Birds Photo Click 147: Saker Falcon (2)

Falco cherrug The Saker Falcon is a large falcon that breeds from central Europe, eastwards across the Palearctic to Manchuria. It is mainly a migratory species, except in the southernmost parts of its range. It’s wintering grounds include Ethiopia, the Arabian peninsula, northern Pakistan and western China. It’s preferred habitat is open grasslands, preferably with...

Birds Photo Click 54: Common Kingfisher.

Alcedo atthis The Common Kingfisher is a widely distributed kingfisher. It is found over much of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It is a resident species where the temperature is mild, while in other areas it is a migratory species. They are good indicators of the quality of the water, as they prefer clear water,...

Birds Photo Click 12 : Squirrel Cuckoo.

Piaya cayana The squirrel cuckoo prefers a variety of wooded habitats from woodland canopy to second growth, hedges and semi-open habitats. Its name was conned because of it’s habit of running along branches and leaping from branch to branch, just like a squirrel. It usually flies, short distances, mainly gliding with an occasional flap. It...

Birds Photo Click 24: Spanish Sparrow.

Passer hispaniolensis The Spanish Sparrow is found in the Mediterranean region and south-west and central Asia. It is very similar to the closely related, House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). In fact, the two species, hybridize In the Mediterranean region. In the Maltese Islands it is a common bird, that can be found everywhere, from coastal areas...

Birds Photo Click 81: Alpine Swift.

Tachymarptis melba (formerly Apus melba). The Alpine Swift breed in mountains from southern Europe to the Himalayas. They are a strongly migratory species, and winter further south, in southern Africa. Swifts in general, spend most of their lives on the wing and only come down to breed. They are perfectly built for life on the...

Birds Photo Click 74: Greater Short- toed Lark.

Calandrella brachydactyla The Greater Short- toed Lark breeds in southern Europe, north-west Africa, and across the Palearctic from Turkey and southern Russia to Mongolia. Most of the population migrates to Africa, south of the Sahara and India, for the winter. After the breeding season they form large flocks before they migrate south. There are eight...

Birds Photo Click 168: Tawny- capped Euphonia.

Euphonia anneae Photographed in Costa Rica. The Tawny-capped Euphonia is a small bird, measuring 10cm, and belonging to the finch family. It is distributed in Costa Rica, Panama and down south to Colombia. Its preferred habitats include; moist lowland forest and moist montane forest, both tropical and subtropical, and heavily degraded forest. It’s diet consists...

Birds Photo Click 37: Slender- tailed Nightjar.

Caprimulgus clarus Nightjars are very well know for their camouflage plumage. They feed on insects, which they catch in flight. Most nightjars are crepuscular, that is they are mostly active at twilight, dusk and dawn. The Slender- tailed Nightjar is found in Africa. It’s distribution includes, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia,...

Birds Photo Click 185: Ribbon- tailed Astrapia (2).

Astrapia mayeri The Ribbon- tailed Astrapia is a bird of paradise endemic to subalpine forests in the western part of the central highlands of Papua New Guinea. Notably it is the most recently discovered species of bird-of-paradise. The males have two very particular features. The most notable, is the long, white tail plumes, which are...

Birds Photo Click 195: Australasian Swamphen.

Porphyrio melanotus The Australasian Swamphen was formerly considered a subspecies of the Purple Swamphen or Purple Gallinule, which was split into six distinct species. The Australasian Swamphen is now also split into five subspecies. The ones depicted in the photos belong to the subspecies P. m. melanopterus. It is distributed in eastern Indonesia, the Moluccas,...