases the colours displayed, although conspicuous and easily recognised, are not of a nature to admit of strict classification. Take, for example, the blues—various species display almost every known shade from slaty grey to turquoise, from purple to ultramarine and indigo. To attempt to distinguish in the lists between the many shades of blue would have led to inevitable confusion. I have, therefore, divided my blues into bright blue, dark blue, and slaty blue. My method is probably inartistic, but it will, I hope, facilitate the task of identification.

Again, it is no easy matter to draw the line between greyish and brownish birds, hence I have included some species under both heads. The reader should bear in mind that, while nothing is easier than to identify some birds by their colour, in the case of others colour is at the best a rough guide—one, but only one, of the clues which have to be followed up before the identity of the species can be established. In the case of Raptorial birds colour is of very little assistance, since the great majority of them are of the same colour, moreover, individuals vary greatly in colouration at different stages of their existence.

I. BLACK

1. Birds with a quantity of black in their plumage

(a) All Black

1. The Indian Corby (1). 2. The Raven (2). 3. The King Crow (25). 4. The Large Racket-tailed Drongo (27). 5. (Cock) Sunbirds (106 and 107). (These are really dark purple, but sometimes look black from a distance.) 6. (Cock) Koel (bill green, eyes red) (130). 7. (Young) Scavenger Vultures (144 and 145). 8. Coot (176). (White bill and shield on forehead.) 9. The Indian Shag (210).

(b) Mainly Black

1. The Indian House Crow (3). This and (4) have grey necks, darker in (4). 2. The Burmese House Crow (4). 3. The Malabar Whistling Thrush (11). (Patches of cobalt-blue.) 4. The Grackles (46 and 47). (Yellow wattles and white bar in wing.) 5. The Indian Starling (49). (With small yellow or whitish spots.) 6. The Common Indian Swift (124). (Smoky brown, with white bar across rump.) 7. The Palm Swift (125). (Brownish black.) 8. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (Wings chestnut brown.) 9. The Black Vulture (141). (Red head, white breast and patch on each thigh.) 10. The White-backed Vulture (143). (Very dark grey, with white back.) 11. (Cock) Black Partridge (172). (With narrow white bars and broad chestnut collar.) 12. White-breasted Water-hen (174). (Very dark grey, with white face, throat, and chest, and red under tail.) 13. The Large and Little Cormorants (209 and 211). (White throat.) 14. Black Ibis (213). (Top of head red, white patch on wing.)

2. Black-headed birds

1. The Indian Tree-Pie (5). 2. (Cock) Iora (13). 3. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-19). (Small crest.) 4. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21). (Large pointed crest.) 5. The Minivets (39 and 40). 6. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42). 7. The Black-headed Oriole (45). 8. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). 9. The Black-headed Myna (51). 10. The Common Myna (52). (With yellow patch of skin behind eye.) 11. The Paradise Flycatcher (57). 12. The Indian Redstart (cock in spring) (65). 13. The Magpie Robin (cock) (68). 14. The Shama (69). 15. The Black-headed Munia (74). 16. The Chestnut-bellied Munia (75). 17. The Black-headed Bunting (in spring) (84). 18. The Purple-rumped Sunbird (108). (The head and breast are not black in this species, but look black from a distance.) 19. The Crow-Pheasant (131). 20. (Male) Pied Harrier (156). 21. The Bronze-winged Jaçana (181). 22. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183). (Red wattle and sides of neck white.) 23. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184). (Yellow wattle, back of neck white.) 24. The Terns (especially in summer) (200-205). 25. The White Ibis (212). 26. The White-necked Stork (217). (Neck white.) 27. The Black-necked Stork (218). 28. The Night Heron (225). 29. The Indian Spur-winged Plover (184a).

3. Black collaret or gorget or band across the breast

1. The Bengal Red-whiskered Bulbul (20). 2. The Southern Red-whiskered Bulbul (21). (Collaret interrupted.) 3. The White Wagtail (patch on breast) (91). 4. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). (Black cross on throat.) 5. The Common Indian Bee-eater (116). 6. Some of the Bustards. (Not dealt with in this book.) 7. The Pheasant-tailed Jaçana (182). 8. The Little Ringed Plover (186). 9. The Painted Stork (220).

4. Black streak through the eye (i.e. from beak to back of head)

1. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23). 2. The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (24). 3. The Shrikes (34-37). 4. The Indian Oriole (44). (Rather a patch than a streak.) 5. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). 6. The Indian Pitta (109). 7. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

5. Black and another colour

(a) Black and blue

1. The Malabar Whistling Thrush (11). 2. The Velvet-fronted Nuthatch (24). (Whitish throat, lower parts greyish.) 3. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165). (Slaty blue, with black wing bars and red legs.)

(b) Black and brown (chestnut)

1. The Indian Tree-Pie (5). (Silver-grey on wings, grey bars on tail, which is long.) 2. The Common Myna (52). (White in wings and tail, yellow legs, and patch of skin behind eye.) 3. (Hen and young) Indian Paradise Flycatcher (57). 4. (Cock) Brown-backed Indian Robin (66). (Red patch under tail.) 5. The Chestnut-bellied Munia (75). 6. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (A black bird with brown wings).

(c) Black and coffee or fawn colour

The Rose-coloured Starling (48).

(d) Black and grey

1. The Indian House Crow (3). 2. The Burmese House Crow (4). 3. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42). (Lower abdomen white and white tip to tail.) 4. The Large Cuckoo-Shrike (43). 5. The Bank Myna (53). (Red patch of skin on side of head and buff wing bar.) 6. The Open-bill (221). (When not in breeding plumage.)

(e) Black and pink

The Rose-coloured Starling (cock) (48).

(f) Black and red

1. The Indian Scarlet Minivet (cock) (41). 2. The Short-billed Minivet (cock) (42). 3. The Indian Redstart (cock in spring) (65). (Red is dull; outer tail feathers brown.) 4. The Black-backed Indian Robin (cock) (67). (A black bird with red patch under tail.) 5. The Common Swallow (88). (Upper plumage has bluish tinge; some white in tail.) 6. The Red-rumped Swallow (90). (Upper plumage has bluish tinge.) 7. The Black Vulture (141). (White breast and patch on thigh.) 8. The Black Ibis (213). (Small white patch on wing.)

(g) Black and white

1. The White-bellied Drongo (26). 2. The Grackles (46 and 47). (Black birds with white wing bar, yellow wattles, bills, and legs.) 3. The Pied Myna (54). (Orange bill and patch behind eye.) 4. (Cock) Paradise Flycatcher (57). (White bird with long tail and black head and crest.) 5. The Fantail Flycatchers (58-60). 6. (Cock) Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62). 7. The Magpie Robin (68). 8. The Large Pied Wagtail (92). 9. The Indian Pied Kingfisher (118). (Spotted black and white like a Hamburgh fowl.) 10. The Common Indian Swift (124). (Very dark brown, with white bar across back.) 11. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129). 12. The Indian White-backed Vulture (143). (Very dark grey, with white back.) 13. (Cock) Pied Harrier (155). 14. The Coot (176). 15. (Cock) Black-winged Stilt (187). (Long-legged white bird with black back and wings.) 16. The Avocet (188). (White wading bird with black markings.) 17. The Indian Skimmer (206). (Dark brown and white.) 18. The Cormorants (209 and 211). (Black birds with white throat.) 19. The White Ibis (212). (White bird with black head.) 20. The White Stork (216). (White bird with black in wings; red bill and legs.) 21. The White-necked Stork (217). (Black bird with white neck and lower parts.) 22. The Black-necked Stork (218). 23. The Painted Stork (220). 24. The Open-bill (221).

(h) Black and yellow

1. (Cock) Iora (in summer) (13). (Two white bars in wing.) 2. (Hen) Scarlet and Short-billed Minivets (39 and 40). 3. The Orioles (44 and 45). 4. The Grackles (46 and 47). (Black birds with yellow bill, wattles, and legs, and white wing bar.)

6. Black and two other colours

(a) Black, blue, and white

The Velvet-fronted Blue Nuthatch (24). (The white is greyish.)

(b) Black, brown, and white

1. The Black-tailed Godwit (191). 2. The Barred-headed Goose (228). (Plumage greyish brown; bill and legs yellow.) 3. The Indian Spur-winged Plover (184a).

(c) Black, chestnut, and white

1. (Cock) Indian Bush Chat (63). 2. The Shama (69). 3. The Black-headed Munia (74). 4. The Chestnut-bellied Munia (75). 5. (Cock) Black Partridge (172). 6. The Bronze-winged Jaçana (181).

(d) Black, fawn-colour, and white

The Indian Hoopoe (123).

(e) Black, grey, and white

1. The Indian Grey Shrike (34). 2. The Black-headed Cuckoo-Shrike (42). 3. The White Wagtail (91). 4. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). 5. The Gulls* (196-199) 6. The Terns* (200-205) 7. The Night Heron (225). 8. The Barred-headed Goose (228). (Greyish brown; bill and legs yellow.)

* Wings very pale grey

(f) Black, pink, and white

The Common Flamingo (226).

II. BLUE

Birds with blue in their plumage

(a) Bright blue

1. The Common Green Bulbul (14). (Bright green bird with blue moustache.) 2. The Indian Pitta (109). 3. The Indian Roller or “Blue Jay” (115). (Wings and tail composed of light and dark blue bars.) 4. The Common Indian Bee-eater (116). (A green bird with turquoise throat, black streak through eye, and two long bristle-like feathers in tail.) 5. The Blue-tailed Bee-eater (117). 6. The Common Kingfisher (119). 7. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120). 8. The Green Parrots (132-134). (Green birds with blue in their long tails.) 9. The Common Peafowl (170). 10. The Purple Coot (175). (A large purple-blue bird with red bill, legs, and frontal shield.)

(b) Dark blue

1. The Malabar Whistling Thrush (11). (A black bird with cobalt patches.) 2. The Nuthatches (23 and 24). (Little short-tailed birds which go about in small flocks and pick insects off the bark of trees.) 3. The Swallows (88-90). (Upper parts glossy, dark blue.) 4. The Indian Roller or “Blue Jay” (115). (Wings and tail composed of light and dark blue bars.)

(c) Slaty or greyish blue

The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165).

(d) Blue and black birds

(Vide Black and blue birds.)

III. BROWN

The number of birds of which the predominating hue is brownish is very considerable, and as these usually have nothing striking about their appearance, they are among the most difficult birds to identify. Birds which appear to be a uniform earthy brown will be found on closer inspection almost invariably to be brighter in hue below than above. This is largely counteracted by the fact that the lower parts are in the shade. Most birds which look a uniform earthy brown are in reality a cream colour below, and are described as such in systematic works on ornithology. But as this book is intended for the field naturalist, I shall describe them as they appear to the ordinary observer.

1. Birds whose general hue is earthy brown

(a) Those smaller than the sparrow

1. The Indian Tailor Bird (28). (This flits about among the leaves. The note is a loud to-wee, to-wee, to-wee. When the bird calls a small black band may be seen at each side of the neck. In the breeding season the two middle tail feathers of the cock grow over an inch longer than the others and project beyond them like bristles. A very familiar wren-like bird. The brown has a greenish tint.) 2. Sykes’s Tree-warbler (29). (Not unlike a solidly built wren, with a tail of average length, and not short like that of the wren.) 3. The Streaked Wren-warbler (30). (This is distinguished from other warblers by the fact that its upper plumage is streaked with dark brown.) 4. The Ashy Wren-warbler (31). (Makes a curious snapping noise as it flits about the bushes.) 5. The Indian Wren-warblers (32 and 33). (Slender and loosely-knit, and make no snapping noise.) 6. The Brown Flycatcher (55). (Characterised by its short tail and the fact that it constantly makes little sallies into the air after insects.) 7. (Hen) Indian Bush Chat (63). (Reddish brown. Cock quite differently coloured.) 8. The White-throated Munia (76). (Very thick bill, white throat and rump, and a note like the twitter of the sparrow; usually seen in small flocks.) 9. The Indian Sand-martin (86). (Swallow-like flight; nests in sandbanks.) 10. The Dusky Crag-martin (87). (Swallow-like flight; builds mud nest.) 11. (Hen) Sunbirds (106-108). (Pale yellow under parts, longish curved bill, sometimes hovers in the air on rapidly vibrating wings. Cocks gaily coloured.)

(b) The size of, or a little larger than, the sparrow

1. The Common Babbler (6). (A brown bird with a number of dark streaks. As it runs along it carries its tail along the ground, hence its name, “The Rat Bird.”) 2. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (Pale yellow patch under the tail, white eyebrow. It has a very cheery call.) 3. The Common Woodshrike (38). (Broad white eyebrow, outer tail feathers white; a pretty mellow note—tanti tuia.) 4. (Hen) Pied Bush Chat (61 and 62). (Reddish brown, with black tail; cock more strikingly coloured.) 5. The Brown Rock Chat (64). (Robin-like in habits; continually bobs its head.) 6. (Hen) Indian Robins (67 and 68). (Brick-red patch under tail. Tail often carried erect.) 7. Weaver Birds (70-73). (Stout bill. Cock becomes showy in breeding season.) 8. (Hen) Rose Finch (80). (Two white bars in wing.) 9. Yellow-throated sparrow (81). (Yellow patch on throat.) 10. (Hen) Common Sparrow (82). 11. The Grey-necked Bunting (83). (Thickish bill, some dark streaks in plumage and white in tail.) 12. (Hen) Black-headed Bunting (84). (Dull yellow under parts and bright yellow patch under the tail.) 13. The Pipits (95 and 96). (Longish legs; dark streaks in plumage. Feed on ground, but take refuge in trees when disturbed.) 14. The Larks (97 and 98). (Feed on ground; never perch in trees; some soar in the air and sing.) 15. The Bush Larks (99 and 100). (Distinguished from the true larks in perching in bushes when they sometimes take short flights into the air. Distinguished from the pipits in having no white in the tail.) 16. The Crested Larks (101-103). (Feed on ground; sing in air; never perch in bushes. Crested heads; no white in tail.) 17. The Common Wryneck (112). (Woodpecker-like habits. It twists its head from side to side continually. Its plumage is much streaked, speckled, and spotted.) 18. The Spotted Owlet (135). (Plumage much spotted and barred with white. Eyes in front of head. Comes out at sunset and sets up a loud chuckling chatter. Legs feathered to the toes.) 19. The Scops Owl (138). (Differs from the Spotted Owlet in having “horns” or ear-tufts. Note a single hoot, which is repeated regularly at intervals of about ten seconds.) 20. The Jungle Owlet (139). (Distinguished from the Spotted Owlet by its call and by the fact that it is far less often seen.) 21. The Kentish Plover (185). (White collar. Found in flocks on the sea coasts.) 22. The Little Ringed Plover (186). (Like the Kentish Plover, but distinguished from it by having a black band across the white throat.) 23. The Little Stint. (Wading birds, which occur in large flocks on shallow water.)

(c) About the size of a myna

1. The Jungle Babbler (7). (An untidy-looking bird, which goes about in small flocks of half a dozen, feeding on the ground; very noisy; flight feeble.) 2. The White-headed Babbler (8). (As above, but the crown of the head is greyish white. Found only in S. India.) 3. The Rufous-tailed Babbler (9). (Habits like those of the two species just cited; tail has a reddish tinge.) 4. The Common Indian Nightjar (126). (Plumage much mottled; crepuscular in its habits; it flits about at dusk hawking insects.) 5. Horsfield’s Nightjar (127). (A large edition of above.) 6. The Common Hawk Cuckoo (128). (Plumage much barred, like that of a bird of prey. Its loud crescendo call, a reiterated “brain-fever,” has made it familiar to all.) 7. The Shikra and the Sparrow-hawk (158 and 159). (Ashy grey birds with dark cross-bars to the feathers.) 8. The Common Quail (171). (A good deal smaller than a myna; legs short; plumage much barred with black. Lives exclusively on the ground.) 9. The Sandpipers (192-194). (Long-legged birds with white under parts and short tails, which occur in marshes or at the water’s edge.)

(d) Large birds. Bigger than a crow

1. The Common Grey Hornbill (121). (A large brownish-grey bird with long tail and big beak.) 2. The Malabar Grey Hornbill (122). (Like the above, but found chiefly on the west coast.) 3. The larger Owls (136 and 137). (Much barred and spotted. Night birds, with the eyes forwardly directed.) 4. The great majority of Birds of Prey (140-162). (Plumage usually much barred.) 5. The Grey Partridge (174). (Plumage much barred. Does not perch in trees; runs very fast; characteristic call.) 6. The Stone Curlew (180). (Black streaks in plumage, some white in wings and tail; legs and bill yellow.) 7. The Curlew (189). (A wading bird. Long curved bill.) 8. The Whimbrel (190). (A small edition of the Curlew.) 9. The Pond Heron (124). (Found at the water’s edge. Flight transforms it into a milk-white bird.) 10. The Night Heron (225). (Head black. Its cry “wāāk” is heard at sunset.) 11. The Grey-lag Goose (227). (Bill and legs dirty pink.) 12. The Sirkeer Cuckoo (131a). (Bill red. About the size of the House-crow.)

2. Birds with chocolate or rich brown in plumage

1. The Indian Treepie (5). (Long tail, silver grey on wings.) 2. The Yellow-eyed Babbler (10). (Cinnamon-brown bird with white breast.) 3. The Brown Shrike (37). 4. The Brahminy Myna (51). (Buff and grey bird with a black head.) 5. The Common Myna (52). (Yellow patch of skin at side of head.) 6. The Indian Bush Chat (63). 7. (Hen) Indian Redstart (65). 8. (Hen) Indian Robins (66 and 67). (Cock also in one species.) 9. The Munias (74, 75, and 77). (Not 76.) 10. The Red-headed Bunting (85). 11. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120). 12. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (Black bird with reddish-brown wings.) 13. The Barn Owl (136). 14. The Short-eared Owl (137). 15. The Brahminy Kite (151). (Reddish-brown bird with white head.) 16. The Kestrel (162). (Wings reddish brown.) 17. (Cock) Red Turtle Dove (168). (Wings reddish brown.) 18. The Black Partridge (172). 19. The Bronze-winged Jaçana (181). (Runs about on water weeds.) 20. The Red and Yellow-wattled Lapwings (183 and 184). (Back and wings bronzy brown.) 21. The Glossy Ibis (214). 22. The Shoveller (230). 23. The Indian Little Grebe (231).

3. Brown and black birds.

(Vide Black and brown birds.)

IV. COFFEE OR FAWN COLOUR

1. A fawn-coloured bird with black and white wings and tail

The Indian Hoopoe (123).

2. Black and coffee colour

(Young) Rose-coloured Starling (40).

V. GREEN

Birds in the plumage of which bright green predominates

1. The Indian White-eye (12). (Greenish yellow above, bright yellow below.) 2. (Hen) Iora (13). (Lower parts yellow; two white wing bars.) 3. The Common Green Bulbul* (14). 4. The Green Munia (78). (Yellow under parts; red beak.) 5. The Indian Pitta (109). (Back and shoulders only are green.) 6. The Green Barbet* (113). (Brown patch of skin behind the eye.) 7. The Coppersmith (114). (Olive green.) 8. The Bee-eaters* (116 and 117). (Two middle tail feathers prolonged as bristles.) 9. The Paroquets* (132-134). (Long tails.) 10. The Green Pigeons (163 and 164). 11. The Bronze-winged Jaçana (181). (Wings only greenish bronze. Runs about on floating plants.) 12. (Cock) Shoveller Duck (230). (Head, neck, and wing patch (speculum) only glossy green.) 13. The Little Green Heron. [Added to p. 224 by this list.]

* These are practically green all over.

VI. GREY

1. Prevailing hue grey

N.B.—Many birds are so coloured that it is not easy to know whether to class them as grey or as brown birds.

1. The Indian Grey Shrike (34). (Broad black band through eye.) 2. The Small Minivet (41). (Upper parts slaty-grey.) 3. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43). 4. The Grey-headed Myna (50). 5. The Bank Myna (53). (Grey and black bird with red patch of skin on side of head.) 6. (Hen) Magpie Robin (68). (Grey and white bird.) 7. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails (93 and 94). (Upper parts bluish grey, lower yellow.) 8. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). (Upper parts ashy grey.) 9. The Grey Hornbills (121 and 122). (Large greyish-brown birds with the tail long.) 10. The Pale, Montagu’s and the Hen Harriers (153-155). 11. The Shikra (158). (Narrow rust-coloured bars on lower parts.) 12. The Sparrow-hawk (159). (Rust-coloured bars on abdomen.) 13. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165). (Bluish-grey with two black bars in wing.) 14. The Doves (166-169). 15. The Grey Partridge (173). (Plumage greyish-brown and much barred.) 16. The Cranes (177-179). (Large French-grey birds with long shanks.) 17. The Grey Pelican (208). (Pale grey; enormous bill.) 18. The Adjutant (219). 19. The Common Heron (222). 20. The Barred-headed Goose.

2. The head only grey

1. The White-headed Babbler (8). (Crown of head is often greyish rather than white.) 2. The Bay- and Rufous-backed Shrikes (35 and 36). (Broad black band through eye.) 3. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56). 4. (Cock) Indian Redstart (65). (Head and neck grey in early winter.) 5. (Cock) Black-headed Bunting (84). (In early winter. Under parts yellow.)

3. Grey and black

(Vide Black and grey.)

4. Grey, black, and white

(Vide Black, grey, and white.)

5. Grey and red bird

The Kestrel (162). (Head, neck, and tail grey; back and wings brick red.)

6. Grey and white

1. (Hen) Magpie Robin (68). 2. The Gulls (196-199). (White birds with very pale grey wings.) 3. The Terns (200-205). (White birds with very pale grey wings.) 4. The Common Heron (222). (Under parts white.)

VII. PINK

1. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). (Black and deep rose-coloured pink.) 2. The Common Flamingo (226). (Legs long and deep pink; wings white, black, and cerise.)

VIII. RED

1. Birds with red in plumage, or having red wattles or red skin on head

(a) Bright red

1. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-18). 2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21). 3. The Minivets* (39-41). 4. The Bank Myna (53). 5. The Indian Redstart* (65). 6. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). 7. The Amadavat* (79). 8. (Cock) Common Rose-Finch (80). 9. The Purple-rumped Sunbird (108). (Back dull crimson.) 10. The Pitta (109). 11. (Cock) Yellow-fronted Pied Woodpecker (110). 12. Golden-backed Woodpecker (111). 13. The Crimson-breasted Barbet (114). 14. The Green Parrots (131-133). 15. The Black Vulture (141). 16. The Purple Coot (175). (Red shield on forehead.) 17. The Common Crane (177). (Red patch across back of head.) 18. The Sarus (178). (Red—not very bright—head and neck.) 19. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183). 20. The Black Curlew (213). (Back of head red.) 21. The Flamingo (226). (White and cerise.)

* These birds are conspicuously red.

(b) Dull red (chestnut, bay, or maroon)

1. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23). 2. The Bay- and Rufous-backed Shrikes (35 and 36). 3. The Shama (69). 4. The Chestnut-bellied Munia (75). 5. The Red-headed Bunting (85). 6. The Swallows (88-90). 7. The Rufous-tailed Finch-Lark (104). 8. The Common Kingfisher (119). 9. The Crow-Pheasant (131). 10. The Brahminy Kite (151). 11. The Red-headed Merlin (161). 12. The Kestrel (162). 13. (Cock) Red Turtle Dove (169). 14. The White-breasted Water-hen (174). 15. The Bronze-winged Jaçana (181). 16. The Ruddy Sheldrake (229). (The red is very yellowish.) 17. The Shoveller (230). 18. The Indian Little Grebe (231).

2. Red crest

The Woodpeckers (110 and 111).

3. Red-legged birds

1. The Coppersmith (114). 2. The Common Kingfisher (119). 3. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120). 4. The Indian Blue Rock Pigeon (165). 5. The Doves (166-168). 6. The Partridges (172 and 173). (Dull brownish red.) 7. The Purple Coot (175). 8. The Sarus (178). 9. The Black-winged Stilt (187). 10. The Laughing Gull (196). 11. The Brown-headed Gull (197). 12. The Whiskered Tern (200). 13. The Indian River Tern (203). 14. The Black-bellied Tern (204). (Orange red.) 15. The Indian Skimmer (206). 16. The Black Ibis (213). 17. The Storks (216-218). 18. The Common Flamingo (226). (Deep pink.) 19. The Grey-lag Goose. (Dirty pinkish red.) 20. The Shoveller (230). (Yellowish red.)

4. Red patch of feathers under the tail, birds with

1. The Red-vented Bulbuls (15-18). 2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21). 3. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). 4. The Indian Pitta (109). 5. The White-breasted Water-hen (174).

5. Red patch of feathers on shoulder, birds with

1. The Alexandrine Paroquet (131). 2. The Blossom-headed Paroquet (133).

6. Red patch of skin on side of head, birds with

1. The Bank Myna (53). 2. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183).

7. Red and black

(Vide Black and red.)

IX. WHITE

1. Birds of which the plumage is pure white

1. The Spoonbill (215). 2. The Egrets (223).

2. Birds in the plumage of which white largely predominates

1. (Cock) Paradise Flycatcher (57). (Black head and crest.) 2. The Black-winged Stilt (187). (Back and wings black in cock, brown in hen.) 3. The Avocet (188). (Several black markings.) 4. The Gulls (196-199). 5. The Terns (200-205). 6. The Dalmatian Pelican (207). (Some black in wings.) 7. The White Ibis (212). (Black head and neck; long curved bill.) 8. The White Stork (216). (Black in wings; red legs.) 9. The Black-necked Stork (218). (Black in wings; head, neck, and shoulders black; legs red.) 10. The Painted Stork (220). (Black wings and bar across breast; legs brown.) 11. The Open-bill (221). (Dirty white, with black on wings, shoulders, and tail.) 12. The Common Flamingo (226). (Some cerise in the plumage.)

3. Dull-coloured bird whose wings appear all white when flying

The Pond Heron (224).

4. White bar in wing, birds with

1. The Grey, Bay- and Rufous-backed Shrikes (34-36). 2. The Grackles (46 and 47). 3. The Common Myna (52). 4. The Pied Bush Chats (61 and 62). 5. (Cock) Indian Robins (66 and 67). 6. The Magpie Robin (68). 7. The Large Pied Wagtail (92). 8. The Indian Pitta (109). 9. The White-breasted Kingfisher (120). 10. The Pied-crested Cuckoo (129). 11. The Red- and Yellow-wattled Lapwings (183 and 184). 12. The Common Sandpiper (192). (Very narrow white bar.)

5. Two white bars in wing, birds with

1. The Iora (13). 2. (Hen) Rose-Finch (80).

6. White cheeks, birds with

1. The White-eared Bulbul (19). 2. The Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21). (Also a small patch of crimson feathers on cheeks.) 3. The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch (23). 4. The Pied Myna (54). 5. The Indian Bush Chat (63). (The patch in this species is on the sides of the neck, not on the cheeks.) 6. (Cock) Sparrow (82). 7. The Ashy-crowned Finch-Lark (105). 8. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (111). (The white on the cheeks is intersected by a number of thin black lines.) 9. The Black Partridge (172). 10. The Common Crane (177). (In this species the white runs down each side of the long neck.) 11. The Red-wattled Lapwing (183). (Here a white band runs from eye down the neck.) 12. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184). (Here a white band runs from eye to eye round the back of the head.)

7. Ring of white feathers round eye

1. The Indian White-eye (12). 2. The Brown Flycatcher (55). (Ring not very conspicuous.) 3. The Grey-necked Bunting (83). (Ring not very conspicuous.)

8. White and black

(Vide Black and white.)

9. White, black, and blue

(Vide Black, blue, and white.)

10. White, black, and brown

(Vide Black, brown, and white.)

11. White, black, and chestnut

(Vide Black, chestnut, and white.)

12. White, grey, and black

(Vide Black, grey, and white.)

13. White, pink, black

(Vide Black, pink, and white.)

X. YELLOW

1. Birds with bright yellow in the plumage

1. The Indian White-eye (12). 2. The Iora (13). 3. The Common Green Bulbul (14). (Patch of yellow on forehead.) 4. The White-eared Bulbul (19). (Yellow patch under the tail.) 5. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (Pale yellow patch under tail.) 6. (Hen) Minivets (39, 40, and 41). 7. The Orioles (44 and 45). 8. The Grackles or Hill Mynas (46 and 47). (Black birds with yellow beak, legs, and wattles.) 9. The Common Myna (52). (Yellow beak, legs, and patch of skin behind eye.) 10. The Pied Myna (54). (Orange patch of skin behind eye.) 11. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56). 12. (Cock) Bayas (at breeding season) (70-73). 13. The Green Munia (78). 14. The Yellow-throated Sparrow (81). 15. The Black- and Red-headed Buntings (84 and 85). 16. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails (93 and 94). 17. (Cock) Purple-rumped Sunbird (108). 18. The Indian Pitta (109). 19. The Yellow-fronted Woodpecker (110). (Spotted black and white bird with yellow forehead.) 20. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (111). (Back golden yellow.) 21. The Pheasant-tailed Jaçana (182). (Back of neck golden yellow in breeding plumage.) 22. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184). 23. The Cattle Egret (in breeding plumage) (223). (Yellow plumes grow from back of head.)

2. Birds with bright yellow or orange legs

1. The Yellow-eyed Babbler (10). 2. The Grackles (46 and 47). 3. The Mynas (51-53). 4. The Common Hawk-Cuckoo (128). (Not very bright.) 5. The majority of Birds of Prey. (The yellow varies from dull to bright.) 6. The Green Pigeons (163 and 164). 7. The Black Partridge (172). (Reddish orange.) 8. The Stone Curlew (180). 9. The Red- and Yellow-wattled Lapwings (183-184). 10. The Herring-Gulls (198 and 199). 11. The Little Tern (205). (Orange in summer, brownish in winter.) 12. The Barred-headed Goose (228). 13. The Shoveller (230).

3. Birds with dull-coloured upper plumage and bright yellow under parts

1. The Indian White-eye (12). 2. The Iora (13). 3. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (56). 4. The Green Munia (78). 5. The Black- and Red-headed Buntings (84 and 85). 6. The Grey and Grey-headed Wagtails (93 and 94).

4. Yellow patch of feathers under the tail, birds with

1. The White-eared Bulbul (19). 2. The White-browed Bulbul (22).

5. Yellow patch of feathers on the throat, bird with

The Yellow-throated Sparrow (81).

6. Yellow patch of skin on side of head or yellow wattles, birds with

1. The Grackles (46 and 47). 2. The Common and Pied Mynas (52 and 54). 3. The Yellow-wattled Lapwing (184).

7. Yellowish red

The Brahminy Duck (229). (This bird is mainly of a ruddy yellow hue.)

8. Yellow and black

(Vide Black and yellow.)

XI. BIRDS OF MANY COLOURS

9. Birds in the plumage of which at least four bright colours appear

1. (Cock) Purple-rumped Sunbird (108). 2. The Indian Pitta (109). 3. The Coppersmith (114). 4. The Common Kingfisher (119). 5. The Green Pigeons (163). 6. The Peafowl (170).

D. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO HABITS

I. Birds having remarkable cries. II. Birds whose nests are likely to be found in any garden in the plains. III. Birds that habitually sit on exposed perches. IV. Birds that go about in flocks. V. Flight. VI. Feeding habits. VII. Birds which habitually carry the tail almost vertically.

Since habits of birds vary according to circumstances, none of the lists given are exhaustive. They merely serve as rough guides. Thus, if a nest be found in the compound it is in all probability the nest of one of the species set forth in the list given, but it may, of course, belong to some other species. The list is nevertheless useful, as out of twenty nests found in any garden in the plains nineteen of them will also certainly belong to birds set forth in my list. Having determined that a given bird in all probability belongs to one of these species, it should not be difficult to arrive at its name by a process of elimination.

I. BIRDS HAVING REMARKABLE CRIES

Call Name of Bird No. of Bird in Part II

A loud metallic coch-lee, coch-lee, or cogee, cogee Indian Tree-pie 5

Squeaks like that of a revolving axle that requires oiling The Seven Sisters 6

A striking whistle, like that of a human being The Idle Schoolboy 11

A sweet little tinkling song The Bulbuls 15-22

A cheery whistle, heard chiefly at dawn, which Cunningham describes as “chēyk, chĕchi chĕyk, chēȳk chĕchi chēȳ chēȳh” The King Crow 25

A loud to-wee, to-wee, to-wee The Tailor Bird 28

A snapping noise Ashy Wren-warbler 31

A pretty, mellow tanti-tuia The Woodshrike 38

A loud, mellow, peeho, peeho The Orioles 44 & 45

Keeky, keeky, keeky . . . churr, churr, kok, kok, kok The Common Myna 52

A whistle of about six notes, like the first bars of the “Guards Valse” The Fantailed Flycatchers 58-60

A song like that of a canary Purple Sunbird 107

A loud, screaming call Golden-backed Woodpecker 111

A loud, monotonous, penetrating kutur kutur, kuturuk Green Barbet 113

A monotonous, metallic tonk, tonk, tonk, like the tapping of a hammer on metal The Coppersmith 114

A loud, rattling scream White-breasted Kingfisher 120

A low ūk, ūk, ūk The Hoopoe 123

A shrill, trembling scream The Swift 124

A sound like a stone sliding over ice The Common Nightjar 126

Chuk, chuk, chuk, like the tapping of a plank with a hammer Horsfield’s Nightjar 127

A crescendo “brain-fever, brain-fever, BRAIN-FEVER” Brain-fever Bird 128

A crescendo “ku-il, ku-il, KU-IL” The Koel 130

A low, sonorous, owl-like whoot, whoot, whoot The Crow-Pheasant 131

Loud screams uttered during flight The Paroquets 132-134

“A torrent of squeak and chatter and gibberish,” kucha, kwachee, kwachee, kwachee, kwachee rapidly uttered in a shrieking, chattering tone The Spotted Owlet 135

A weird screech, heard at night The Barn Owl 136

A single hoot repeated monotonously at regular intervals of ten seconds, oomp The Scops Owl 138

At early dawn. “Turtuck, turtuck, turtuck, turtuck, turtuck, turtuck, tuckatu, chatucka tuckatuck. The words or dissyllables sounding rather low at first and with considerable pauses between, and the intervals decreasing and the tone getting louder till they end rapidly” (Tickell) The Jungle Owlet 139

Loud resonant calls uttered when the bird is high up in the air The Fish-Eagles 148-150

Peculiar squeaking wail uttered while the bird is sailing in the air The Brahminy Kite 151

A mournful wailing trill, chee-hĭ hĭ hĭ hĭ hĭ hĭ, uttered on the wing The Pariah Kite 152

A sharp double whistle The Shikra 158

A plaintive cūkoo-coo-coo The Spotted Dove 166

A soft subdued cuk-cuk-coo-coo-coo The Little Brown Dove 167

Kŭ-kŭ—kŭ The Indian Ring Dove 168

A deep grunting coo-coo-coo The Red Turtle Dove 169

A loud pe-haun, rather like the miau of a cat The Peafowl 170

A harsh, high-pitched, rapidly uttered juk-juk, tee-tee-tur The Black Partridge 172

Three single harsh notes followed by a succession of shrill, ringing pateela-pateela-pateelas The Grey Partridge 173

A very loud, hoarse, reiterated call, not easy to describe The White-breasted Water-hen 174

Loud, penetrating, trumpet-like calls The Cranes 177-179

Wild-sounding cry, heard at night The Stone Curlew 180

A loud, shrill “Did he do it? Pity to do it!” The Red-wattled Lapwing 183

Like the above, but shorter The Yellow-wattled Lapwing 184

Clappering of the beak The Storks 216-221

A soft but penetrating chakwa or á-onk (Stuart Baker) The Brahminy Duck 229

II. BIRDS WHOSE NESTS ARE LIKELY TO BE FOUND IN ANY GARDEN IN THE PLAINS

1. The Indian House Crow (3). (In tall trees.) (Also the Corby (1) in Madras.) 2. The Common Babbler (6). (In a bush; eggs blue.) (Not in Madras.) 3. One or other of the species of “Seven Sisters” (7-9). (In a bush; eggs blue.) 4. One or other of the Red-vented Bulbuls (15-18). (In a bush or plant growing in the verandah; eggs pale pink, blotched with reddish brown.) 5. One or other of the Red-whiskered Bulbuls (20 and 21). (Locally. Nest as in 4.) 6. The White-browed Bulbul (22). (In Madras only. Nest in bush, eggs as in 4.) 7. The King Crow (25). (Tiny cup in fork of tree.) 8. The Indian Tailor Bird (28). (In bush or plant growing in verandah. Two or three leaves stitched together.) 9. The Orioles (44 and 45). (In trees, very frequently quite close to that of a King Crow.) 10. The Brahminy Myna (51). (In hole in building.) 11. The Common Myna (52). (In hole in building or tree.) 12. The Pied Myna (54). (In low tree.) (Not in Punjab or S. India.) 13. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (57). (In one of lower branches of tree.) 14. One or other of the Fantailed Flycatchers (58-60). (In a low tree or bush.) 15. The Brown Rock Chat (64). (Inside a building on a ledge.) (Not in S. India.) 16. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). (Very often on a window-sill.) 17. The Magpie Robin (68). (In hole in a wall or tree; eggs green with reddish blotches.) 18. The Yellow-throated Sparrow (81). (In hole in tree.) 19. The Common Sparrow (82). (Anywhere on the verandah or inside the bungalow.) 20. The Indian Pied Wagtail (92). (In hole in building.) 21. The Purple Sunbird (107). (Nest suspended from a bush or a rafter in the verandah.) 22. The Purple-rumped Sunbird (108). (Nest as in case of 21.) 23. The Golden-backed Woodpecker (111). (In hole in tree, which the bird hollows out.) 24. The Barbets (113 and 114). (In hole in tree, which the birds hollow out.) 25. The Indian Roller (115). (In hole in tree or building.) 26. The Indian Hoopoe (123). (In hole in tree or building.) 27. The Indian Swift (124). (In verandah or a deserted building.) 28. The Crow-Pheasant (131). (In a dense thicket.) 29. The Green Parrots (132-134). (In holes in trees; sometimes buildings.) 30. The Spotted Owlet (135). (In hole in tree or building.) 31. The Common Pariah Kite (152). (High up in tall trees.) 32. The Shikra (158). (In trees.) 33. The Doves (166-169). (In trees, and in the case of the Little Brown Dove often in the verandah.) 34. The Paddy Bird (224). (High up in tree.)

III. BIRDS THAT ARE FOND OF SITTING ON EXPOSED PERCHES, SUCH AS TELEGRAPH WIRES

1. The Crows (1-4). 2. The Drongos (25 and 26). 3. The Shrikes (34-37). 4. The Bush Chats (61-63). 5. The Common Sparrow (82). 6. The Swallows (88-90). 7. The Indian Roller (115). 8. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117). 9. The Kingfishers (118-120). 10. The White-eyed Buzzard (147). 11. The Doves (166-168).

IV. BIRDS WHICH ARE ALMOST INVARIABLY FOUND IN FLOCKS, EXCEPT WHEN NESTING

1. The Babblers (7-9). (Small flocks of seven or eight.) 2. The Indian White-eye (12). 3. The Nuthatches (23 and 24). 4. The Minivets (39-41). (Small flocks.) 5. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43). (Small flocks.) 6. The Rose-coloured Starling (48). (Very large flocks.) 7. The Indian Starling (49). 8. The Grey-headed Myna (50). (Small flocks.) (The other species of Myna frequently, but by no means invariably, congregate in flocks.) 9. The Weaver Birds (70-73). (Small flocks.) 10. The Munias (74-79). (Especially the Red Munia.) 11. The Common Rose-Finch (80). 12. The Buntings (83-85). (Feed on the ripening grain.) 13. The Hornbills (121 and 122). (Small flocks.) 14. The Swifts (124 and 125). 15. The Green Parrots (132-134). 16. The Spotted Owlet (135). (Very small flocks; probably family parties.) 17. The Vultures (141-143). (Only when feeding on a carcase.) 18. The Common Peafowl (170). (Small parties.) 19. The Common and Demoiselle Cranes (177 and 179). (The Saras Crane never goes in flocks.) 20. The Plovers (185 and 186). 21. The Little Stint (195). 22. The Indian Skimmer (206). 23. The Spoonbill (215). 24. The Cattle Egret (223). 25. The Night Heron (225). 26. The Common Flamingo (226). 27. The Geese (227 and 228). 28. The Shoveller (230). 29. Many of the Gulls and Terns go about in flocks.

V. FLIGHT

1. Birds of very powerful flight, i.e. birds which spend a great part of the day on the wing

1. The Swallows and Martins (86-90). (These live on small insects which they catch on the wing.) 2. The Swifts (124 and 125). (These feed in the same way as the swallows, but they never perch. When they wish to rest they go to their nests.) 3. The Pied Kingfisher (118). (This spends much of the day in fishing. It flies over the water and every now and again hovers on rapidly vibrating wings, and then drops on to its quarry in the water.) 4. The Osprey (140). (Obtains its food in much the same way as does the Pied Kingfisher.) 5. The Fishing Eagles (148-150). 6. The Brahminy Kite (151). 7. The common Pariah Kite (152). (These two species spend hours in the air sailing in circles looking out for their quarry.) 8. The Vultures (141-144). (These remain for hours high up in the air motionless on expanded wings, until one espies something to eat on the earth below; it then descends, and its companions, observing this, follow suit.) 9. The Kestrel (162). (This behaves over land much as the Pied Kingfisher does over the water.) 10. The Gulls (196-199). (Everyone is familiar with the manner in which gulls follow ships.) 11. The Terns (200-206).

2. Birds which make little sallies into the air from a perch after insects

(Vide Feeding habits, 4.)

3. Little birds which fly from the ground some twenty or thirty feet and then drop to the ground, singing as they descend

The Finch-Larks (104 and 105).

VI. FEEDING HABITS

1. Birds which feed largely on the ground

1. The Crows (1-4). (These are omnivorous, and feed anywhere and everywhere.) 2. The Babblers (6-9). 3. The Malabar Whistling Thrush (11). 4. The Shrikes (34-37). (Descend from perch to ground, seize their quarry, and return to perch and devour it.) 5. The Mynas (51-54). 6. The Bush Chats (61-63). 7. The Brown Rock Chats (64). 8. The Indian Redstart (65). 9. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). 10. The Magpie Robin (68). 11. The Munias (74-79). 12. The Wagtails (91-94). 13. The Pipits (95-96). 14. The Larks (97-105). 15. The Indian Pitta (109). 16. The Indian Roller (115). (Descends from perch to ground and seizes its quarry and then returns to perch.) 17. The Hoopoe (123). 18. The Crow-Pheasant (131). 19. The Vultures (141-145). 20. The Common Kite (152). (Drops from the air and seizes its food in its talons.) 21. The White-eyed Buzzard (147). (Swoops down from a perch on to a lizard, etc.) 22. The Harriers (153-157). (Fly low and drop on to their prey.) 23. The Kestrel (162). (Hovers on rapidly vibrating wings and drops on to its prey.) 24. The Blue Rock Pigeon (165). 25. The Doves (166-169). 26. All game and wading birds (except those that take their food off water).

2. Birds that run up and down the trunks of trees, on which they find their food

1. The Nuthatches (23 and 24). 2. The Woodpeckers (110 and 111). 3. The Common Wryneck (112).

3. Birds that feed largely on insects which they pick off the foliage, sometimes hovering on vibrating wings in order to secure their quarry

1. The Indian White-eye (12). (Frequents trees.) 2. The Tailor Bird (28). (Frequents bushes.) 3. The Warblers (29-32). (Frequent bushes.) 4. The Common Woodshrike (38). (Frequents trees). 5. The Minivets (39-41). (Frequent trees.) 6. The Cuckoo-Shrikes (42 and 43). (Frequent trees.) 7. The Sunbirds (106-108). (Frequent bushes.)

4. Birds which feed on insects which they catch in the air by making little sallies from a perch

1. The Drongos (25 and 26). 2. The Flycatchers (55 and 60). 3. The Bee-eaters (116 and 117).

5. Birds which either catch fish or take their food off the surface of water

1. The Kingfishers (118-120). 2. The Osprey (140). 3. The Fishing Eagles (148-150). 4. The Brahminy Kite (151). 5. The Gulls (196-199). 6. The Terns (200-205). 7. The Indian Skimmer (206). 8. The Pelicans (207 and 208). 9. The Cormorants (209-211).

VII. BIRDS WHICH HABITUALLY CARRY THE TAIL ALMOST VERTICALLY

1. The Tailor Bird (28). 2. The Indian Robins (66 and 67). 3. The Magpie Robin (68).