Indian Birds

Common Tailor Bird
The common tailor bird is found throughout India, except the desert areas. It is a small size bird measuring 150 cm in length. The bird is usually bright in colour; the upper plumage is green or grey whereas the underparts are shiny yellow white or grey. Though it is found in good numbers throughout India, it’s sighting is quite insignificant as it spends most of its time hiding in undergrowth.

The nest of a tailor bird is a delight to see. A tailor bird generally builds its nest on thorny trees like Acacia arabica. The bird sews together the edges of a large leaf in which the actual grass nest is made up. The nest, built of cotton wool, horse hair and grass stems hanging from the branch, looks like a cradle. A wonderful sight indeed! May to July is the breeding time for a tailor bird. The bird lays 6 eggs, each of which measures 1.6 cm*1.2 cm.
Blue Jay
Also known as the Indian roller, the blue jay has the size of a pigeon. It occasionally migrates and lives in the plains. It prefers cultivated land to dense jungles. The length of a blue jay is between 30 and 34 cm. The brown back, lilac-coloured breast and blue wings, tail and belly present a wonderful contrast. The bird is also characterised by a strong direct flight.

It likes to perch on a dead branch of an old tree while its large eyes keep a watch on the ground for its prey. As soon as it spots a grasshopper or a mouse, it takes a direct flight down to the spot to capture it. According to Hindu mythology in India, this bird is also believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Its breeding season spans between March and July. It lays 4-5 eggs at a time.
Curlew
A curlew is the largest among wading birds, measuring 50-57 cm in length. The bird has a wingspan of 1 m. This bird is mainly sandy brown, streaked with black. It has a white back which is obvious during flight. The most prominent features of a curlew is its slender down curved bill; the bill has the maximum length in an adult female.

The bird is highly gregarious in nature except during the breeding season. The curlew can be seen probing soft mud in search of small invertebrates. It also feeds on crabs and earthworms. The bird builds its nest on taiga, meadow or a similar kind of habitat. It lays 3-6 eggs at one time; the incubation period is one month.