Sexes alike. Pale greenishbrown above; rufous-brown breast; deep blue tail has light blue subterminal band; in flight, bright Oxford-Blue wings and tail, with
Cambridge-Blue bands distinctive. Solitary or in pairs; perches on overhead wires, bare branches, earthen mounds and small bush tops; either glides and drops on prey or pounces suddenly; batters prey against perch before swallowing.
Sexes alike. Fawn-coloured plumage; black and white markings on wings, back and tail; black and white-tipped crest; longish, gently curved beak. Solitary or in scattered pairs; small, loose flocks in winter; probes ground with long beak, sometimes feeding along with other birds; flits among tree branches; crest often fanned open; becomes rather aggressive with onset of breeding season.
Grey-brown plumage; large, curved beak with casque diagnostic; long, graduated tail, tipped black and white. Casque smaller in female. The Malabar Grey Hornbill O. griseus (58cm), restricted to the W Ghats, south of Khandala, lacks casque on beak; dark tail tipped white, except on central feathers. Pairs or small parties; sometimes large gatherings; mostly arboreal, but descends to pick fallen fruit or lizards; feeds along with frugivorous birds on fruiting trees; noisy, undulating flight.
Sexes alike. Grass-green plumage; brownish head, neck and upper back, streaked white; bare orange patch around eye. The White-cheeked Barbet M. viridis (23cm) of S India, has a white cheek-stripe. Solitary or in pairs; occasionally small parties; strictly arboreal; keeps to fruiting trees, often with other frugivorous birds; difficult to spot in the canopy; noisy in hot season; strong, undulating flight.
Sexes alike. Grass-green plumage; yellow throat; crimson breast and forehead; dumpy appearance. The Crimson fronted Barbet M. rubricapillus of the W Ghats, south of Goa, has a crimson chin, throat, foreneck and upper breast. Solitary, in pairs or small parties; strictly arboreal; feeds on fruiting trees, often with other birds; visits flowering Erythrina and Bombax trees for flower nectar; often spends early morning sunning itself on bare branches.
Male: shining golden-yellow and black above; crimson crown and crest; black throat and sides of head, with fine white streaks; white underbody, streaked black, boldly on breast. Female: black crown spotted with white; crimson crest. Usually pairs, sometimes half a dozen together; widespread and common; moves jerkily up and around tree stems or clings on undersides of branches; taps out insects; often associates in mixed hunting parties; may descend to ground, picking off ants and other insects.
Male: brownish-black above, spotted all over with white; golden-brown forehead and crown; small scarlet crest; pale fulvous below throat, streaked brown; scarlet patch in centre of abdomen distinctive. Female: lacks scarlet crest. Solitary or pairs; sometimes small bands of up to 6 birds; occasionally seen with mixed hunting parties; moves in jerks along tree stems and branches; hunts in typical woodpecker manner; rather confiding in some areas; birds keep in touch with faint creaking sounds.
Small woodpecker. Male: barred brown and white above; paler crown with short, scarlet streak (occipital); prominent white band from just above eyes extends to neck; pale dirty-brown-white below, streaked black. Female: like male but lacks the scarlet streaks on sides of crown. The male Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker D. canicapillus (14cm) of the Himalaya has short scarlet occipital crest; black upper back and white-barred lower back and rump. Mostly in pairs; often a part of mixed bird parties in forest; seen more on smaller trees, branches and twigs, close to ground and also high in canopy; quite active.
Sexes alike. Blackish-brown plumage, feathers edged paler; almost white head and neck; black cap; dark, broad eye-stripe; green speculum bordered above with white; black bill tipped yellow; coral-red legs and feet. Pairs or small parties walk on marshy land and wet cultivation, or up-end in shallow water; usually does not associate with other ducks; when injured, can dive and remain underwater, holding on to submerged vegetation with only bill exposed.
Male: white head and neck, speckled black; fleshy knob (comb) on top of beak; black back has purple green gloss; greyish lower back; white lower-neck collar and underbody; short black bars extend on sides of upper breast and flanks. Female: duller, smaller; lacks comb. Small parties, either on water or in trees over water; nests in tree cavities; feeds on surface and in cultivation; can also dive.
