HIMALAYAN AND
KASHMIRI BIRDS

BY MM DOUGLAS DEWAR

FOR THE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FORSCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

HIMALAYAN AND
KASHMIRI BIRDS

BV THE SAME AUTHOR
ANIMALS OF NO IMPORTANCE
THE INDIAN CROW : HIS BOOK
BOMBAY DUCKS
BIRDS OF THE PLAINS
INDIAN BIRDS
JUNGLE FOLK

GLIMPSES OF INDIAN BIRDS
BIRDS OF THE INDIAN HILLS
IN THE DAYS OF THE COMPANY
BIRDS OF AN INDIAN VILLAGE
BYGONE DAYS IN INDIA
A HANDBOOK TO THE PRE-MUTINY

RECORDS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE UNITED PROVINCES
THE COMMON BIRDS OF INDIA— THE

SPORTSMAN'S BIRDS
WILD BEASTS OF AN INDIAN VILLAGE

IIV COLL A BORA TION WITH FRANK FINN
THE MAKING OF SPECIES

HIMALAYAN AND
KASHMIRI BIRDS

BEING A KEY TO THE BIRDS
COMMONLY SEEN IN SUMMER
IN THE HIMALAYAS & KASHMIR

BY DOUGLAS DEWAR

A COMPANION 70 THE
BIRD VOLUMES OF THE
FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA

LONDON
JOHN LJN£ THE BODLET HEAD LIMITED

First Published 1923

Made and Printed in Great Britain at
The Mayflower Press, Plymouth. William Brendon & Son, Ltd.

TREFACE

The object of this book is to enable people
interested in birds to identify those they meet
with while walking in the hill stations of the
Himalayas and Kashmir and those they see
in the Kashmir valley.

The birds dealt with are the ones commonly
seen in summer at such places. As nine out
of ten species of hill birds move to lower
levels in winter, the bird population of a hill
station in winter differs from that in summer.

Had the scope of this book included birds
seen in winter at the various hill stations, and
those found in summer only at lower eleva-
tions than 5000 feet above the sea-level or
higher altitudes than 7500, its bulk would have
been considerably increased. It would have
attained even greater dimensions had I noticed
the rare birds that are sometimes seen in hill
stations in summer.

Paradoxical though it may sound, the value
of this book lies largely in its omissions !

7

Preface

If this key had included all the birds of
Kashmir and the Himalayas, it would have
bewildered the user by its complexity, and
so failed in its object. As it stands, it should
enable anyone who consults it to identify
readily twenty-nine-thirtieths of the birds he
sees in summer at elevations between 5000
and 7500 feet.

Except in so far as they may serve as aids
to identification, nothing has been said about
the habits of birds in this book, which is merely
an artificial key.

A treatise on the life-histories and habits of
the birds of Kashmir and the Himalayas has
yet to be written. Much information, how-
ever, about the habits of these birds is con-
tained in Hume's Nests and Eggs of Indian
Birdsy Jerdon's Birds of India, the bird volumes
of the Fauna of British India and my own little
book entitled Birds of the Indian Hills,

CONTENTS

1. How TO Use this Book ....

2. Local Lists of the Birds of the Himalayas

AND Kashmir which have appeared in :

{a) "The Ibis" . . . .

(Jb) " The Journal of the Asiatic Society "

(f) " The Journal of the Bombay Natural

History Society "...

Page
II

13
15

PART I

A. Classification according to Structural
Peculiarities
L Bill
n. Crest
HL Tail
IV. Sexual Dimorphism

19

19

20

22
25

B. Classification According to Colour
I. Black ....
II. Blue ....
III. Brown ....

9

27
28
42

45

Contents

IV. Fawn Colour

V. Green

VI. Grey

VII. Red

VIII. White

IX. Yellow

X. Birds of Many Colours

C.

11.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

Classification According to Habits
I. Birds having remarkable cries
Birds that commonly visit garden
Birds that associate in flocks
Birds that dwell by streams
Birds that occur abundantly on,

over, or on the margins of the

lakes of the Kashmir valley
Birds that move about on the

trunks of trees in search of

insects . . . .

Birds that find much of their food

on the ground
Birds that capture insects on the

wing .....
Birds that spend great part of the

day on the wing .

Pack

54
55
56

59
67

71
75

76
76
81

83
84

84

86

86

88

PART II

Descriptive List of Birds .

91

HOfF TO USE THIS BOOK

This key has been compiled on the principle
followed in Indian Birds. Even as the latter
has been the means of teaching scores of people
the names of the birds commonly seen in the
plains of India, so will this, I venture to hope,
enable anyone who wishes to do so, to learn in
a very short time the names of all the birds
seen commonly in summer in Kashmir and
at the various Himalayan hill stations.

The student should make a note regarding
any strange bird seen, giving the colours in
its plumage and any anatomical peculiarity,
such as a crest, a long tail or bill. On returning
to the house. Part I of the book should be
consulted. The bird in question should find
place in two or more of the classes of birds
in that Part, and so may be set down as being
probably one of two or three species. A
reference to the descriptions in Part II should
complete the identification.

To take an easy example. The observer sees

How to Use This Book

a striking bird. He notes that its body is
about the size of that of the myna, that it has
a long tail and that there are blue, black,
brown and white in the plumage, and the bill
is bright red. He consults in Part I of the
book, " Birds having the tail long in propor-
tion to the body." He finds there are fifteen
of these birds. He then refers to the class
" Birds of which the plumage is black, blue,
brown and white," and finds that there are
only three of these, of which only two have the
tail long. He is thus satisfied that the unknown
bird is a blue magpie. The fact that the bill
is red leads him to infer that it is the red-billed
blue magpie. A reference to the description
of this species in Part H confirms the diagnosis.

I may add that the descriptions have
designedly been made as brief as possible.
Too much detail might easily hinder identifica-
tion, as in that case the descriptions would
often include inconspicuous features which the
observer had failed to notice.

A full description of every bird found in
India is given in the Fauna of British India,
to which this book is really a companion and
a guide for the novice.

LOCAL LISTS OF THE BIRDS OF THE HIMA-
LAYAS AND KASHMIR WHICH HAVE
APPEARED IN "THE IBIS"

Year
of Ibis Name of Author

1861. L.H. Irby
1868. R.C.Tytler

1 868. A.vonPelzeln

1869. W.E.Brooks

1869. G.E.Bulger

1884. C. H.T.Marshall

1888. W.W.Cordeaux

1898. J.Davidson

Name of Locality

Oudh and Kumaun.

Birds observed on a march

from Simla to Mussoorie.
Birds collected by Dr.

Stoliczka in Thibet and

the Himalayas.
Birds observed near Nynee

Tal and Almora.
Birds obtained in Sikkim,

Eastern Himalayas.
Birds of Chamba in the

N.W. Himalayas.
Birds of Cashmere and the

Dras District.
A short trip to Kashmir.

«3

LOCAL LISTS OF THE BIRDS OF THE HIMA-
LAYAS AND KASHMIR WHICH HAVE
APPEARED IN THE " JOURNAL OF THE
ASIATIC SOCIETY"

Year of

PubH-

cation Name of Author

1868. F.Stoliczka

1874. W.E.Brooks

i876.^H.H. Godwin-
1878./ Austen

1900. H. J.Walton

Name of Locality

. Ornithological Observations
in the Sutlej Valley, N.W.
Himalayas.

. Notes on the Ornithology
of Cashmir.
Lists of Birds from the Hill
Ranges of the N.E. Fron-
tier of India.

. Notes on Birds collected in
Kumaun.

14

LOCAL LISTS OF BIRDS THAT HAVE AP-
PEARED IN THE "JOURNAL OF THE
BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY "

No. of Vol.

X.

Name of Compiler

R. H. Rattray ,

XII.
XVI.

N. F. T. Wilson
R. H. Rattray

XVII.

&

YVTTT

G.E.Ward

AVlll.J

XVIII.

H.A.F.Magrath

XIX.

H.A.F.Magrath

XXI.

H.A.F.Magrath

XXIV.

H. Whistler

XXVI. A. E. Jones

Locality
Notes on nests taken from

March to June at

Kohat and Mussoorie,

N.W.P.
Nesting in Kashmir.
Birds nesting in the

Murree Hills and Gal-
lies.
Birds of the Province of

Kashmir and Jamu and

adjacent districts.
Notes on the Birds of

Thandiani.
Bird Notes from Murree

and the Gallies.
Bird Notes by the Way in

Kashmir.
Some Birds observed at

Dalhousie Hill Station

in 1915.
A List of Birds found in

the Simla Hills.

15

Local Lists of Birds

Locality

Some Birds observed at

No. of Vol. Name of Compiler

XXVI. H. Whistler

Fagoo, near Simla.
XXVII. R.W.G. Kingston A List of the Birds of

Dharmsala.

XXVII. H. Whistler

XXVIII. A.E.Osmaston

Further Notes on Birds

about Simla.
Note on the Nidification

and Habits of Some

Birds in British Garh-

wal.

i6

PA1(T I

CLASSIFICATION

A. Classification according to Structural Peculiarities

B. Classification according to Colour

C. Classification according to Habits

CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
STRUCTURAL PECULIARITIES

I. Bill.
II. Crest.

III. Tail.

IV. Sexual Dimorphism.

I. BILL

Birds with Long Bills

N.B. — The numbers in brackets are those given to
the birds in the descriptive list. The capital letters
against the bird indicate w^here it occurs : K =
Kashmir. W= Western Himalayas. E=Eastern
Himalayas.

1. The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler (25).
E. W. (Fairly long, with a slight downward
curve.)

2. The Sunbirds (in and 112). E. W.
(Very small birds with long, slender, down-
wardly-curved bills.)

19

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

3. The Kingfishers (127 and 128), E. W. K.
(Fairly long and straight.)

4. The European Hoopoe (129). E. W. K.
(Bill very long and slender, with a sHght down-
ward curve.)

5. The Herons (174-176). K. (Fairly long
and dagger-shaped.)

n. CREST

Crested Birds

1. The Black-throated Jay (7). W. K.

2. The Himalayan Jay (8). E. W. K.

3. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W.

4. The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.

5. The Brown Crested Tit (16). W. K.

6. The Black-headed Sibia (30). E. W.

7. The Yellow-naped Ixulus (32). E. W.

8. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). K.
E. W.

9. The Striated Green Bulbul (38). E.

10. The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul (39). E.

11. The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul (40). W.

12. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E. W.
K.

13. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K.

Classification : Structural Peculiarities

14. The West-Himalayan Scaly-bellied Green
Woodpecker (114). W. K.

15. The Black-naped Green Woodpecker
(11). W. K. (Crest small.)

16. The Northern Pale-headed Woodpecker
(116). E. (Crest small.)

17. The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher (127).
E. W. K. (Crest small.)

18. The European Hoopoe (129). E. W. K.

19. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.

20. Hodgson's Hawk-Eagle (151). E. W. K.
(Crest small.)

21. The Crested Serpent-Eagle (152). E. W.

22. The White-crested Kalij Pheasant (162).
W.

23. The Black-backed Kalij Pheasant (163).
E.

24. The Large Cormorant (172). K.
(Crest small.)

25. The Common Heron (174). K. (Crest
recumbent.)

26. The Night Heron (175). K. (Crest
recumbent.)

27. The Little Bittern (176). K. (Crest
short.)

21

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

III. TAIL
I. Birds having the tail markedly forked

1. The Black Drongo (43). W. E.

2. The Indian Ashy Drongo (44). E. W. K.

3. The Western Spotted Forktail (jj). W.
K.

4. The Eastern Spotted Forktail (78). E.

5. The Swallow (100). E. W. K.

6. The Wire-tailed Swallow (loi). W. K.

7. Syke's Striated Swallow (102). E. W.

8. The Common Pariah Kite (154). E. W.
K. (The tail is only slightly forked, but this
is important for purposes of identification, as
all other birds of prey have rounded or wedge-
shaped tails.)

2. Birds having the tail long in 'proportion to the
body

1. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4). W.
(Tail very long.)

2. The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (5).
E. W. K. (Tail very long.)

Classification : Structural Peculiarities

3. The Himalayan Tree-pie (6). E. W.

4. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). E.
W. K. (Tail fairly long.)

5. The Black Drongo (43). W. E.

6. The Indian Ashy Drongo (44). E. W. K.

7. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K. (Tail very long in cock only.)

8. The Western Spotted Forktail {jj).
W. K.

9. The Eastern Spotted Forktail (78). E.

10. The Wire-tailed Swallow (10 1). W. K.
(The two outer-tail feathers are prolonged far
beyond the others and look like wires. They
sometimes get broken off.)

11. The European Bee-eater (126). K.
(The middle pair of tail feathers are prolonged
beyond the others as bristles.)

12. The Cuckoos (132, 133, 135, 136, 137,
138). (Have rather long tails.)

13. The Paroquets (139, 140, 141).

14. Some of the Pheasants {not the Kalij or
the Monal).

\^^_ The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (169). K^

?3

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

3. Birds having very short tails in proportion to
the body

1. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42). E. W.

2. The Kashmir Wren (47). W. K.

3. The Scaly-breasted Wren (48). E. W.

4. The Brown Dipper (88). E. W. K.

5. The Woodpeckers (114-121). (Fairly
short.)

6. The Golden-throated Barbet (124).
(Fairly short.)

7. The Kingfishers (127 and 128).

8. The Owls (142-145).

9. The Common Grey Quail (164). E. W.

10. The Chukor (165). W. K.

11. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.

12. The Moorhen (167). K.

13. The Coot (168). E. W. K.

14. The Red- wattled Lapwing (170). E.
W. K.

15. The Cormorants (172 and 173). K.

16. The Night Heron (175). K.

17. The Little Bittern (176). K.

18. The Mallard (177). K.

19. The White-eyed Pochard (178). K.

20. The Indian Little Grebe (179). K.
(No tail at all.)

24

Classification : Structural Peculiarities

IV. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM

Birds in which the sexes differ greatly in
affearance

1. The Fire-cap (35). W.

2. The Spotted- wing (36). W.

3. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W.

4. The Indian Oriole (59). W. K.

5. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher {66).
E. W.

6. The Rufous-bellied Niltava (71). E. W.
K.

7. The Large Niltava (72). E.

8. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K.

9. The Common Pied Bush Chat (74).
W. K.

10. The Indian Bush Chat (75). W. K.

11. The Dark-grey Bush Chat (76). E. W.
K.

12. The Blue-fronted Redstart (81). E. W.
K.

13. The Plumbeous Redstart (82). E. W. K.

14. The Red-flanked Bush-Robin (83). E.
W. K.

25

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

15. The Magpie-Robin (84). W.

16. The Grey- winged Ouzel (85). E. W.

17. Tickell's Ouzel (86). K.

18. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K.

19. The Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89).
W. K.

20. The Scarlet Finch (90). E.

21. The Red-mantled Rose-Finch (91).
W. K.

22. The Red-browed Finch (93). W. K.

23. The House Sparrow (95). W. K.

24. The Cinnamon Tree-Sparrow (97).
W. K.

25. The White-capped Bunting (98). W. K.

26. The Sunbirds (in and 112).

27. The Fire-breasted Flower-pecker (113).
E. W.

28. The Woodpeckers (114-121). (Differ-
ence not very great ; the cock has on the head
red which the hen lacks.)

29. The Indian Koel (138). W. K.

30. The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet
(140). W. K.

31. The Pheasants (162-163).

32. The Black Partridge (166). W. K,,
ai..Tha:Mallard (177). K.

2§.,

B. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
COLOUR

I. Black.
II. Blue.

III. Brown.

IV. Fawn colour.
V. Green.

VI. Grey.
VII. Red.
VIII. White.
IX. Yellow.
X. Birds of many colours.

Colour affords the easiest means of identify-
ing the great majority of birds, but in many
cases the colours displayed are not of a nature
to admit of strict classification. There are
a great many shades of all the primary colours,
and to attempt to distinguish in the lists the
various shades of each colour would be con-
fusing to the reader ; in most cases therefore
I have not attempted to do so. Many birds
have colouring which some people would call

27

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

brown and others grey. In doubtful cases
I have included such colouring in both the
grey and the brown lists.

In the case of many birds, such as owls and
birds of prey, the various species have generally
similar colouring.

I. BLACK

1. Birds of which the plumage is entirely
black or appears to be so from a distance.

2. Birds of which the plumage is mainly
black.

3. Black-headed birds.

4. Black collaret or gorget or band across
the breast.

5. Black band running longitudinally along
abdomen.

6. Black streak through eye.

7. Birds having a black moustachial streak.

8. Black and blue birds.

9. Black and brown birds.

10. Black and grey birds.

11. Black and red birds.

12. Black and white birds.

13. Black and yellow birds.

14. Black, blue and white birds.

15. Black, brown and white birds.

28

Classification according to Colour

1 6. Black, fawn-coloured and white birds.

17. Black, grey, and white birds.

18. Black, blue, white and chestnut birds.

19. Black, blue, white and brown birds.

20. Black, blue, white and crimson birds.

21. Black, blue, white and red birds.

22. Black, grey, white and chestnut birds.

I. Birds of which the plumage is entirely black
or appears to he so from a distance

1. The Jungle Crow (i). E. W. K.

2. The Himalayan Whistling Thrush (29).
E. W. K. (A good deal of cobalt blue in the
plumage which is only noticeable in the sun-
light.)

3. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). E.
W. K. (There is much grey in the plumage, and
the bill is red. I have included this among
the black birds, because seen from a little
distance it looks black.)

4. The Black Drongo (43). W. E.

5. The Indian Ashy Drongo (44). E. W. K.
(The plumage of this bird is dark indigo above
and slaty below, but I have included the species
among black birds because, seen from a dis-
tance, it looks black.)

6. The Grey-winged Ouzel (85). E. W.

29

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

(Cock only. There is some silver-grey in the
wings, but the bird looks black from the dis-
tance. Bill coral red.)

7. The Indian Koel (138). W. K. (Cock
only. Eyes red, bill green.)

8. The Large White Scavenger Vulture
(149). W. K. (Young bird only.)

9. The Coot (168). E. W. K. (White
bill and shield on forehead.)

10. The Indian Shag (173). K.

2. Birds of which the plumage is mainly black

1. The Indian House Crow (2). E. W. K.
(Grey neck.)

2. The Jackdaw (3). K. (Grey neck.)

3. The Himalayan Whistling Thrush (29).
E. W. K. (Patches of cobalt blue.)

4. The Himalayan Starhng (60). K.
(Plumage glossed with purple, red, and green,
with many yellow spots.)

5. The Common Pied Bush Chat (74).
W. K. (Cock only. White wing-bar and patch
on lower back.)

6. The White-capped Redstart (80). E.
W. K. (White cap ; tail, rump, and abdomen
chestnut.)

30

Classification according to Colour

7. The Magpie-robin (84). Cock only.
Abdomen, outer tail feathers, and wing-bar
white.)

8. The Grey- winged Ouzel (85). E. W.
(Cock only. Silvery-grey on wing.)

9. The Common Indian Swift (130). W.
K. (Plumage brownish-black, with white
bar across the lower back.)

10. The White-necked Spine-tail (131). E.
W. (Plumage blackish-brown with middle
back and chin white.)

11. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.
(White wing-bar ; lower plumage white ; tail
tipped white.)

12. The Black Vulture (146). E. W. (Breast
and thighs white ; bare head and wattles red.)

13. The Indian White-backed Vulture (148).
E. W. (White back.)

14. The White-crested Kalij Pheasant (162).
W. (Crest white ; wings and tail dark brown
glossed with blue.)

15. The Black-backed Kalij Pheasant (163).
E. (Wings and tail dark brown glossed with
blue.)

16. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.
(White on head and white spots and bars on
body ; chestnut collar.)

31

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

17. The Red-wattled Lapwing (170). E.
W. K. (Some white in wings ; lower parts
white ; white band down side of neck ; crim-
son wattle ; yellow legs.)

18. The Large Cormorant (172). K.
(White band across throat.)

3. Black-headed birds

(Birds which are all black are not included.)

1. The Indian House Crow (2). E. W. K.

2. The Jackdaw (3). K. (Nape and neck
grey.)

3. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4). W.

4. The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (5).
E. W. K.

5. The Black-throated Jay (7). W. K.

6. The Indian Grey Tit (11). E. W. K.
(White cheeks.)

7. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.
(White cheeks.)

8. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W.
(Cheeks, nape, and tip of crest yellow.)

9. The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.
(Cheeks and patch on nape white.)

10. The Black-headed Sibia (30). E. W.

11. The Red-tailed Minla (34). E. (Broad
white eyebrow.)

32

Classification according to Colour

12. The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul (39). E

13. The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul (40). W

14. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E. W
K. (Cheeks white.)

15. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W.

16. The Common Myna (61). K. W
(Yellow patch of skin behind the eye.)

17. The Jungle Myna (62). E. W.

18. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73)
W. K.

19. The Common Pied Bush Chat (75)
W. K. (Cock.)

20. The Indian Bush Chat (75). W. K,
(Cock.)

21. The Dark-grey Bush Chat {j6). E. W
K. (Cock) (White eyebrow.)

22. The Western Spotted Forktail {"jj)
W. K. (White patch on crown.)

23. The Eastern Spotted Forktail (78). E
(White patch on crown.)

24. The Little Forktail (79). E. W. K
(White patch on crown.)

25. The White-capped Redstart (80). E. W
K. (Crown white.)

26. The Magpie-Robin (84). W. (Cock.)

27. The Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89)
W. K.

c 33

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

28. Hodgson's Pied Wagtail (103). K.
(Face white.)

29. The Common Indian Swift (130).
W. K.

30. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.

31. The Black Vulture (146). E. W.

32. The Indian White-backed Vulture (148).
E. W.

34. The Hobby (155). E. W. (Pale eye-
brow and forehead.)

35. The Black-backed Kalij Pheasant (163).
E. (Cock.)

36. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.
(Cock) (Crown buff.)

37. The Red-wattled Lapwing (170). E. W.
K. (Red wattles and white band on side of
head.)

38. The Large Cormorant (172). K. (White
band from eye to eye across throat.)

39. The Night Heron (175). K. (White
forehead and cheeks.)

4. Black collaret or gorget or band across the
breast

I. White-browed Blue Flycatcher {66). E.
W. (Collaret is dark blue and interrupted in
middle. Appears black from a distance.)
34

Classification according to Colour

2. The Swallow (loo). E. W. K.

3. The European Bee-eater (126). K.

4. The Chukor (165). W. K.

5. Black band miming longitudinally along

abdomen

1. The Indian Grey Tit (11). E. W. K.

2. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.

3. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W.

6. Black streak through the eye (i.e. from hill
to back of head)

1. The Himalayan White-crested Laughing
Thrush (17). E. W.

2. The Shrikes (55 and 56).

3. The Verditer Flycatcher (6j). E. W.

4. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K.

5. The European Bee-eater (126). K.

6. The Lammergeyer (150). W. K. (Black
band runs from the eye to the bill and is con-
tinued as a ** beard.")

7. Birds having a black moustachial streak

1. The Himalayan Jay (8). E. W. K.

2. The Yellow-naped Ixulus (32). E. W.

35

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

8. Black and blue birds

1. The Himalayan Whistling Thrush (29).
E. W. K.

2. The Verditer Flycatcher {6j). E. W.
(A beautiful pale blue bird, with a black band
through the eye.)

3. The Large Niltava (72). E. (Cock.)

4. The Indian Blue Rock-Pigeon (158).
E. W. K. (A slaty-blue bird with black wing-
bars and red legs.)

9. Black a7id brown birds
{See Brown and Black Birds.)

10. Black and grey birds

1. The Indian House Crow (2). E. W. K.

2. The Jackdaw (3). K.

3. The Himalayan Tree-pie (6). E. W.
(Back and shoulders reddish-brown ; patch
of chestnut under tail.)

4. The Indian Grey Tit (11). E. W. K.
(White cheeks and flanks ; some white in
wings.)

5. The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.
(Nape and band on sides of neck white.)

36

Classification according to Colour

6. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). E.
W. K.

7. The Indian Ashy Drongo (44). E. W.
K. (Upper plumage dark indigo ; lower plum-
age dark grey.)

8. The Dark Grey Cuckoo-shrike (58). E.
W. (Tail tipped with white.)

9. The Grey-headed Myna (62). W.
(Grey washed with red in parts.)

10. The Dark Grey Bush Chat {j6). E. W.
K. (Cock. Some white in wings, tail and
lower plumage.)

11. The Grey-winged Ouzel (85). E. W.
(Cock. Bill red.)

12. The Hobby (155). E. W.

13. The Whiskered Tern (171). K. (Bill
red.)

II. Black and red birds

1. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W.
(Cock.)

2. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K. (Hen and immature cock. Black and
chestnut.)

3. The White-capped Redstart (80). E. W.
K. (White cap.)

37

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

4. The Scarlet Finch (90). E. (Cock.)

5. The Red-browed Finch (93). W. K.
(Some white in wings and tail.)

6. The Black Vulture (146). E. W. (Breast
and patch on thigh white.)

12. Black and white birds

1. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K. (Cock. White bird with very long tail ;
head and crest black.)

2. The Common Pied Bush Chat (74).
W. K. (Cock. Black bird with white wing-
bar and patch on back.)

3. The Western Spotted Forktail {jj).
W. K. (Long-tailed white bird, much spotted
and barred with black.)

4. The Eastern Spotted Forktail (78). E.
(Like 3.)

5. The Little Forktail (79). E. W. K.
(Like 3, but tail short.)

6. The Magpie-Robin (84). W. (Cock.
Black and white as in the magpie.)

7. Hodgson's Pied Wagtail (103). K.

8. The Pied Woodpeckers (i 17-120).
(Spotted black-and-white birds, which have
a little red or yellow in plumage.)

38

Classification according to Colour

9. The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher (127).
E. W. K. (A spotted black-and-white bird.)

10. The Common Indian Swift (130). W.
K. (A black bird with a white rump.)

11. The White-necked Spine-tail (131). E.
W. (A blackish-brown bird having middle of
back and chin white.)

12. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.
(Upper parts black with white wing-bar ; lower
parts white.)

13. The Black Vulture (146). E. W.^ (A
black bird with white breast and thighs ;
wattles and bare head and neck red.)

14. The Indian White-backed Vulture (148).
E. W. (A black bird with white back and some
white in the wings.)

15. The Coot (168). E. W. K. (A black
duck-like bird with white bill and shield on
forehead.)

16. The Large Cormorant (172). K. (A
black bird with white band across throat.)

13. Black' and-yellow birds

1. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W. (Some
olive-green and brown in tail and wings.)

2. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W,
(Hen.)

39

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

3. The Indian Oriole (59). W. K.

4. The Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89). W,
K. (Cock.)

5. Hodgson's Yellow-headed Wagtail (105).
K. (Some brown in the wings.)

14. Blacky blue and white bird
The Large Niltava (72). E.

15. Black, brown and white birds
{See Brown, Black and White Birds.)

16. Black, fawn-colour and white bird
The European Hoopoe (129). E. W. K.

17. Black, grey, and white birds

1. The Indian Grey Tit (i i). E. W. K.

2. The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.
(A little chestnut on the wings.)

3. The Dark Grey Cuckoo-Shrike (58). E.
W. (Very little white.)

4. The Dark Grey Bush Chat {j6). E. W. K

5. The Indian Cuckoo (135). E. W. (Back
brown.)

6. The Indian Ring-Dove (161). W. K.
(Very little black : only a half collar.)

40

Classification according to Colour

7. The Common Heron (174). K.

8. The Night Heron (175). K.

18. Black, blue, white and chestnut birds

1. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42). E. W.

2. The Rufous-bellied Niltava (71). E. W.
K. (Cock.)

3. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K. (Cock.)

4. The Swallow (100). E. W. K. (Very
little white.)

5. The Wire-tailed Swallow (loi). W. K.

6. Sykes's Striated Swallow (102). E. W.
(Very little white.)

19. Black, blue, white and brown birds

1. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4). W.

2. The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (5). E.
W. K.

3. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher (66),

E. W. (Cock.)

20. Black, blue, white and crimson bird
The Red-flanked Bush Robin (83). E. W. K.

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

21. Blacky blue, white, and red bird

The Common Kingfisher (128). E. W. K.
(Very little white on side of face.)

22. Black, grey, white and chestnut bird
The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.

II. BLUE

1. Birds having blue in the plumage.

2. Blue and red birds.

I . Birds having blue in the -plumage

See I 8. Black and blue birds.

I 14. Black, blue and white bird.

I 18. Black, blue, white and chestnut

birds.
I 19. Black, blue, white and brown

birds.
I 20. Black, blue, white and crimson

bird.
I 21. Black, blue, white and red bird.

1. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4).
See I 19.

2. The Yellow-billed Blue Magpie (5).
See I 19.

42

Classification according to Colour

3. The Black-throated Jay (7). W. K.
(Some blue in wing.)

4. The Himalayan Jay (8). E. W. K.
(Some blue in the wing.)

5. The Himalayan Whistling Thrush (29).
See I 8.

6. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42). See
I 18.

7. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher {66).
See I 19.

8. The Verditer Flycatcher {6^]). See I 8.

9. The Rufous-belhed Niltava (71). See 1 18.

10. The Large Niltava (72). See I 8.

11. The Blue-fronted Redstart (81). E. W.
K. (Cock. Tail chestnut-red.)

12. The Plumbeous Redstart (82). E.W. K.
(Cock. Tail rusty red).

13. The Red-flanked Bush-Robin (83).

14. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87).
(Cock.) Seeli^.

15. The Red-browed Finch (93). W. K.
(Blue-black in wing.)

16. The Swallow (100). See I 18.

17. The Wire-tailed Swallow (loi). 5^^ I 18.

18. Sykes's Striated Swallow (102). See I 18.

19. The Fire-tailed Yellow-backed Sunbird
(hi). E. (Cock. A metallic-blue crown.)

43

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

20. The Great Himalayan Barbet (123).
E. W. (Head and neck violet-blue.)

21. The Golden-throated Barbet (124). E,
(Plumage largely green washed with blue.)

22. The European Roller (125). K. (A
brilHant light and dark blue bird.)

23. The Common Kingfisher (128). E. W.
K. (Plumage largely blue. See I 21.)

24. The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet
(140). W. K. (Plumage mainly bright green ;
some blue in tail.)

25. The Slaty-headed Paroquet (141). E.
W. K. (Plumage mainly bright green ; some
blue in tail.)

26. The Indian Blue Rock-Pigeon (158).
See I 8.

27. The White-crested Kalij Pheasant (162).
W. (The black in the plumage is glossed with
blue.)

28. The Black-backed Kalij Pheasant (163).
E. (The black in the plumage is glossed with
blue.)

2. Blue and red birds

1. The Blue-fronted Redstart (81). E. W.
K. (A little black in the wing.)

2. The Plumbeous Redstart (82). E. W. K.

44

Classification according to Colour

III. BROWN

1. Birds of which the general hue is earthy-
brown.

{a) Birds smaller than the sparrow.
{b) Birds about the size of the sparrow

or the bulbul.
{c) Birds about the size of the myna.

2. Birds of which the plumage is largely
deep or rich brown.

{a) Chocolate.

Q?) Umber.

(c) Olive-brown.

{d) Reddish-brown.

{e) Dark brown.

The number of birds of which the predomin-
ating hue is one or more of the many shades
of brown is large, and, as most of these have
nothing very striking in their plumage, their
identification is by no means easy.

Birds which appear to be a uniform earthy-
brown are usually of lighter hue below than
above. This difference is not noticed when
the bird is in its natural surroundings because

45

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

the lower parts are in the shade and so appear
darker than they really are. As it is often of
advantage to a bird to be inconspicuous,
natural selection has doubtless been responsible
in many cases for the fact that the lower
plumage is of paler hue than the upper.

As this book is intended for the field observer
I shall describe these brown birds as they appear
to the observer in the field and so describe
simply as an earthy-brown bird one which is
earth-coloured above and creamy below.

I . Birds of which the general hue is earthy^
brown
(a) Birds smaller than the sparrow

1. The Brown Crested Tit (i6). W. K.
(Brownish-grey above with a creamy band on
each side of the neck. Tinted with yellow
below, crested.)

2. The Nepal Babbler (26). E. (Uniform
grey-brown with a ring of white feathers
round the eye.)

3. The Kashmir Wren (47). K. W. (Red-
dish-brown barred with black.)

4. The Scaly-breasted Wren (48). E. W.
(Rich brown, dotted with buff ; black scaly
markings on lower plumage.)

46

Classification according to Colour

5. The Sooty Flycatcher (64). E. W. K.
(Spotted on head. Ring of white round the
eye.)

6. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher {66).
E. W. (Hen.) (Olive-brown tinged with dark
blue on the lower back.)

7. The Brown Flycatcher (68). W. K.
(Ring of white feathers round the eye.)

8. The Rufous-tailed Flycatcher (69). W.
K. (Tail chestnut.)

9. The Indian Bush Chat (75). W. K.
(Hen.)

(b) Birds about the size of the Sparrow or the
Bulbul

1. The Himalayan Streaked Laughing-
Thrush (23). W. K. (Streaked with black and
white ; some chestnut on cheeks and lower
parts.)

2. The Himalayan Tree-creeper (45). W.
K. (Streaked light and dark brown.)

3. The Sikkim Tree-creeper (46). E.

4. The Indian Lesser White-throated
Warbler (50). K.

5. The Brown Hill- Warbler (54). E. W. K.

6. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K. (Hen. Olive-brown.)

47

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

7. The Red-mantled Rose-Finch (91). W.
K. (Hen.)

8. The House Sparrow (95). W. K. (Hen.)

9. The Cinnamon Tree-Sparrow (97). W.
K. (Hen. Reddish-brown.)

10. The Indian Tree-Pipit (106). W. (Some
white in tail.)

11. The Brown Rock-Pipit (107). W.
(Grey-brown with dark streaks.)

12. The Indian Pipit (108). E. W. K.
(Dark streaks.)

13. The Upland Pipit (109). E. W. (Dark
brown with buff streaks.)

14. The Skylark (no). W. K. (Dark
brown with pale streaks.)

15. The Common Wryneck (122). K.
(Grey-brown with dark bars.)

16. The Spotted Himalayan Scops Owl
(143). E. W. (Mottled brown ; large
aigrettes.)

17. The Collared Pigmy Owlet (14s). E. W.
(Mottled brown. Buff collar.)

(c) Birds about the size of the Myna

1. The Large Hawk-Cuckoo (136). E. W.
(Plumage with dark cross-bars.)

2. The Himalayan Wood-Owl (142). E. W.

48

Classification according to Colour

(A good deal larger than a myna. Plumage
mottled.)

3. The Large Barred Owlet (144). E. W.
(Smaller than a myna. Plumage has pale
cross-bars.)

4. The Little Brown Dove (160). W.
(Smaller than Myna. Red-and-black chess-
board on each side of neck.)

5. The Common Grey Quail (164). E. W.
(A good deal smaller than a myna ; legs short ;
tail short ; plumage spotted and streaked with
black.)

2. Birds of which the plumage is largely deep
or rich brown

(a) Chocolate

1. The Larger Spotted Nutcracker (10).
W. K. (With large white spots.)

2. The Brown Dipper (88). E. W. K.

3. The Crested Serpent-Eagle (152). E. W.
(Cream cross-bars on wings and tail. Large
white spots on lower parts.)

(b) Umber

I. The Himalayan Nutcracker (9). W.
(With white spots and streaks.)

» 49

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

2. The Striated Laughing-Thrush (24). E.
W. (Streaked with white ; tail chestnut ;
some chestnut in wing,)

(c) Olive-brown

1 . The Himalayan White-crested Laughing-
Thrush (17). E. W.

2. The White- throated Laughing-Thrush
(18). E. W. (Under parts rust coloured).

3. The Rufous-chinned Laughing-Thrush
(19). E. W. K. (Under parts ashy brown.)

4. The Red-headed Laughing-Thrush (20).
W. (Some bright golden yellow in wing.)

5. The Eastern Variegated Laughing-
Thrush (22). W. (Much golden-yellow in
wing.)

6. The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler
(25). E. W. (Bill rather long.)

7. The Indian Great Reed- warbler (49).
K.

8. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher (66).
E. W. (Hen. Tinged with blue on lower back.)

9. The Rufous-tailed Flycatcher (69). W.
K.

10. The Rufous-bellied Niltava (71) E. W.
K. (Hen. White patch on fore neck and a blue
patch on each side of neck.)
50

Classification according to Colour

11. The Large Niltava (72). E. (Hen.)
(Blue patch on each side of neck.)

12. The Red-flanked Bush-Robin (83). E.
W. K. (Hen. White bib ; some blue on tail
and chestnut on sides of body.)

13. The Grey- winged Ouzel (85). E. W.
(Hen. Bright red bill.)

14. Tickell's Ouzell (86). K. (Hen. Bill
yellow.)

15. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K. (Hen.)

16. The Fire-breasted flower-pecker (113).
E. W. (Hen.)

17. The Moorhen (167). K. (Only back
and shoulders olive-brown. Red shield on
forehead.)

(d) Reddish-brown

1. The Himalayan Streaked Laughing-
Thrush (23). W. K. (Black and white streaks
in plumage.)

2. The Kashmir Wren (47). W. K. (Closely
cross-barred with black ; tail very short.)

3. The Ferruginous Flycatcher (65). E.
(Cream-coloured ring round eye.)

4. The Cinnamon Tree-Sparrow (97) W.
K. (Hen.)

51

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

5. The White-capped Bunting (98). W. K.

6. The Eastern Meadow Bunting (99). W. K.

7. The Chukor (165). W. K. (Bill and
legs red.)

8. The White-eyed Pochard (178). K.
(Head, neck and breast.)

(e) Dark brown

1. The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul (39). E.
(Creamy crescentic markings ; red patch under
tail.)

2. The Punjab Red- vented Bulbul (40).
W. (Creamy crescentic markings ; red patch
under tail.)

3. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E. W.
K. (Creamy crescentic markings ; sulphur-
yellow patch under tail.)

4. The Himalayan Tree-creeper (45). W.
K. (Yellowish-brown streaks.)

5. The Sikkim Tree-creeper (46). E.
(Yellowish-brown streaks.)

6. The Scaly-breasted Wren (48). E. W.
(Short tail.)

7. The Brown Hill-warbler (54). E. W. K.
(Lower parts pale ruddy-yellow.)

8. The Common Myna (61). K. W.
(Yellow legs ; white wing-bar.)

52

Classification according to Colour

9. The Jungle Myna (63). E. W. (Yellow
legs ; white wing-bar.)

10. The Indian Bush Chat (75). W. K.

11. The Plumbeous Redstart (82). E. W.
K. (Hen. The brown is tinged with blue in
parts.)

12. The Scarlet Finch (90). E. (Hen.
Rump bright yellow).

13. The Upland Pipit (109). E. W. (Cres-
centic reddish-buff markings.)

14. The Skylark (no). W. K. (Mottled.)

15. The Common Indian Swift (130). W.
K. (Very dark brown ; almost black. White
rump.)

16. The White-necked Spine-tail (131). E.
W. (Blackish-brown, glossed with green.)

17. The Large Hawk-Cuckoo (136). E. W.

18. The Indian Koel (138). W. K. (Hen.
Spotted and barred with white.)

19. The Owls (142-145). (Plumage mottled
and barred.)

20. The Indian White-backed Vulture (148).
E. W. (Very dark brown ; almost black.)

21. Pallas's Fishing Eagle (153). E. W. K.

22. The Common Pariah Kite (154). E. W.
K.

23. The White-crested Kalij Pheasant (162).

53

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

W. (Cock. Wings and tail brown, glossed with
green.)

24. The Black-backed Kalij Pheasant (163).
E. (Cock. Wings and tail brown, glossed
with green.)

25. The Common Grey Quail (154). E. W.

26. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.
(Hen.)

27. The Mallard (177). K. (Duck.) (Buff
crescentic markings.)

28. The White-eyed Pochard (178). K.

29. The Indian Little Grebe (179). K.
(Very dark rich brown ; chestnut on sides of
neck.)

IV. FAWN COLOUR

Birds having fawn- colour in plumage

1. The Black-throated Jay (7). W. K.
(Back fawn-colour.)

2. The Himalayan Jay (8). E. W. K.
(Plumage mainly fawn-colour.)

3. The European Hoopoe (129). E. W. K.
(Body plumage fawn ; wings boldly banded
black and white.)

54

Classification according to Colour

V. GREEN

1. Birds In the plumage of which bright
green occurs.

2. Birds in the plumage of which dull green
occurs.

{a) Dull yellow-green.
{b) Olive-green.

I. Birds in the plumage of which bright green
occurs

1. The Great Himalayan Barbet (123). E.W.

2. The Golden-throated Barbet (124). E.
(Plumage mainly grass-green washed with blue.)

3. The European Bee-eater (126). K. (Two
middle tail feathers prolonged as bristles.)

4. The Paroquets (i 39-141). (Plumage
mainly grass-green. Tail long.)

5. The Kokla Green Pigeon (157). E. W.
K. (Head and lower plumage yellowish-green.)

2. Birds in plumage of which dull green occurs
(a) Dull yellow-green

1. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.

2. The Red-tailed Minla (34). E.

3. The Himalayan Greenfinch (94). E. W. K.

55

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

4. The Grey Wagtail (104). K.

5. The Fire-tailed Yellow-backed Sunbird
(in). E. (Hen.)

6. The Green Woodpeckers (114 and 115).

(b) Olive-green

1. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W.

2. The Red-headed Babbler (28). E.

3. The Red-billed Liothrix (33). E. W.

4. The Fire-cap (35). W. (Cock.)

5. The Striated Green Bulbul (38). E.

6. Hume's Willow-warbler (51). W. K.

7. Hodgson's Grey-headed Flycatcher-
warbler (52). W.

8. Brook's Grey-headed Flycatcher-warbler
(53). E.

9. The Nepal Yellow-backed Sunbird (112).
E. (Hen.)

10. The Kokla Green Pigeon (157). E.
W. K.

VI. GREY

1. Birds of which the plumage is largely
grey.

2. Birds having the head only grey.

3. Grey and black birds.

55

Classification according to Colour

4. Grey, black and white birds.

5. Grey and red bird.

6. Grey and white birds.

I. Birds of which the flumage is largely grey

1. The Indian Grey Tit (11). E. W. K.
See I 5.

2. The Rufous-backed Shrike (55). E. W.
K. (Head, neck and upper back pale grey.)

3. The Grey-backed Shrike (56). E. W. K.
(Head, neck, shoulders and most of back grey.)

4. The Dark Grey Cuckoo-Shrike (58). E.
W. (Body dark grey ; wings and tail black.)

5. The Grey-headed Myna (62). W.

6. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (70). E.
W. K. (Head, neck and breast grey ; lower
plumage bright yellow.)

7. The Common Pied Bush Chat (74).
W. K. (Hen.)

8. The Magpie-Robin (84). W. (Hen.)

9. Tickell's Ouzel (86). K. (Cock. Plumage
dark grey.)

10. Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89). W. K.
(Hen.)

II. The Grey Wagtail (104). K. (Head,
neck and shoulders bluish-grey ; lower parts
bright yellow.)

57

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

12. The Cuckoo (132). E. W. K.

13. The Himalayan Cuckoo (133). E. W.

14. The Small Cuckoo (134). E. W.

15. The Indian Cuckoo (135). E. W.

16. The Slaty-headed Paroquet (141). E.
W. K. (A long-tailed, grass-green bird, with a
grey head.)

17. The Lammergeyer (150). W. K.

18. The Hobby (155). E. W.

19. The Kestrel (156). E. W. K. (Head,
neck and tail grey ; back and wings pale brick-
red.)

20. The Indian Turtle-Dove (159). W. K.

21. The Indian Ring-Dove (161). W. K.

22. The Moorhen (167). K. (Head and
breast dark slaty grey.)

23. The Whiskered Tern (171). K. (Silvery
grey with black cap and abdomen.)

24. The Common Heron (174). K.

25. The Night Heron (175). K.

2. Birds having the head only grey

1. Hodgson's Grey-headed Flycatcher-
warbler (52). W.

2. Brooks's Grey-headed Flycatcher- warbler

(53). E.

3. The Shrikes (55 and 56). (These have

58

Classification according to Colour

some of the back grey also, and a black band
through eye.) See I 6.

4. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (70). E. W.
K. (Neck also grey.)

3 Grey and black birds
(See Black and grey birds.)

4. Grey, black and white birds
See (Black, grey, and white birds.)

5 . Grey and red birds
The Kestrel (156). E. W. K. (Wings dull
red.)

6. Grey and white birds

1. The Magpie Robin (184). W. (Hen.)

2. The Common Heron (174). K.

Vn. RED

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

{a) Bright red.

{b) Dull red (chestnut, bay, maroon.)

2. Red-billed birds.

59

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

3. Red-legged birds.

4. Birds having patch of bright red feathers
under the tail.

5. Bird having patch of chestnut feathers
under the tail.

6. Birds having patch of red on shoulder.

7. Red and black birds.

I. Birds having red in the plumage or red wattles
or red skin on the head

(a) Bright red

1. The Red-billed Liothrix (33). E. W.
(Cock. Wing narrowly margined with crimson.)

2. The Red-tailed Minla (34). E. (Some
crimson in wings and tail.)

3. The Fire-cap (35). W. (Cock. Cap
flaming red.)

4. The Bengal Red- vented Bulbul (39).
E. (Crimson patch under tail.)

5. The Punjab Red- vented Bulbul (40).
W. (Crimson patch under tail.)

6. The Short-billed Minivet * (57). E. W.
(Cock. Much crimson in plumage.)

7. The White-capped Redstart * (80). E.
W. K. (Tail bright chestnut-red.)

* These birds are conspicuously red.
60

Classification according to Colour

8. The Blue-fronted Redstart * (8i). E.
W. K. (Tail chestnut-red.)

9. The Plumbeous Redstart * (82). E. W.
K. (Cock. Tail rusty red.)

10. The Red-flanked Bush-Robin (83). E.
W. K. (A patch of bright chestnut on each
flank.)

11. The Scarlet Finch * (90). E. (Cock.)

12. The Red-mantled Rose- Finch (91). W.
K. (Cock.)

13. The Himalayan Goldfinch (92). W. K.
(Some crimson on head.)

14. The Red-browed Finch (93). W. K.
(Cock. Some crimson on head.)

15. The Fire-tailed Yellow-backed Sunbird
(in). E. (Cock. Much crimson on upper
plumage.)

16. The Fire-breasted Flower-pecker (113).
E. W. (Cock. Patch of crimson on breast.)

17. The Woodpeckers (114-121). (Cocks
have bright red on head and some cocks and
hens have red patch under tail.)

18. The Great Himalayan Barbet (123). E.
W. (Red patch under tail.)

19. The Golden-throated Barbet (124). E.
(Forehead crimson.)

* These birds are conspicuously red.
61

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

20. The Common Kingfisher (128). E. W.
K. (Some red on face ; lower parts rust-
coloured.) See 111 and II.

21. The Paroquets (139-141). (Red patch
on Wing.) See Green birds.

22. The Black Vulture (146). E. W. (Wat-
tles and bare head and neck red.)

23. The Red- wattled Lapwing (170). E. W.
K. (Wattles crimson.)

(b) Dull red {chestnut^ bay, maroon)

1. The Himalayan Tree-pie (6). E. W.
(Patch of chestnut under tail.) See Birds
having tail long in proportion to body.

2. The Red-headed Tit (13). E. W. (Top
of head and nape chestnut.)

3. The White-throated Laughing-Thrush
(18). E. W. (Lower plumage rust-coloured.)

4. The Rufous-chinned Laughing-Thrush
(19). E. W. K. (Cheeks, chin and upper
throat red.)

5. The Red-headed Laughing-Thrush (20).
W. (Top of head chestnut.)

6. The Himalayan Streaked Laughing-
Thrush (23). W. K. (Cheeks, chin, throat and
breast chestnut.)

62

Classification according to Colour

7. The Striated Laughing-Thrush (24).
E. W. (Tail chestnut ; chestnut in wing.)

8. The Rusty-cheeked Scimitar Babbler
(25). E. W. (Forehead and cheeks rust-
coloured.) See Birds with long bills.

9. The Red-headed Babbler (28). E.
(Head chestnut.)

10. The Black-headed Sibia (30). E. W.
(Lower plumage rust-coloured.) See 1 t,.

11. The Yellow-naped Ixulus (32). E. W.
(Chestnut half-collar.)

12. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42). E. W.
(Lower parts chestnut.)

13. The Rufous-backed Shrike (55). E. W.
K. (Shoulders and lower back rusty red.)

14. The Grey-backed Shrike (56). E. W. K.
(Lowxr back rusty red.)

15. The Ferruginous Flycatcher (65). E.

16. The Rufous-tailed Flycatcher (69). W.
K. (Tail chestnut.)

17. The Rufous-bellied Niltava (71). E. W.
K. (In cock lower plumage chestnut ; in hen
tail chestnut.)

18. The Large Niltava (72). E. (Hen has
deep rufous in tail.)

19. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K. (Hen and young cock have body and

63

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

tail pale chestnut.) See Birds having tail long
in proportion to body.

20. The Indian Bush Chat (75). W. K.
(Lower plumage russet.)

21. The Dark Grey Bush Chat {j6). E. W.
K. (Hen has some dull red on rump and tail.)

22. The Redstarts (80-82).

23. The House-Sparrow (95). W. K. (Cock
has dark chestnut on upper back.)

24. The Tree-Sparrow (96). E. (Pale
chestnut on shoulders and upper back.)

25. The Cinnamon Tree-Sparrow (97). W.
K. (Cock has light cinnamon upper plumage.)

26. The Swallow (100). E. W. K. (Fore-
head, chin and throat chestnut.) See Blue
birds.

27. The Wire-tailed Swallow (loi). W. K.
(Head chestnut.) See Blue birds.

28. Sykes's Striated Swallow (102). E. W.
(Chestnut collar and rump.) See Blue birds.

29. The Nepal Yellow-backed Sunbird (112).
E. (Cock.) (Upper back maroon.)

30. The Kestrel (156). E. W. K. (Back
and wings brick-red.) See Grey birds.

31. The Kokla Green-pigeon (157). E. W.
K. (Cock has middle back maroon.)

64

Classification according to Colour

32. The White-eyed Pochard (178). K.
(Head, neck and breast dull dark chestnut.)

33. The Little Grebe (179). K. (Chestnut
on sides of neck.)

2. Red-billed birds

1. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4). W.

2. The Red-billed Liothrix (33). E. W.

3. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). E.
W. K.

4. The Grey-winged Ouzel (85). E. W.

5. The Large Indian Paroquet (139). E. W.

6. The Chukor (65). W. K.

7. The Moorhen (167). K. (Tip of bill
greenish-yellow.)

8. The Red-wattled Lapwing (170). E. W.
K.

9. The Whiskered Tern (171). K.

3. Red-legged birds

1. The Red-billed Blue Magpie (4). W.

2. The Himalayan Black Bulbul (37). E.
W. K.

3. The Common Kingfisher (128). E. W. K.

4. The Indian Blue Rock-Pigeon (158).
E. W. K. (Legs reddish-pink.)

5. The Doves (i 59-161.)
« 65

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

6. The Chukor (165). W. K.

7. The Black-bellied Tern (171). (Orange-
red.)

4. Birds having "patch 0 J bright red feathers
under the tail

1. The Bengal Red-vented Bulbul (39). W.

2. The Punjab Red-vented Bulbul (40). E.

3. The Woodpeckers (114-121).

4. The Great Himalayan Barbet (123). E.
W.

5. Bird having patch of chestnut feathers

under the tail

The Himalayan Tree-pie (6). E. W.

6. Birds having patch of red on shoulder

1. The Tree-Sparrow (96). E.

2. The Large Indian Paroquet (139). E. W.
See Green birds.

3. The Western Blossom-headed Paroquet
(140). W. K. 5(f^ Green birds.

4. The Slaty-headed Paroquet (141). (Cock.)
See Green birds.

7. Red and black birds
(See Black and red birds.)

66

Classification according to Colour

VIII. WHITE

1. Birds having much white in the plumage.

2. Birds having numerous white spots in
the plumage.

3. Birds having a white bar in the wing ;
seen during flight.

4. Birds having white cheeks.

5. Birds having ring of white feathers round
the eye.

6. Bird having a snow-white cap.

I. Birds having much white in the 'plumage

1 . The Himalayan White-crested Laughing-
Thrush (17). E. W. (Crested head and throat
white with black streak through eye.)

2. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
W. K. (Cock. All white except crested head ;
tail very long.)

3. The Forktails (77-79). See Black and
white birds.

4. The Magpie-Robin (84). W.

5. Hodgsons' Pied Wagtail (103). K.

6. The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher (127).
E. W. K.

7. The European Hoopoe (129). E. W. K.

67

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

(Wings and tail boldly banded black and white.)
^ee Crested birds.

8. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.
^ee Crested Birds.

9. The Large White Scavenger Vulture
(149). W. K.

10. Pallas's Fishing Eagle (153). E. W. K.
(Head, chin and throat white. White band
across tail.)

11. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (169). K.

12. The Red-wattled Lapwing (170). E.
W. K.

13. The Grey Heron (174). K. (Lower
parts white ; some white in the head.)

14. The Night Heron (175). K. (Forehead,
cheeks and under parts white.)

2. Birds having numerous white spots in the
plumage

1. The Himalayan Nutcracker (9). W.
(On the wing body looks white and wings
black.)

2. The Larger Spotted Nutcracker (10).
W. K.

3. The Spotted- wing (36). W. (Cock.)

4. The Forktails (77-79). See Black and
white birds.

68

Classification according to Colour

5. The Pied Woodpecker (i 17-120).

6. The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher (127).
E. W. K. See Black and white birds.

7. The Indian Koel (138). W. K. (Hen.)

8. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.
(Cock.)

3. Birds having a white bar in the wing ; seen
during flight

1. The Himalayan Tree-pie (6). E. W.

2. The Black-headed Sibia (30). E. W.

3. The Rufous-backed Shrike (55). E.
W. K.

4. The Common Myna (61). K. W.

5. The Jungle Myna (63). E. W.

6. The Common Pied Bush Chat (74).
W. K. (Cock.)

7. The Magpie-Robin (84). W.

8. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87). E.
W. K. (Cock.)

9. The Pied Crested Cuckoo (137). W. K.

10. The Indian White-backed Vulture (148).
E. W. (The wing bar runs longitudinally, not
transversely as in other cases.)

11, The Red- wattled Lapwing (170). E.
W. K.

69

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

4. Birds having white cheeks

1. The Indian Grey Tit (11). E. W. K.

2. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.

3. The Crested Black Tit (15). W. K.

4. The White-throated Laughing-Thrush
(18). E. W.

5. The Black-throated Babbler (27). E.

6. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E.
W. K.

7. The House-Sparrow (95). W.K. (Cock.)

8. The Tree-Sparrow (96). E.

9. The Black Partridge (166). W. K.
(Cock.)

10. The Red-wattled Lapwing (170). E. W.
K. (A white band runs from eye down the
neck.)

5. Birds having ring of white feathers
round the eye

1. The Nepal Babbler (26). E.

2. The Indian White-eye (31). E. W. K.

3. The Yellow-naped Ixulus (32). E. W.

4. The Sooty Flycatcher (64.) E. W. K.

5. The Ferruginous Flycatcher (65). E.
(Ring cream-coloured.)

70

Classification according to Colour

6. The Brown Flycatcher (68). W. K.

7. The Blue-fronted Redstart (81). E. W.
K. (Hen. Ring cream-coloured.)

6. Bird having a snow-white caf
The White-capped Redstart (80). E. W. K.

IX. YELLOW

1. Birds having bright yellow or gold in the
plumage.

2. Birds having bright yellow or orange legs.

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

4. Birds having patch of yellow feathers
under the tail.

I. Birds having bright yellow or gold in the
plumage

1. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.

2. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W.

3. The Red-headed Laughing-
Thrush (20). W. Golden-

4. The Western Yellow-winged yellow
Laughing-Thrush (21). E. ( in

5. The Eastern Variegated wing.
Laughing-Thrush (22). W. ^

71

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

6. The Black-throated Babbler (27). E.
(Lower plumage bright reddish-yellow.)

7. The Indian White-eye (31). E. W. K.

8. The Red-billed Liothrix (33). E. W.

9. The Fire-cap (35). W.

10. The Striated Green Bulbul (38). E.
(Yellow patch under tail.)

11. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E. W.
K. (Yellow patch under tail.)

12. Hodgson's Grey-headed Flycatcher-
warbler (52). W.

13. Brooks's Grey-headed Flycatcher-
warbler (53). E.

14. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W.
(Hen.)

15. The Indian Oriole (59). W. K.

16. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (70). E.
W. K.

17. The Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89).
W. K.

18. The Scarlet Finch (90). E. (Hen.
Rump bright yellow.)

19. The Himalayan Goldfinch (92). W. K.
(Some gold in wing.)

20. The Himalayan Greenfinch (94). E. W.
K.

21. The Grey Wagtail (104). K.

72

Classification according to Colour

22. Hodgson's Yellow-headed Wagtail (105).
K.

23. The Fire-tailed Yellow-backed Sunbird
(in). E. (Cock.)

24. The Nepal Yellow-backed Sunbird (112).
E. (Cock.)

25. The Brown-fronted Pied Woodpecker
(120). W. K. (Cock. Some gold in the crest.)

26. The Golden-throated Barbet (124). E.

27. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (169). K.
(Back of neck golden-yellow.)

2. Birds having bright yellow or orange legs

1. The Common Myna (61). K. W.

2. The Jungle Myna (63). E. W.

3. Tickell's Ouzel (86). K.

4. The Cuckoo (132). E. W. K.

5. The Himalayan Cuckoo (133). E. W.

6. The Small Cuckoo (134). E. W.

7. The Indian Cuckoo (135). E. W.

8. The Large Hawk-Cuckoo (136). E. W.

9. The Hobby (153). E. W.
ID. The Kestrel (156). E. W. K.

11. The Red- wattled Lapwing (170). E.
W. K.

12. The Mallard (177). K. (Orange red.)

73

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

3. Birds having dull- coloured upper plum-
age and bright-yellow under parts

1. The Green-backed Tit (12). E. W. K.
(Deep yellow with black median band.)

2. The Yellow-cheeked Tit (14). W. (Black
median band.)

3. The Black-throated Babbler (27). E.
(Reddish-yellow.)

4. Hodgson's Grey-headed Flycatcher-
warbler (52). E.

5. Brooks's Grey-headed Flycatcher-warbler
(53). E.

6. The Short-billed Minivet (57). E. W.
(Hen.)

7. The Grey-headed Flycatcher (70). E.
W. K.

8. The Himalayan Greenfinch (94). E. W.
K.

9. The Grey Wagtail (104). K.

4. Birds having patch of yellow feathers
under the tail

1. The Striated Green Bulbul (38). E.

2. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). E.
W. K.

74

Classification according to Colour

X. BIRDS OF MANY COLOURS

1. The Fire-tailed Yellow-backed Sunbird
(III). E. (Cock.)

2. The Nepal Yellow-backed Sunbird (112).
E. (Cock.)

3. The Great Himalayan Barbet (123). E.
W.

4. The Golden-throated Barbet (124). E.

5. The European Bee-eater (126). K.

6. The Common Kingfisher (128). E. W. K.

7. The Kokla Green Pigeon (157). E. W. K.

8. The Mallard (177). K. (Drake.)

75

C. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
HABITS

I. BIRDS HAVING REMARKABLE CRIES

Name No. of

of Bird in

Description of Call Bird Part II

A short, sharp " Jack " . . { i ^

A sibilant ti-ti-chee or fretty- ^The Indian

fretty / Grey Tit .

(All the tits have similar calls.)

A 1 • .-• ^ ^1 (The Red-

A plaintive foor-wee-wee^ the

second wee very high--

pitched

II

Call like the ringing of a
little bell

headed
Laughing-
Thrush . 20

The Red-
headed
Babbler . 28

{The Hima-
layanWhist-
ling-Thrush 29
76

Classification according to Habits

High-pitched, loud, pene-rThe Black-
trating metallic titer ee^ tit A headed
eree^ tweeyo . , , .^ Sibia • 30

Loud, pleasant, cheeping rThe Indian
call ^ White-eye. 31

Jee-tee-tee-tee-tee. (In breed- rThe Red-
ing season cock sings j billed Lio-
well.) ' thrix . .33

Pleasant, tinkling, twitter- rThe

ing ^ Bulbuls 39-41

A cheery whistle, heard often >|

at dawn, which has been rpr ■Rlack
described as " cheyk, che- [ j;^] . ,3

chi, cheyk, cheyk, chechi,
chey, cheyh " . . . . ^

Like the above, but less rThe Indian

harsh "^ AshyDrongo 44

t The Hima-

A shrill 'pee-pee . . , A layan Tree-

^ creeper . 45

A loud call of four or five Hodgson's
high-pitched notes. Very I grey -head-
common in spring in the ed Flycatch-
Western Himalayas . . er- warbler 52

I The Brown

Like noise of sawing . . . \ Hill - warb-

I ler. . . 54
77

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Soft, meUow fee-ho . . . |^^". ,^^^^^^

'^ Oriole . 59

Keekyy keeky, keeky . . . churryCThe Com-

churr, kok, kok, kok . \ mon Myna 6i

A pleasant trill of about a f^^j!^ Yf^"

dozen notes .... ^''^[ ^^^ ,

^ catcher . 67

A loud, pleasant call of /The grey-
three notes : Think-of- \ headed Fly-
me ^ catcher . 70

{The Com-
mon Pied
Bush Chat 74

A sweet and powerful son? . I . t^ , . " «
^ ° '^ pie-Robm . 84

The Grey-
A fine, blackbird-like song . • winged

Ouzel . . 85

Ditto {™;^ „^

^ Ouzel . . 86

{The blue-
headed Rock-
Thrush . 87
I^The Black-

Kui'Kree -j and- Yellow

^ Grosbeak . 89
78

Classification according to Habits

Sweet song in air . . . The Sky-lark no

Loud, plaintive fee-you, fee- /-The Great

you -! Himalayan

I Barbet . 123

/-The Golden

\ throated

^ Barbet . 124

The Hoopoe 129
I' The Com-
\ mon Indian
I Swift . .130

The Cuckoo 132
The Hima-
layan Cuc-
^ koo . . 133

The Small
Cuckoo . 134
Melodious zvherefore-where-^ The Indian
fore / Cuckoo . 135

A crescendo " brain- fever, [ ^^ ^ r>

1 • r 55 1 xiawk-Cuc-

bratn- fever, brain-fever ,

-^ V koo . . 136

A high-pitched, wild, me- ( ^

tallic call . . . ?^f <i

I Cuckoo

Katak-katak-katak
A soft nk-uk-uk . . .
A " shivering " scream .
Cuckoo-cuckoo . .
Coo-coo-coo ....

Pot-you- chick- chick- chick . <

137

79

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

I. A crescendo " ku-il, ku-il,

The Indian

KU-IL "

Koel . . 138

2. Ku-y-o

3. Kekaree^ kekaree^ karee,

karee

Loud screams uttered during ^The Paro-

flight } quets .139-141

A soft, low whistle repeated \ The Collar-
at intervals of thirty [ ed Pigmy

seconds ' Owlet . -145

Rather a mournful, queru- ^The Com-
lous chee-he-he-he-he-he-he \ mon Pariah

' Kite . .154
.The Kok-
Kokla-kokla . . . .la Green

I Pigeon . 157
The Little
Brown

Dove . .160
-- , , fThe Indian

I Rmg Dove 161
Juk-juk-tee-tee-tur. Very^ r^j^^ ^j^^j^
high-pitched and rapidly [ p^.^.^^g^ . ^55

uttered J

The Red-

A soft, subdued cuk-cuk-coo-
coo-coo

loud, shrill "Did-he-do-f^"''' , f^'^''"
. . V»- J • I J) *! wattled

It ? Pity-to-do-it ! " .It

^ '^ Lapwme . i'

80

Classification according to Habits

Harsh Jay-like cries
Do.

Do.
Do.

Do.

Chattering cries .

Shrill Screams

Do.
Do.

. The Magpies 4-6
The Jays .y&S
rThe Nut-
'^ crackers 9&10
rThe Wood-
^ peckers 11 4-1 21

{The Euro-
pean Roller 125
rThe Bab-
1- biers . 17-25

{The Hima-
layanWhist-
ing-Thrush 29
rThe Fork-
'^ tails . 77-79
rThe King-
^ fishers 127-128

II. BIRDS THAT COMMONLY VISIT
GARDENS

1. The Indian House Crow (2). (Srin-
agar and Almora.)

2. The Jackdaw (3). (Srinagar.)

3. The Black-throated Jay (7). (Naini Tal
and Mussoorie.)

F 81

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

4. The Tits (11- 16.)

5. The Himalayan Streaked Laughing-
Thrush (23).

6. The Black-headed Sibia (30).

7. The Indian White-eye (31).

8. The Red-billed Liothrix (33). (Dar-
jeeling.)

9. The Red-tailed Minla (34). (Dar-
jeeling.)

10. The Red-vented Bulbuls (39 and 40).

11. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41). (Al-
mora and Srinagar.)

12. The Indian Ashy Drongo (44).

13. The Tree-creepers (45 and 46).

14. The Grey-headed Flycatcher- warblers
(52 and 53).

15. The Short-billed Mini vet (57).

16. The Indian Oriole (59). (Almora and
Srinagar.)

17. The Himalayan Starling (60). (Srinagar.)

18. The Common Myna. (Almora, Dharm-
sala, Srinagar.)

19. The Ferruginous Flycatcher (65). (Dar-
jeeling.)

20. The White-browed Blue Flycatcher {66),

21. The Verditer Flycatcher {6'j).

22. The Rufous-bellied Niltava (71).

82

Classification according to Habits

23. The Indian Paradise Flycatcher (73).
(Almora.)

24. The Dark-grey Bush Chat {j6),

25. The Grey-winged Ouzel (85).

26. Tickell's Ouzel (86). (Srinagar.)

27. The Sparrows (95-97).

28. The Eastern Meadow Bunting (99).

29. Sykes's Striated Swallow (102).

30. Hodgson's Yellow-headed Wagtail (105).
(Srinagar.)

31. TheSunbirds (in and 112). (Darjeeling.)

32. The Common Indian Swift (130).

33. The Common Pariah Kite (154).

34. The Indian Ring-Dove (161). (Srin-
agar.)

III. BIRDS THAT ASSOCIATE IN
FLOCKS

1. The Tits (11-16).

2. The Babblers (17-28).

3. The Indian White-eye (31).

4. The Yellow-naped Ixulus (32).

5. The Red-billed Liothrix (33).

6. The Spotted- Wing (35).

7. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42).

8. Minivets (57).

83

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

9. The Himalayan Starling (60).

10. The Jungle Myna (63).

11. The Paroquets (i 39-141).

12. The Common Grey Quail (164).

13. The Chukor (165).

14. The Whiskered Tern (171).

15. The Ducks (177 and 178).

16. The Black Bulbul (37).

IV. BIRDS THAT DWELL BY STREAMS

1. The Himalayan Whisthng-Thrush (29).

2. The Fork-tails (77-79).

3. The Redstarts (80-82).

4. The Brown Dipper (88).

5. The Grey Wagtail (104).

6. The Kingfishers (127 and 128).

V. BIRDS THAT OCCUR ABUNDANTLY
ON, OVER, OR ON THE MARGINS
OF THE LAKES OF THE KASHMIR
VALLEY

I. The White-cheeked Bulbul (41).
(Makes sallies into the air over the water to
catch insects.)

84

Classification according to Habits

2. The Indian Great Reed- warbler (49).
(Lives amongst reeds.)

3. The Swallow (100). (Hawks insects
over the water and rests on lotus flowers.)

4. Hodgson's Pied Wagtail (103). (Runs
about on the floating lotus leaves.)

5. Hodgson's Yellow-headed Wagtail (105).
(Runs about on the floating lotus leaves.)

6. The European Bee-eater (126). (Hawks
insects in the air over the water.)

7. The Kingfishers (127 and 128). (Dive
for fish.)

8. Pallas's Fishing-Eagle (153). (A fishing
bird of prey.)

9. The Moorhen (167). (Swims like a
duck.)

10. The Coot (168). (Swims like a duck.)

11. The Pheasant-tailed Jagana (169).
(Swims like a duck, runs about on floating
vegetation.)

12. The Whiskered Tern (171). (Flies over
the water and catches fish at the surface.)

13. The Cormorants (172 and 173). (Swim-
mers and divers.)

14. The Herons (174 and 175). (Stand in
shallow water and catch fish.)

85

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

15. The Little Bittern (176). (Stands in
shallow water and catches fish.)

16. The Ducks (177 and 178).

17. The Indian Little Grebe (179). (Swims
like a duck ; frequently dives.)

VL BIRDS THAT MOVE ABOUT ON
THE TRUNKS OF TREES IN
SEARCH OF INSECTS

1. The White-tailed Nuthatch (42).

2. The Tree-creepers (45 and 46).

3. The Woodpeckers (114-121).

4. The Common Wryneck (122).

VII. BIRDS THAT FIND MUCH OF
THEIR FOOD ON THE GROUND

1. The Crows (i and 2). (Omnivorous
and feed anywhere and everywhere.)

2. The Jackdaw (3).

3. The Babblers (17-25).

4. The Red-billed Liothrix (33).

5. The Shrikes (55 and 56). (Descend
from perch to ground, seize their quarry, and
return to perch to devour it.)

86

Classification according to Habits

6. The Starlings and Mynas (60, 61, 63).

7. The Chats (74-76).

8. The Magpie-Robin (84).

9. The Blue-headed Rock-Thrush (87).

10. The Black-and-yellow Grosbeak (89).

11. The Finches and Sparrows (90-97).

12. The Buntings (98 and 99).

13. The Wagtails (103-105).

14. The Pipits (106-109).

15. The Skylark (no).

16. The European Roller (125). (Descends
from perch to ground, seizes its quarry and
returns to perch.)

17. The European Hoopoe (129). (Probes
earth with the long bill.)

18. The Vultures (146-150).

19. The Common Pariah Kite (154).

20. The Kestrel (156). (Hovers on rapidly
vibrating wings and drops on to its prey.)

21. The Blue Rock-Pigeon (158).

22. The Doves (159-161).

23. The Pheasants (162 and 163).

24. The Common Grey Quail (164).

25. The Partridges (165 and 166).

26. The Red- wattled Lapwing (170).

^ee also : Birds that spend the day by streams.
87

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

VIII. BIRDS THAT CAPTURE INSECTS

ON THE WING

1. The Drongos (43 and 44).

2. The Flycatchers (64-73).

3. The Dark Grey Bush Chat {j6)

4. The Swallows (100-102).

5. The European Bee-eater (126).

6. The Swifts (130 and 131).

IX. BIRDS THAT SPEND GREAT PART
OF THE DAY ON THE WING

1. The Swallows (100-102).

2. The Skylark (no). (Soars and sings in
the air.)

3. The Himalayan Pied Kingfisher (127).
(This bird quarters the waters for its quarry,
often hovering Kestrel-like.)

4. The Swifts (130 and 131).

5. The Vultures (146-150). (Sail for hours
together on outstretched wings.)

6. The Common Pariah Kite (154). (Sails
in circles.)

7. The Kestrel (156). (Hovers on rapidly
moving wings.)

8. The Whiskered Tern (176).

PART II

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF BIRDS

DESCRIPTIVE LIST OF BIRDS

EXPLANATION OF ABBREVIATIONS

F. STANDS for the Fauna of British Indiay
and the number which follows indicates
the number of the bird in the Fauna.
Thus (F. 63) against a bird indicates
that it is the species bearing the number
63 in the bird volumes of the Fauna of
British India (First Edition).

J. stands for Jerdon's Birds of India, and
the number that follows indicates the
number of the bird in Jerdon's work.

The above two works contain de-
scriptions far more detailed than those
given in this little book ; the reader may
wish in some cases to refer to these
volumes to check his identification of
a bird.
I means the bird described is 6 inches in
length, or the size of a sparrow.
91

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

— I means that the bird is smaller than a

sparrow.
+ 1 means that the bird is slightly larger

than a sparrow.
II means that the bird is 8i inches in
length, or the size of a bulbul.
— 11 means that the bird is slightly smaller

than a bulbul.
+ 11 means that the bird is slightly larger
than a bulbul.

III means that the bird is lo inches long,
or the size of a myna.

+ III and —III, that it is shghtly larger or
smaller.

IV means that the bird is lyi inches long,
or the size of a house-crow.

+ IV and —IV mean that it is a little larger
or smaller.
V means that the bird is 23 inches in length,
or the size of a kite.
+V and —V mean that it is a little smaller
or larger.

N.B. — Ornithologists usually measure birds
from the tip of the bill to the tip of the
tail ; hence a small bird with a long tail
92

Descriptive List of Birds

will measure as much as a larger one
with a short tail.

While I shall adopt the usual measure-
ment, I shall, in the case of a bird having
a long tail, measure only part of the
tail, i.e. treat the bird as though it
had an average tail, and add the words,
" bird has long tail."

E. means Eastern Himalayas, i.e. Nepal

and eastwards.
W. means Western Himalayas, i.e. West of

Nepal.
K. means Kashmir.

To illustrate ; the entry

" Corvus macrorhynchus : The Jungle Crow
or Corby. F. 4, J. 660, + IV. E. W. K."
means that the number of the species in the
Fauna of British India is 4, and in Jerdon's
Birds of India 660. That the species is rather
larger than the house-crow and that it is
found in the Eastern, the Western Himalayas,
and Kashmir.

93

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

The Crow Family

1. Corvus macrorhynchus : The Jungle Crow
or Indian Corby. F. 4, J. 660, +IV. E. W. K.

Glossy black all over.

The common crow of all the hill stations,
except Almora and Srinagar, where it is
largely replaced by Corvus splendens (the
House Crow).

2. Corvus sflendens : The Indian House
Crow. F. 7, J. 663, IV. E. W. K.

A glossy black bird with the neck, upper
back and breast grey. Thus it is not unlike
a jackdaw (q.v.) in appearance.

It is the commonest crow of Almora and
Srinagar. It is occasionally seen at Simla.
I have not observed it at any other hill station.

3. Corvus monedula : The Jackdaw. F. 9,
J. 665, +III. K.

A glossy black bird with grey nape and
neck. This is rather like the house-crow in
appearance, but may be easily distinguished by

(i) Its short, sharp caw.

j(2) The grey of the neck is paler and extends
up the nape.

(3) The white eye.

(4) Its much smaller size.

94

Descriptive List of Birds

This bird does not occur in the Himalayas,
but is a permanent resident in Kashmir. It
is abundant at Srinagar.

The Magpies

4. Urocissa occipitalis : The Red-billed Blue
Magpie. F. 12, J. 671, +III, with a tail
nearly 19 inches long. W.

Head, neck and breast black. Conspicuous
white patch on nape and neck. Rest of upper
plumage is purplish-blue. Tail blue tipped
with white ; the middle pair of tail feathers
has a black band next to the white tip. Wings
brown, blue and white. Lower parts whitish.
Bill and legs bright red.

This fine bird is common at Naini Tal, but
does not occur at Murree, Dharmsala, or
Darjeeling. I have seen it at Mussoorie and
at Annandale (Simla).

5. Urocissa jlavirostris : The Yellow-billed
Blue Magpie. F. 13, J. 672, ^-HI, with a tail
nearly 18 inches long. E. W. K.

Very like the last species in colouring, but
readily distinguished by the yellow bill and
the much smaller nuchal patch of white
feathers. The blue of the upper parts is
greyer than in the red-billed species.

95

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

This bird is less often seen than the red-billed
species in the western hill stations, as it seems
to keep to higher elevations in summer. About
Simla it begins to get abundant at 8000 feet ;
but at Darjeeling it occurs from 6000 feet
upwards. Occurs in Kashmir in hills and
valley.

6. Dendrocitta himalayensis. The Hima-
layan Tree-pie. F. 18, J. 6y6, —III, with
tail 9 inches long. E. W.

Forehead black ; crown of head, nape and
back of neck dark ashy-grey. Sides of head,
chin, throat and upper breast brownish-black.
Belly grey ; a patch of chestnut under the tail.
Back and shoulders reddish-brown. Wings
black, with a white bar. Tail black and grey.

This may be described as a small and dingy
edition of the tree-pie of the plains.

This species is less common at most hill
stations than the blue magpie.

Jays

7. Garrulus lanceolatus : The Black-throated
Jay. F. 24, J. 670, +IIL W. K.

The crested head is black ; the remainder of
upper plumage is fawn-coloured. The feathers
of the chin and throat are black with white
96

BescTi])tive List of Birds

shafts. Tail jay-blue with narrow black cross-
bars ; the tip is white, but there is a broad
black subterminal bar. The wings are coloured
blue, fawn, black, white and grey.

Not common at Dharmsala ; fairly so at
Murree and Simla, and abundant at Naini
Tal and Mussoorie, where it seeks its food in
gardens and among outhouses. Sometimes it
goes about in flocks. The flight is somewhat
heavy, like that of a crow, but the flaps of the
wings are more rapid. Its call is harsh.

8. Garrulus bisfecularis : The Himalayan
Jay. F. 26, J. 669, +III. E. W. K.

A fawn-coloured bird with a conspicuous
black moustache. Tail black. Wings jay-
blue, fawn, grey, black and white.

Often goes about in flocks. A shier bird
than the black-throated jay. Harsh voice.

Rare at Dharmsala and Darjeeling. Com-
mon at Naini Tal ; common at Simla in
winter.

Nutcrackers

These members of the crow family are large
arboreal birds, wliich feed largely on seeds of
pine and cedar trees. They emit harsh,
jay-like notes.

G 97

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

9. Nucifraga hemispila. The Himalayan
Nutcracker. F. 27, J. 666, —IV. W.

Plumage brown, heavily spotted and streaked
with white. Wings black with white bars.

Rare at Dharmsala ; not very common at
Simla and Naini Tal. It is rarely seen in
gardens, being a forest bird.

10. Nucifraga multipunctata : The Larger
Spotted Nutcracker. F. 28, J. 66^, -IV. W.
K.

Head and hind neck chocolate-brown ; rest
of body plumage dark chocolate-brown with
many large white spots ; these spots occupy
more space than the brown on the lower
plumage. Wings black, spotted with white.
Tail black, tipped with white.

During flight the body appears mainly
white and the wings black. The cry is harsh,
like that of the magpie.

This fine bird is not often seen below 8000
feet in summer. It is fairly common in the
fir forests of Gulmarg.

Tits

Small birds which usually go about in flocks.
Although unlike crows in appearance and size,
they show their affinity to the corvidae by the
98

Descriptive List of Birds

way they have of holding their quarry under
their claws.

11. Parus atriceps. The Indian Grey Tit.
F. 31, J. 64s, -I. E.W.K.

Head, neck and breast black, except cheeks,
which are white. Back grey, tinged with blue
near the tail. Wings and tail black, white and
grey. A broad black band runs down the
middle of the white abdomen.

Common at Dharmsala, Almora, and in
the Kashmir valley. In most hill stations it
is not seen, as about 6000 feet elevation is
ordinarily the highest hmit of its range.

Less gregarious than most tits.

12. Parus monticola. The Green-backed Tit.
F. 34, J. 644, -I. E.W.K.

Head, neck and breast black, with the cheeks
white. A black band runs down the middle of
the deep-yellow abdomen. Back and shoulders
greenish-yellow. Wings and tail black, slaty-
blue and white.

The commonest tit of all the hill stations
from Murree to DarjeeHng. It occurs at
Gulmarg, but is not very abundant there.

13. jEgithaliscus erythrocephalus. The Red-
headed Tit. F. 35, J. 634, -I. E. W.

A midget, only 4 inches long.
99

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Top of head and nape chestnut. Chin,
eyebrow and moustache white. Sides of head
and round patch on the throat black. Upper
plumage blue-grey with brown in the wings
and brown and white in the tail. Lower
plumage is rust-coloured. This species lacks
the black abdominal band which is so con-
spicuous in most tits.

Very common at every hill station (except
Almora) from Dharmsala to Darjeeling.
Usually seen in flocks.

14. Machlolophus xanthogenys : The Yellow-
cheeked Tit. F. 42, J. 647, -I. W.

Has rather a long pointed crest. Head and
neck black, except the eyebrow, a patch on
the nape, the cheeks and the tip of the crest,
which are bright yellow. Back, wings and
tail are olive-green, brown, black and white.
Lower parts yellow, except for a broad black
band running down the middle of the breast
and abdomen.

Occurs from Murree to Naini Tal. Not
so common as the red-headed and green-
backed tits.

15. Lophophanes melanolophus : The Crested
Black Tit. F. 44, J. 638, -L W. K.

A tiny bird. Head, crest and breast black,

Descriptive List of Birds

except for a patch on the nape, the sides of
the head and a band down the side of the neck,
which are white. Rest of the plumage is
iron-grey, suffused with chestnut on the sides
of the body and under the taiL A row of
white spots and a httle chestnut on the wings.
Common at Gulmarg and fairly so at Murree,
Dharmsala, Simla, and Naini Tal.

1 6. Lophopha.7ies dichrous : The Brown
Crested Tit. F. 49, J. 637, -I. W. K.

A small bird. Brownish-grey above, yellow-
ish below. Cream-coloured band on each side
of neck. It might well pass for a young crested
black tit.

Usually keeps to rather higher elevations
than the hill stations. I have, however, seen
it on several occasions at Naini Tal.

Babblers

Babblers are noisy birds which usually go
about in small flocks seeking for their insect
quarry among the foliage and fallen leaves.
The " Seven Sisters " of the plains belong to
this family.

17. Garrulax leucocefhalus : The Himalayan
White-crested Laughing Thrush. F. 69, J. 407,
+ III. E. W.

Himalayan and Kashnniri Birds

Crest, head, throat, breast, and neck snowy-
white, except for a broad black streak running
through the eye and an ashy band on the nape.
Remainder of plumage brown.

Goes about in flocks of about twenty uttering
loud and discordant cries.

Not found west of Garhwal. In the Eastern
Himalayas it is not often seen higher than
6000 feet.

18. Garrulax albigularis : The White-
throated Laughing-Thrush. F. y6, J. 411,
+ III. E. W.

Upper plumage olive-brown, lower rust-
coloured. Cheeks, chin and throat white.
Feathers round eye black. Some of the tail
feathers have white tips.

Goes about in noisy flocks in the woods. It
has a number of cries ; one is plaintive, a
second a trill, a third a squeak.

Abundant at Mussoorie, fairly common at
Naini Tal and Simla, rare at Darjeeling. Not
found at Dharmsala or Murree.

19. lanthocincla rufigularis : The Rufous-
chinned Laughing-Thrush. F. 80, J. 421, —III
E. W, K.

Forehead and crown black. Sides of head
black and white, with a red patch on each

Descriptive List of Birds

cheek. Grey ring round eye. Rest of upper
plumage olive-brown. Narrow white bar near
edge of wing. Chin and upper throat red ;
lower throat white. Rest of lower parts ashy-
brown. Gregarious. Mussoorie is the only
hill station at which I have found it common.
It occurs in the vicinity of Darjeeling and in
the dense woods of the lower hills of Kashmir.

20. Trochalopterum erythrocephalum : The
Red-headed Laughing-Thrush. F. 82, J. 415,
+ III. W. Top of head chestnut. Lower
part of cheeks, chin and upper throat dark
chocolate — almost black. Rest of plumage
olive-brown, with some bright golden-yellow
in the wing.

This gregarious bird has a curious plaintive
call, which sounds like -poor-wee-wee. The
second wee is very high-pitched.

In summer this bird is not often seen below
7000 feet. I have noticed it on Lariakanta at
Naini Tal. It occurs in the higher woods
near Simla and Dharmsala. A great skulker.

21. Trochalopterum nigrimentum : The
Western Yellow-winged Laughing-Thrush.
F. 85, J. 416, III. E.

Feathers of forehead reddish with black
shafts ; those of rest of head grey with black
103

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

shafts. Nape bright chestnut. Back and
shoulders reddish, spotted with black. Rump
olive-green. Tail grey, suffused with golden-
yellow. There is much golden-yellow in the
wings. Sides of head are black and grey.
Chin and throat black with reddish mottHngs.
This is one of the commonest babblers at
DarjeeHng. It often feeds on the paths, diving
into the nearest thicket at the approach of
man.

22. Trochalopterum variegatum : The Eastern
Variegated Laughing-Thrush. F. 90, J. 418,
+ III. W.

An olive-brown bird with much golden-
yellow in the wings. It may be distinguished
from the two species described above by the
facts that : (i) It has no red on the head. The
crown and nape are greyish-brown. (2)
Tail feathers are tipped with white. Sides of
head black and white. Chin and upper throat
black.

In summer it is not found below 7000 feet.
It nests at Simla and is abundant at Dharm-
sala. A noisy, gregarious species.

23. Trochalopterum lineatum. The Hima-
layan Streaked Laughing-Thrush. F. 99, J.
425, II. W. K.

104

Descri2)tive List of Birds

Forehead, crown, nape and shoulders ashy
brown, streaked with black. Lower back
reddish-brown, with white streaks. Cheeks,
chin, throat and breast chestnut. Wings and
tail reddish-brown. The tail has a black band
across it near the tip. The tip of the tail is
grey. A greyish-white ring round the eye.

This is the common babbler of the western
hill stations, where it takes the place of the
" seven sisters " of the plains. They often
visit gardens. They sometimes nest in gardens.
Occasionally two or three of them will hold
squeaking competitions. Their movements are
jerky, like those of the " seven sisters."

24. Grammatoptila striata : The Striated
Laughing-Thrush. F. loi, J. 382, +IIL E.
W.

The plumage of this fine bird is mainly
umber-brown, each feather having a bold,
white, median streak. The tail is chestnut and
there is some chestnut in the wing.

Not often seen below 7000 feet in the Western
Himalayas, but at DarjeeHng it occurs from
6000 feet upwards. As Jerdon remarks, it is
more often heard than seen. One of its calls
resembles the clucking of a hen that has just
laid an Qgg,

105

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

25. Pomatorhinus erythrogenys : The Rusty-
cheeked Scimitar Babbler. F. 129, J. 405,
+ 111. E. W.

Bill li inches long, slender and curved Hke
a scimitar. Upper plumage olive-brown. Fore-
head and sides of head rust-coloured. Chin,
throat, and lower parts streaked white and
grey. Rusty patch under the tail.

Goes about in pairs. Call a loud whistle.

Fairly common at Naini Tal, Simla, and
Darjeehng, but not, I beHeve, at other hill
stations.

26. Alcifpe nepalensis : The Nepal Babbler.
F. 163, J. 388, -I. E.

A tiny grey-brown bird with a conspicuous
ring of white feathers round the eye. Its
sober colouring led Jerdon to call it the Quaker
Thrush. It occurs in small parties in dense
jungle. The call is a low twitter.

27. Stachyrhis nigricefs : The Black-throated
Babbler. F. 169, J. 391, -I. E.

Head black, streaked with white. Cheeks
white. Rest of upper plumage olive-brown,
washed with red on wings and tail. Lower
plumage bright-reddish yellow.

A tiny bird which goes about in small
parties in the upper foliage.
106

Descriptive List of Birds

28. Stachyrhidopsis ruficefs : The Red-
headed Babbler. F. 174, J. 393, —I. E.

Head chestnut. Rest of upper plumage
olive-green. Lower plumage white, tinted with
red.

Its note is said to be " clear and musical,
like the ringing of a little bell."

Common at Darjeeling in parties in tall
trees.

29. Myiophoneus temmincki : The Himalayan
Whistling-Thrush. F. 187, J. 343, +ni. E.
W. K.

From a little distance it looks like a cock
blackbird ; the yellow bill adding to the simili-
tude.

There is, however, a good deal of cobalt blue
in the black plumage, only noticeable in the
sunlight.

One of the commonest birds of the streams
of the Himalayas and Kashmir. It likes to
perch on boulders in mountain streams, by
the side of which it nests. It feeds on insects,
which it catches on boulders. It has a loud
and pleasant whistling call. When disturbed
it flies off, uttering a shrill cry. In this respect
it resembles other birds which frequent
mountain streams.

107

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

30. Lioptila caf {strata : The Black-headed
Sibia. F. 204, J. 429, II. E. W.

A bulbul-Hke bird with a short crest. Head
and crest black. A reddish collar. Rest of
upper plumage greyish-brown, the wings and
tail having some chestnut in them. A white
bar in the wing. Lower plumage rust-coloured.
The tail is rather long, the middle feathers being
the longest and the outer ones the shortest.

It usually keeps to the upper parts of trees.
Sometimes it attaches itself to a wandering
party of tits. Its call is so loud, high-pitched,
and penetrating, that it cannot fail to attract
notice. The call resembles one of the louder
cries of the streaked laughing-thrush. Hutton
syllabises the call : titteree, titteree, tweeyo.

Common at Simla, Naini Tal, Mussoorie,
and Darjeeling.

31. Zosterofs palfebrosa : The Indian White-
eye. F. 226, J. 631, -I. E. W. K.

Known also as the girdle-eye and spectacle-
bird, because of a conspicuous ring of white
feathers round the eye. A tiny bird, that goes
about in little flocks among the foliage. Upper
plumage golden-yellow. Wings and tail green-
ish-brown. Chin and throat bright yellow,
rest of lower plumage grey.
108

Descriptive List of Birds

It utters a loud cheeping note — at breeding
season, in spring, it sings a sweet little lay.

Common at Murree, Dharmsala, Simla,
Naini Tal, Almora, also in the woods of the
lesser ranges of the Kashmir hills ; but in the
Eastern Himalayas does not ascend as high as
the hill stations.

32. Ixulus fiavicollis : The Yellow-naped
Ixulus. F. 232, J. 623, -I. E. W.

Forehead and crest rich brown. Nape and
sides of head grey-brown. Black moustache.
White ring round eye. Chestnut collar round
hind neck, broad in the middle. Back olive-
brown. Wings and tail brown suffused with
olive. Chin and throat white. Rest of lower
plumage pale yellow.

Goes about in twittering flocks seeking
for insects among the foliage.

Not common in the Western Himalayas
but abundant at DarjeeHng.

33. Liothrix lute a : The Red-billed Lio-
thrix. F. 235, J. 614, I. E. W.

The Pekin Robin of bird-fanciers. Upper
plumage olive-green. Forehead and crown
tinged with yellow. Yellow ring round eye.
Bill coral red. Chin and upper throat bright
yellow, lower throat rich orange. Rest of
109

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

lower plumage yellow. Many of the wing
feathers are edged with yellow and, in the
cock, with crimson also. A very lively
sprightly bird. The ordinary call is tee-tee-
tee-tee-tee. In the spring the cock sings
beautifully. Gregarious.

One of the commonest birds of Darjeeling,
but in the Western Himalayas it does not
usually ascend as high as the hill stations.
It has been seen near Kausauli and is common
at Bhim Tal below Naini Tal.

34. Minla igneitincta : The Red-tailed Min-
la. F. 258, J. 618, -I. E.

Head black with broad white eyebrows,
which almost meet at the back of the head.
Back yellowish-green suffused with dull red.
Wings and tail black and crimson. Throat
white, rest of lower plumage yellow. The
hen is duller and her underparts are white.

This species is often seen at Darjeeling
along with parties of tits.

35. Cephalopyrusjiammicep: The Fire-cap.
F. 260, J. 633, —I. W.

A midget 4 inches long.

Cock : Upper parts olive-green. Throat and
breast golden-yellow ; rest of lower parts dull
yellow ; a cap of flaming red. Chin suffused
no

Descriptive List of Birds

with bright red. Wings and tail brown edged
with yellow.

Hen : Has no red on head or chin and the
yellow parts of her plumage are duller and
tinged with green.

36. Psaroglossa spiloptera : The Spotted-
wing. F. 261, J. 691, —II. W.

The classification of this bird has puzzled
ornithologists. Jerdon classes it with the
starlings ; but the hen is not coloured like
the cock as is the case with the starlings.

Cock : The ground colour of the head and
back is grey, each feather being edged with
black on the head and shoulders and brown on
the back, so that the bird has markings like
the scales of a fish. Rump reddish-brown.
Chin and throat deep chestnut maroon.
Rest of lower parts reddish brown. The
wings are black glossed with green or blue
and spotted white, like the plumage of a
starling.

Hen : Upper plumage brown with grey
spots ; lower parts brown with cream edges
to the feathers. Wings dark brown with some
grey in them.

Not found west of Dharmsala. Not found
as high as Simla in summer, but occurs at

HI

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Naini Tal. A flock of half a dozen or more
birds having a starling-Hke appearance, which
twitter like starlings and keep to the topmost
branches of trees, from which they make
sallies into the air, may be set down as a com-
pany of spotted- wings.

Bulbuls

Bulbuls are larger than sparrows. The sexes
are alike. The typical ones have the head
crested and a patch of red or yellow under
the tail. They frequent gardens and have
cheerful, tinkling calls.

37. Hypsipetes psaroides : The Himalayan
Black Bulbul F. 269, J. 444, II, with tail
4i inches long. E. W. K.

Head and untidy loose crest black ; cheeks
grey ; bill and legs coral red. Upper plumage
dark grey ; wings and tail dark brown, edged
with grey. Lower parts grey, pale on the
abdomen. Seen from a distance this bird
looks black, hence its popular name. A party
of dull black-looking birds, with red bills and
legs, which keeps to the tops of trees and chatters
harshly may be set down with certainty as
black bulbuls.

These birds are common at the various
112

Descriptive List of Birds

western hill stations ; but at Darjeeling are
rarely seen at elevations above 5000 feet.

Found in the dense jungles of the lower
hills and in the valley of Kashmir.

38. Alcurus striatus : The Striated Green
Bulbul. F. 277, J. 449, II. E.

Crested head and upper plumage olive-
green, streaked with yellow. Wings and tail
brown with olive green and yellow markings.
Cheeks brown with creamy streaks. Chin bright
yellow. Throat yellow spotted with black.
Sides of neck and breast black, streaked with
yellow. Yellow patch under tail. Rest of
lower plumage yellow in middle and olive -
brown streaked with yellow at sides.

Goes about in parties which keep to tree-tops
and utter frequently pleasing notes.

Common at Darjeeling.

39. Molpastes bengalensis : The Bengal Red-
vented BulbuL F. 282, J. 461, II. E.

This is the bulbul which is so common in
the plains. The short crest, head, neck and
breast are black. The body plumage is brown,
each feather having a narrow cream margin
which gives the bird a scaly appearance.
Wings and tail brown, the tail being narrowly
tipped with white. There is a small patch

H 113

Ilimalayan and Kashmiri Birds

of white just above the tail. A conspicuous
crimson patch under the tail.
Common at Darjeeling.

40. Molfastes intermedins : The Punjab Red-
vented Bulbul. F. 283, J. 283, II. W.

This is the w^estern form of the last-named
species. It is merely a race and not a separate
species. It is very like the Bengal race in ap-
pearance, the chief difference being that the
cheeks are chocolate-brown instead of black.

It is a common bird at Almora, but, as it
rarely ascends the hills higher than 5500 feet,
it is only seen at the lowest parts of most hill
stations.

41. Molpastes leucogenys : The White-
cheeked Bulbul. F. 284, J. 458, II. E. W. K.

In shape and colouring this is not unlike
the two species described above. It differs,
however, in the crest being longer and ending
in a forwardly directed point. It has white
cheeks and the patch of feathers under the
tail is bright sulphur-yellow instead of crimson.

It is very common at Almora and in the
Kashmir valley. At Srinagar it hawks insects
over the backwaters and canals just as fly-
catchers do.

As 7000 feet is about as high as it is found,
114

Descriptive List of Birds

it is not common at most hill stations, but
may occasionally be seen at Dharmsala, Simla
and other western stations. In the Eastern
Himalayas it does not seem to ascend higher
than 5000 feet.

Nuthatches

Small, short-tailed climbing birds which
often go about in small flocks searching trunks
and branches of trees for insects.

42. Sitta himalayensis : The White-tailed
Nuthatch. F. 315, J. 284, -I. E. W.

Upper parts slaty-blue. Forehead and a
broad line running down the sides of the
head and neck black. There is some white
in the tail. Under parts chestnut.

The hen is duller than the cock.

The common nuthatch of Naini Tal and
Darjeehng. Rare at Simla and Dharmsala.
Does not occur west of Kangra.

Drongos

Drongos are active, long-tailed birds which
have many of the habits of flycatchers. Their
plumage is largely black and both sexes are
arrayed alike.

43. Dicrurus ater : The Black Drongo, or

115

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

King Crow. F. 327, J. 278, II, with a tail
6 inches long. W. E.

A glossy jet-black bird with a forked tail.

It is fond of sitting on telegraph wires and
on the backs of cattle.

It is very common everywhere in the plains
of India. It is common at Almora and on
the Kashmir Road. It is fairly abundant at
Dharmsala and Mussoorie and has been seen
at Naini Tal. In the vicinity of Simla it has
not been observed at elevations of over 5000
feet, and in the Eastern Himalayas it does not
ascend as high as this.

44. DicruTus longicaudatus : The Indian
Ashy Drongo. F. 328, J. 280, II, with a tail
6i inches long. E. W. K.

Upper plumage metallic dark indigo, lower
plumage dark grey. Very hke the King Crow
in habits and appearance ; but its cry is less
harsh.

This is the commonest drongo of most
hill stations, but at Dharmsala its place is
taken by the King Crow, this species living at
altitudes of 9000 feet in summer at that
locality.

It is common in the Kashmir valley and
at Murree, Simla, Mussoorie and Darjeeling.
116

Descriptwe List of Birds

Creepers

Creepers are small brown birds with rather
long bills. They feed on insects, which they
catch in the same way as nuthatches do, but
their hunting grounds are not confined to
trees ; they seek their quarry on rocks and
walls.

45. Certhia himalayana : The Himalayan
Tree-creeper. F. 341, J. 243, I. W. K.

Upper plumage dark brown, heavily streaked
with yellowish-brown. Short, broad, pale eye-
brow. Rump, wings and tail reddish-brown,
streaked with yellowish-brown on the wings
and with black cross-bars on the tail. Chin and
throat white.

Usually go about in pairs. Run about with
great address on vertical surfaces, using the
stiff tail feathers as supports after the manner
of woodpeckers. The call is a shrill fee-fee.

Common at Gulmarg and the West Hima-
layan hill stations.

46. Certhia discolor : The Sikkim Tree-
creeper. F. 344, J. 245, I. E.

Like the last species in appearance and
habits, but the chin and throat are earthy-
117

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

brown instead of white and there are no black
cross-bars on the tail.

An eastern race of the Himalayan tree-
creeper. Common at Darjeeling.

Wrens

Wrens are mottled-brown, short-tailed mid-
gets which creep about in brushwood.

47. Anorthura neglecta : The Kashmir Wren.
F. 352, (Not recorded by Jerdon.) —I. K.
W.

Less than 4 inches long. Plumage reddish-
brown ; the lower back, wings and short tail
being closely cross-barred with black.

Common at Gulmarg and Dharmsala. At
Simla and other stations it lives at high eleva-
tions in summer.

48. Pncefyga squamata : The Scaly-breasted
Wren. F. 356, J. 329, —I. E. W.

Upper plumage rich brown, dotted with
buff. Lower plumage in cock white, dotted
and scaled with black ; in hen ruddy, dotted
and scaled with black.

The tail of this tiny bird is so short as to
be almost invisible.

In the western hill stations it is seen only
in winter. At DarjeeHng it occurs in summer.

118

Descriptive List of Birds

Warblers

A very large family of " tiny brownie birds,"
of which nearly one hundred members occur
in India. As these birds are all small and have
very little distinctive colouring, they are the
most difficult birds to identify.

49. Acrocefhalus stentoreus : The Indian
Great Reed-warbler. F. 363, J. 515, —II.
K.

A giant among warblers. An olive-brown
bird with a cream-coloured eyebrow. Chin
and throat nearly white, the throat sometimes
has brown streaks ; rest of lower plumage
creamy.

This bird lives among reeds in which it
moves about with much address.

Fairly common on the margins of the
Kashmir lakes.

50. Sylvia affinis : The Indian Lesser White-
throated Warbler. F. 402, J. 583, I. K.

Upper plumage earthy-brown, tinged with
grey on head and nape. Lower plumage pale
grey. Tail feathers tipped with white.

Occurs in the Kashmir valley in open country
near streams.

51. Phylloscopus humii : Hume's Willow-

119

Himalayan and KasJmiiri Birds

warbler. F. 418 (not described by Jerdon),
-I. W. K.

A midget 4 inches long. Upper plumage
light olive-green, with a faint grey patch on
head and a creamy eyebrow. A yellowish bar
in the wing. Sides of head and lower plumage
faint buff colour.

This bird is said to leave Simla in the middle
of May, but it is found at Dharmsala and
in the Kashmir valley throughout the
summer.

52. Cryptolopha xanthoschista : Hodgson's
Grey-headed Flycatcher-warbler. F. 434, J.

573,-1. w.

A small bird, just over 4 inches long. Head
and neck grey ; a broad band of pale grey
runs from the bill over the head to the nape ;
this band is more distinct in some individuals
than in others. Eyebrow white. Rest of upper
plumage olive-green. Lower plumage bright
yellow. Wings brown, the feathers having
yellowish-green margins. Tail brown.

The commonest warbler at all the West
Himalayan hill stations, including Naini Tal
and Almora. Its loud call of four or five high-
pitched, not very musical notes, emanates
from every tree in spring. It nests in gardens.

120

Descri]_)tive List of Birds

53. Cryftolopha jerdoni : Brooks's Grey-
headed Flycatcher-warbler. F. 435, J. 572, —I.
E.

This Is the eastern form of Hodgson's species.
It differs from this in that the head, except for
the median grey band, is dark grey, almost
black, and the rest of the upper plumage is
greyish- brown instead of olive-green.

This species occurs at Darjeeling.

54. Suya crinigera : The Brown Hill-
warbler. F. 458, J. 547, -H. E. W. K.

There is nothing distinctive about the
colouring of this bird. The upper plumage
is dark brown, each feather having an olive-
green margin. Cheeks dark brown. Lower
parts pale ruddy yellow, with faint brown
markings on the breast.

It seeks its food on the ground, but some-
times perches on the summit of long grass or
other point of vantage and utters a rasping
call, hke the noise made by a saw.

Fairly common at Simla, but rare in the
Eastern Himalayas. It is said to be fairly
common on the lower ranges of Kashmir.
I have not had the opportunity of testing this
statement.

J 21

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

ShrikeSy or Butcher Birds

Shrikes form a well-marked family of birds.
When perched, they sit upright with the tail
pointing downwards. Their habit is to sit
exposed on a perch and from there pounce
on some insect on the ground. Many species
have a broad black band running backwards
from the beak through the eye.

Shrikes are common birds in the plains,
but do not ascend the Himalayas to any great
altitude, they are therefore rarely seen at
any hill station. One species, however, is
very abundant in the Kashmir valley.

55. Lanius erythronotus : The Rufous-backed
Shrike. F.476,J. 257, -III. E. W. K.

Head, neck and upper back pale grey, with
a broad black band running across the forehead
and through the eyes. Shoulders and lower back
rusty red. Chin, throat and upper breast white.
Wings and tail black, some of the feathers
having reddish edges. White wing-bar.

Very common in the Kashmir valley. Dozens
may be seen on the journey from Baramula to
Srinagar. They perch in the poplars. It
breeds as high as 6000 feet near Simla. Jones
says it is a dupe of the cuckoo. In most parts

Descriptive List of Birds

of the Himalayas this species does not ascend
above 5000 feet. It occurs at Almora.

56. Lanius tephronotus : The Grey-backed
Shrike. F.477,J. 258, II. E. W. K.

Very like the rufous-backed shrike in appear-
ance. It differs from it in that (i) the grey
of the head extends more than half-way down
the back, and the shoulders are grey ; (2)
the red of the lower back is chestnut rather
than rusty ; (3) it has no white wing-bar.

This species is common in the Kashmir
valley but not in the hill stations, at any rate
in summer.

Minivets

Little birds that go about in flocks and keep
to the tops of trees. The cocks are usually
bright red and black and the hens vivid yeUow
and black.

57. Pericrocotus brevirostris : The Short-
billed Minivet. F. 495, J. 273, —I, but with
a tail 4 inches long. E. W.

Cock : Head and shoulders glossy black.
Back and lower parts crimson. Wings black
with a crimson band running along (not across)
each. Middle tail feathers black, the others
crimson.

123

liiinalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Hen : Crown of head, neck and shoulders
greyish-green. Forehead, remainder of upper
plumage, and lower plumage bright yellow.
Wings brown with yellow band. Tail black
and yellow.

Common at Dharmsala and Darjeeling.
Fairly common at other hill stations.

Cuckoo-Shrikes

Cuckoo-Shrikes have the habits of minivets :
but they lack their bright colouring.

58. Camfophaga melanoschista : The Dark
Grey Cuckoo-Shrike. F. 505, J. 269, II. E. W.

A dark grey bird having wings and tail
black. The latter tipped with white.

In the Western Himalayas this species is
not often seen above 5000 feet ; but it goes
higher in the eastern part of the range and
occurs at Darjeeling.

Orioles

Orioles are birds of brilliant plumage, nearly
as large as mynas. They have melodious calls.

59. Oriolus kundoo : The Indian Oriole, or
Mango Bird. F. 518, J. 470, -III. W. K.

Cock : Plumage mainly bright yellow. Some
black on the sides of the head and in the wings
124

Descriptive List of Birds

and tail. During flight this bird looks golden-
yellow. Bill pink. Eyes red.

Hen : Thejyellow of the plumage is duller
and the back is tinged with green.

Keeps to leafy trees. Call a soft, rich,
mellow feeho.

Common at Almora and in the Kashmir
valley. As it does not commonly ascend above
5000 feet, it is not likely to be seen at other
hill stations.

Starlings

60. Sturnus humii : The Himalayan Starling.
F. 529, J. 682, II. K.

Very like the Enghsh starling in appearance.
A glossy black bird, with yellow specks and
spots. The sheen on the plumage looks purple,
green or red according to the incidence of
sunlight on the plumage. Abundant in the
Kashmir valley, equally at home in grass land
or among the willows in which the bird
nests.

61. Acridotheres tristis : The Common
Myna. F. 549, J. 684, III. K. W.

Head, neck and upper breast black ; rest
of body plumage rich brown ; wings black,
showing conspicuous white bar during flight.
125

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Tail feathers black, all except the middle pair
tipped with white : thus the white is visible
only during flight.

Bill and legs bright yellow ; bright yellow
patch of skin behind the eye.

This is the common myna of the plains.
It is also the common myna of the Kashmir
valley, Simla, Dharmsala and Almora. At the
other hill stations it is largely, if not entirely,
replaced by the Jungle Myna. Brooks observed
it at Naini Tal in 1869 ; I do not remember
seeing it there.

62. Sturnia malabarica : The Grey-headed
Myna. F. 538, J. 688, II. W.

Forehead pale grey, almost white in some
specimens. Remainder of upper plumage
dark grey, tinged with reddish-yellow on the
lower back ; the feathers of the head and neck
have white shafts, giving this part of the
plumage a streaked appearance. Wings black
and grey. Chin almost white ; rest of lower
parts reddish-grey, the red being deepest
towards the tail. Many of the feathers have
white shafts.

This bird^keeps to the tops of trees. Com-
mon at Almora ; but I have not seen it at
other hill stations.

126

Descriptive List of Birds

63. jEthiopsar fuscus : The Jungle Myna.
F. 552, J. 686, III. E. W.

Very like the common myna and is doubtless
often mistaken for it.

It may, however, be readily distinguished
by the fact that there is no yellow patch of bare
skin behind the eye. The entire head is black.
There is a little tuft of black feathers on the
forehead which the common myna has not.
The base of the bill is blue-black.

Common at Mussoorie, rare at Simla. At
Dharmsala and, I think, Darjeeling it does
not ascend the mountains so high as the hill
stations. Brooks observed it at Ramgarh,
between Naini Tal and Almora.

Flycatchers

Flycatchers are well-represented in the
Himalayas. They feed exclusively on insects
which they catch on the wing. Their habit is
to make sallies into the air from a perch in
order to capture their quarry. All flycatchers
have this habit, but some birds which are not
flycatchers behave in this way, e.g. bee-eaters,
drongos.

64. Hemichelidon sihirica : The Sooty fly-
catcher. F. 558, J. 296, -I. E. W. K.

127

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Upper plumage brown, with dark spots on
the head. Ring of w^hite feathers round eye.
Tail brown. Lower plumage smoky-brown with
greyish patches. Small white patch on throat,
indistinct in some specimens.

Common at Darjeeling and Dharmsala,
but rare at intermediate hill stations. It
occurs abundantly on the pine-covered hills
of Kashmir.

65. Hemichelidon ferruginea : The Ferru-
ginous Flycatcher. F. 559, J. 299, —I. E.

A brown bird in which the greater part
of the plumage is tinted with red. The red
on the rump almost entirely obscures the brown,
so that this part of the bird appears chestnut.
A ring of cream-coloured feathers round the
eye.

Common at Darjeehng. It usually makes
its flights after insect quarry from a low
branch or the stump of a tree.

66. Cyornis superciliaris : The White-
browed Blue Flycatcher. F. 568, J. 310, —I.
E. W.

Cock : Upper plumage dull Prussian blue,
with some brown in the wings. A conspicuous
white eyebrow. Tail black, edged with blue ;
all feathers, except middle pair, tipped with

128

Bescriytive List of Birds

white. Lower plumage white save for a broad
dark blue collaret interrupted in the middle.

Hen : Olive-brown above, tinged with dark
blue on the lower back. Lower parts pale buff,
which fades to white near the tail.

Very common at Simla, where it sometimes
nests in houses. Abundant at most hill
stations except Darjeeling.

67. Stofarola melanops : The Verditer Fly-
catcher. F. 579, J. 301, L E. W.

This beautiful bird is the commonest fly-
catcher at all the Himalayan hill stations.

The cock is arrayed in Cambridge blue —
blue of that peculiar shade knowm as verditer
blue. There is a black band running through
the eye.

The hen's plumage is duller than that of the
cock. Young birds are greyish-blue and their
lower plumage is spotted with cream.

This flycatcher likes to sit on a telegraph
wire or a high branch, from which the cock
emits a pleasant trill or warble of about
a dozen notes.

This species nests in gardens and verandahs.

68. Alseonax latirostris : The Brown Fly-
catcher. F. 588, J. 297, 298, -L W. K.

The bird may pass for a hen sparrow unless
I 129

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

closely scrutinised. The upper plumage is
earthy-brown, with darker markings on the
head. The lower parts are white tinged with
grey on the breast. There is a ring of white
feathers round the eye.

This bird is nowhere common. It is rare
at Simla and Dharmsala. Fairly common at
Naini Tal and Almora.

It may be difficult to distinguish this bird
from the Sooty Flycatcher (64). It is a Httle
larger than No. 64 and the edges of the flight
feathers have paler edges, the bill is a little
longer. This is a commoner bird than No. 64.

69. Alseonax ruficaudatus : The Rufous-
tailed Flycatcher. F. 589, J. 307, —I. W. K.

Dull olive-brown above. Tail chestnut.
Lower plumage pale earthy-brown.

This inconspicuous bird is nowhere common.
I have not noticed it at Simla, Mussoorie, or
Naini Tal : but it has been recorded from
Kumaun. I have seen it at Gulmarg. At
Dharmsala it is found up to 6000 feet.

70. Culicicapa ceylonensis : The Grey-
headed Flycatcher. F. 592, J. 295, +1. E.
W. K.

Head, neck and breast grey. Wings and
tail brown. Back dull yellow. Lower plumage
130

Descriptive List of Birds

bright yellow. The yellow in the plumage is
not very noticable except when the bird is
on the wing.

It is often found near streams.

It has a loud, pleasant call of three notes,
which may be syllabised : Think-of-me.

It is common at Naini Tal, Simla and
Dharmsala : but not at Darjeeling.

71. Niltava sundara : The Rufous-bellied
Niltava. F. 594, J. 314, +1. E. W. K.

Jerdon calls this bird the rufous-bellied,
fairy blue chat, and the cock indeed is the
kind of bird one would expect to meet in
fairyland.

Cock : Front and sides of head, chin and
throat rich velvety-black. Crown, nape, lower
back, a spot on each cheek and one on each
wing brilliant, glistening cobalt blue. Rest
of lower plumage chestnut-red. Tail black
and bright blue.

Hen : Upper plumage olive-brown, with
a white patch on fore-neck and a brilliant blue
patch on each side of the neck. Tail and
feathers above it chestnut-red. Lower plumage
pale olive-brown.

Very common at Darjeeling, less common in
the western hill stations and the Kashmir valley.

131

Himalayan and Kashiniri Birds

72. Niltava grandis : The Large Niltava.

F. 593, J- 316, -II. E.

Like the last species, but larger, and there is
no red on the under plumage, the red being
replaced by dull blue. No white patch on
fore-neck of hen.

This bird is common near Darjeeling, but
does not come up as high as the station.

73. Terpsifhone faradisi : The Indian Para-
dise Flycatcher. F. 598, J. 288, II, but the cock
has a very long tail. W. K.

Perhaps the most beautiful and most striking
bird in the world. It is sometimes called the
Ribbon Bird.

Hen and Toung Cock : like a bulbul in size
and shape. The crested head is metallic blue-
black. Back, wings and tail chestnut. Lower
parts white.

Second-year Cock : As above, but the two
middle tail feathers are much longer than the
others, being 16 inches long.

Old Cock : Chestnut parts of plumage white,
with some black in the wing.

It is impossible to mistake this bird as it
flits about among trees displaying its long,
thin chestnut or white ribbon-like tail feathers
which flutter in the air like satin streamers.
132

Descriptive List of Birds

Very common at Almora and in the Kashmir
valley. Common also below the other western hill
stations, e.g. at the Brewery below Naini Tal.

Chats

Chats are robin-like birds, that feed entirely
on insects ; these they often catch on the wing
after the manner of flycatchers. They fre-
quent open country.

74. Pratincola cafrata : The Common Pied
Bush Chat. F. 608, J. 481, -I. W. K.

Cock : Plumage black, except for white
wing-bar and large patch on lower back.

Hen : Plumage grey, streaked with brown
and, on the lower back, tinged with red.

The cock has a sweet little song.

This species is not seen at most hill stations,
as it does not seem to ascend the Himalayas
above 6000 feet. It is common in the Kashmir
valley and at Almora.

75. Pratincola maura : The Indian Bush
Chat. F. 610, J. 483, -I. W. K.

Cock : Upper plumage dark brown, almost
black. Large white patch on each side of
neck ; these patches sometimes unite to form
a collar. Lower back white. Breast orange :
rest of lower plumage russet,
133

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Hen : Upper plumage brown, without any
white. Lower plumage pale-reddish yellow.

Breeds in spring in Kashmir and at Almora,
Simla and Naini Tal. At Dharmsala it
occurs up to 6000 feet.

j6. Oreicola ferrea : The Dark Grey Bush
Chat. F.615, J.486, I. E. W. K.

Cock : Upper plumage black with a white
eyebrow and some white in the wings and tail.
Lower plumage white washed with grey on
breast and thighs.

Hen : Upper plumage reddish-grey with
faint dark spots ; the red is pronounced on
the rump and tail. Lower plumage as in cock.

This species habitually makes sallies into
the air after its insect quarry and doubtless
is often mistaken for a flycatcher.

Very common at Naini Tal, Simla and
Dharmsala, and fairly so at other hill stations,
except Almora. Occurs m Kashmir valley.

Fork tails

Forktails are glorified wagtails. The startHng
black-and-white plumage renders their identi-
fication easy. They live by mountain streams,
and utter a loud scream during flight.

jj. Henicurus maculatus : The Western
134

Descriptive List of Birds

Spotted Forktail. F. 630, J. 584, II, with a
tail of 6 inches. W. K.

A very beautiful bird.

Head and neck jet black, save for a vi^hite
patch extending from the centre of the crown
to the bill. Shoulders black, copiously spotted
with white. Wings, black and white. Tail
black, each feather tipped with white. As the
tail feathers are graduated, the middle pair
being the shortest and the outer pair the
longest, the tail, when closed, appears to be
barred with broad V-shaped black, and narrow
white, bars. Legs pale pink. Lower back and
rump white.

Inhabits mountain streams, feeding on tiny-
insects which it picks off the boulders. Nest
often within a yard of the water's edge.

Occurs on every hill stream in Kashmir and
the Western Himalayas, at places where the
water rushes down the hillside.

78. Henicurus guttatus : The Eastern Spotted
Forktail. F. 631, J. 584, II, with tail 5^ inches
long. E.

This is the East Himalayan race of the last
species. Jerdon (rightly in my opinion), does
not distinguish between the two.

This is a trifle smaller than the western
135

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

form. It has fewer white marks on the shoulder
and these are smaller and round instead of
being oval.

Habits identical with those of the last
species. Common on every mountain torrent
in the Eastern Himalayas.

79. Microcichla scouleri : The Little Fork-
tail. F.637, J. 587, -I. E. W. K.

This is just a short-tailed miniature of the
Western Spotted Forktail. Its plumage, mark-
ings and habits are the same.

It is less common than the larger species, but
is a common bird. In Kashmir and the
Western Himalayas it is more abundant at
higher elevations than the spotted species,
being most common in summer between
6000 and 8000 feet, but in the Eastern Hima-
layas it is most often seen between 2000 and
5000 feet.

Redstarts

Redstarts are robin-like birds, having red
tails which they constantly flirt. Most of
them frequent mountain streams.

80. Chimmarrhornis leucocefhalus : The
White-capped Redstart. F, 638, J. '^06, -j-I.
E. W. K.

?36

Descriptive List of Birds

A feathered exquisite.

A snow-white cap ; remainder of head,
whole neck, breast, wings and upper back
rich velvety black. Tail, rump and abdomen
bright chestnut red, so that, as the bird leaps
from a boulder in mid-stream into the air,
it looks as though it were on fire.

Common in Kashmir and the Western
Himalayas at all elevations above 6000 feet ;
in summer up to the glaciers. In the Eastern
Himalayas, it does not occur as a rule at eleva-
tions lower than 7000 feet.

A frequenter of mountain streams.

81. Ruticilla frontalis: The Blue- fronted
Redstart. F. 639, J. 503, I. E. W. K.

Cock : Head and shoulders blue, brightest
on forehead. Rump, breast and abdomen
chestnut, as is the tail except the middle pair
of feathers which are black. Wings brown with
reddish margins.

Hen : A brown bird with a ring of pale
feathers round the eye. Tail as in cock. Lower
plumage suffused with orange. This redstart
is usually found away from water. In the
summer it usually keeps to elevations higher
than those of the hill stations, but it is occa»

J37

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

sionally seen at Naini Tal and Dharmsala in
rhododendron forests.

82. Rhyacornis fuliginosus : The Plumbeous
Redstart. F. 646, J. 505, -I. E. W. K.

Very robin-like in appearance — Jerdon calls
it the water-robin. It picks its food off the
boulders of mountain torrents and streams.

Cock : Plumage dull dark blue with tail and
abdomen rusty-red.

Hen : Upper plumage dull bluish-brown.
Wings brown. Lower back and base of tail
white. Lower plumage greyish-brown, mottled
with white.

Common on all streams in Kashmir and the
Himalayas, from 6000 to 13,000 feet elevation,
except in the Eastern Himalayas where its
usual range is from 1500 to 5000 feet.

Robins

83. lanthia rufilata : The Red-flanked Bush
Robin. F. 654, J. 508, L E. W. K.

Cock : Forehead, eyebrow and rump ultra-
marine blue, a patch of this colour on the
wings. Cheeks black. Rest of upper plumage
and sides of breast deep purple-blue. Tail
black and blue. Lower plumage white except
the blue sides of the breast and a large showy
138

Descriptive List of Birds

patch of bright chestnut on each side of the
body.

Hen : Olive-brown suffused with blue on
the rump and tail, a white bib and a bright
chestnut patch on the sides of the body.

A forest-haunting bird having a noisy call.
It is fairly common at Gulmarg and Dharm-
sala in summer, but at other hill stations it
seems to occur only in winter.

84. Copsychus saularis : The Magpie- Robin.

F. 663, J. 475, -n. W.

Cock : All plumage glossy black, except the
following which are white : Abdomen, outer
tail feathers, and wing-bar.

Hen : Grey-brown where cock is black ;
white as in cock.

This species frequently elevates the tail.

This is essentially a bird of the plains, but
in summer some individuals ascend the Hima-
layas.

It occurs in summer at Almora, Dharmsala
and Simla, where it visits gardens. I have seen
the nest at Almora. 6500 feet appears to be
the limit of its upward range and 6000 feet of
the nesting range in the Western Himalayas.
In the Eastern Himalayas it is rarely, if ever,
seen at altitudes over 3000 feet.
139

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Blackbirds and thrushes

85. Merula houlboul : The Grey- winged
Ouzel. F. 6^6, J. 361, +111. E. W.

The Kastura of Indians. Perhaps the finest
songster of the Himalayas. From Murree to
Darjeeling, between 6000 and 9000 feet the
hills ring with the blackbird-like song of this
species.

Cock : Black with silvery-grey on the wings.

Hen : Olive-brown. The bill is coral-red
in both sexes.

86. Merula unicolor : Tickell's Ouzel. F.
678, J. 356, +11. K.

Cock : An ashy-grey bird.

Hen : Upper plumage olive-brown. Wings
and tail dark brown. Chin, throat and abdo-
men white. Breast ashy-brown with dark spots.
Bill yellow.

The common thrush of the Kashmir valley.
Its blackbird-like song is to be heard in spring
in every garden and grove. Nests in poplar
trees.

Sy. Petrophila cinclorhyncha : The Blue-
headed Rock-Thrush. F. 691, J. 353, -II.
E. W. K.

Cock : A handsome and striking bird. Head,
140

Descriptive List of Birds

chin, throat and wing-patch bright cobalt-blue.
Sides of neck, shoulders, upper back and a
broad band through the eye black. Rump and
lower parts chestnut. Wings black and blue
with a white bar.

Hen : Olive-brown above, cream below, with
dark bars on rump and breast.

Cock has a sweet, soft song, rather like that
of the white-eye. When alarmed he utters
a curious harsh cry. As its name implies this
bird frequents rocky ground, but likes to have
trees near at hand to which it can repair
when alarmed.

Common at all hill stations, including Almora.
Occurs, but is not common, in Kashmir.

Differs

Dippers are small, short-tailed, dark-plum-
aged birds that inhabit mountain streams,
into the waters of which they dive for their
food.

88. Cinclus asiaticus : The Brown Dipper.
F- 709? J- 347j n, tail 2 inches long. E. W. K,

Plumage chocolate-brown, darkest on wings
and tail, more or less flecked with white.

Dippers occur on most mountain streams,
but they are not so common as forktails. In

141

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

the Western Himalayas and Kashmir dippers
spend the summer at elevations between
6000 feet and the snow-line. In the Eastern
Himalayas they are more commonly found
between 1000 and 5000 feet.

Finches

Finches, of which the sparrow and canary
are familiar examples, are thick-billed birds
that feed largely on grain. The stout bill is
an organ adapted to husking seeds. The family
is well represented in the Himalayas.

89. Pycnorhamphus icteroides : The Black-
and- Yellow Grosbeak. F. 741, J. 725, —HI.
W. K.

Cock : Coloured very like a black-headed
Oriole.

Head, throat, wings, shoulders and a patch
above the tail black. Rest of plumage rich
yellow tinged with orange on the hindneck.
Bill very stout.

Hen : Wings black and grey. Rest of plum-
age ashy-grey, tinged faintly with yellowish-
red on the back and abdomen.

This species goes about in couples or small
flocks and feeds largely on the ground. Call
sounds like kiu-kree,

142

Descriptive List of Birds

Fairly common at Murree and Dalhousie,
but less so at the other western hill stations
and in Kashmir.

90. Hcematos'piza sipahi : The Scarlet
Finch. F. 751, J. 735, -11. E.

Cock : Plumage brilliant scarlet with some
black in wings and tail.

Hen : Upper plumage brown with greenish-
yellow crescent-shaped markings. Rump
bright yellow. Lower plumage dull pale
yellow with dark crescent-shaped markings.
Bill stout.

Darjeeling is the only hill station at which
this fine finch occurs.

91. Propasser grandis : The Red-mantled
Rose Finch. F. 757, J. 741, +1. W. K.

Cock : Most of the plumage brown tinged
with rosy red. Eyebrow, sides of head, chin
and throat shining rosy pink. Rest of lower
plumage rosy-red.

Hen : Grey-brown, darkest in the upper
plumage and everywhere streaked with dark
brown. Wings and tail brown.

I have not noticed this bird at any of the
Himalayan hill stations, as it seems to live
at higher elevations, but it is fairly common at
Gulmarg.

143

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

92. Carduelis caniceps : The Himalayan
Goldfinch. F. 767, J. 749, -I. W. K.

Very like the European Goldfinch.

Forehead, chin and part of face in front of
eye crimson, rather dull in the hen. Wings
gold and black. Rest of upper plumage grey,
merging into white on the lower back. Tail
black and white.

Fairly common in Kashmir, less so in the
Western Himalayas. Does not occur east of
Kumaun.

93. Callcanthis burtoni : The Red-browed
Finch. F. 768, J. 748, + 1. W. K.

Both cock and hen are striking birds.

Crown and nape black in cock, dark brown
in hen. Cock has forehead and large patch
of feathers round the eye crimson. In the hen
these parts of the plumage are buff. Wings
and tail blue-black with a good deal of white,
which is very conspicuous during flight. When
the wings are closed the white takes the
form of square spots, so that the birds have
then somewhat the appearance of miniature

These birds go about in pairs, sometimes in
company with tits.

As they live at high elevations in summer,
144

Bescriptive List of Birds

they are not likely to be seen at any Hima-
layan station, but they are common at
Gulmarg.

94. Hypacanthis spinoides : The Himalayan
Greenfinch. F. 772, J. 750, —I. E. W. K.

A little bird that keeps largely to the tops
of trees and utters a rather mournful pee-pee-
pee-pee.

Head and upper back dull green, with a yellow
eyebrow and a patch of this hue (which some-
times becomes a collar) on each side of the
neck. Wings and tail brown and yellow.
Lower plumage bright yellow.

The hen is a dull edition of the cock.

This bird in summer lives at higher altitudes
than most hill stations ; but may be observed
occasionally at Simla, Gulmarg and Naini Tal
in summer.

95. Passer domesticus : The House Sparrow.
F. 776, J. 706, I. W. K.

Cock : Top of head and lower back ashy-
grey. Throat black. Cheeks and sides of head
pure white. Streak over the eye and upper
back chestnut. Wings and tail brown, the
former with a narrow white bar. Lower
plumage sullied white.

He7i : a dull brown bird with sullied white
K 145

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

under-parts. Cream-coloured eyebrow and
narrow white wing bar.

Abundant at Kasauli, Almora, Simla, Dharm-
sala and Srinagar. Brooks in 1868, found it
common at Naini Tal. I saw it nesting there
in the Club verandah twenty years later ; but
it seems to be becoming scarcer there, rather
than more abundant.

96. Passer montanus : The Tree-Sparrow.
F. 779, J. 710, -I. E.

Sexes alike. Head chestnut with sides of
face white and a black patch below and behind
eye. Chin and throat black. Shoulders and
upper back are pale chestnut, which fades
into yellowish-brown on the rump. Tail
brown. Wings brown, chestnut, black and
white. Lower parts pale ashy-grey.

The only sparrow found at Darjeeling. I
have not noticed it at any other hill station.

97. Passer cinnamomeus : The Cinnamon
Tree-Sparrow. F. 780, J. 708, -I. W. K.

Cock : Upper plumage bright cinnamon,
with pale yellow cheeks and a small black patch
round the eye. Wings black and white with
reddish streaks. Tail brown. Chin and throat
black, with bright yellow patch on either side.
Rest of lower plumage grey tinged with yellow.
146

Descriptive List of Birds

Hen : Upper plumage reddish-brown, with
dark streaks. Eyebrow yellow above, dark
brown below. Tail brown. Wings brown, black
and white. Sides of head and neck and lower
plumage grey tinged with yellow.

This sparrow is common in Kashmir, both
in the valley and on the hills, and at the West
Himalayan hill stations, including Naini Tal,
but not Almora.

Buntings

The English yellow-hammer is a familiar
member of the bunting family. Buntings are
finch-like birds somewhat larger than the
sparrow. They are characterised by having
a conical bill which terminates in a sharp
point.

98. Embiriza stezuarti : The White-capped
Bunting. F. 793, J. 718, +1. W. K.

Cock : Light-grey cap. Upper plumage
chestnut. Wings and tail dark brown, with
a good deal of white in the tail. Chin and
throat black with white patch in middle.

Hen : A brown bird streaked with darker
brown, washed with chestnut on shoulders
and rump. Some white in the tail.

Fairly common in Kashmir on lower slopes
147

Hwialayan and Kashmiri Birds

of hills. In the Himalayan stations this species
is not often seen as in the summer it lives
rather above their level.

99. Emheriza stracheyi : The Eastern Mea-
dow Bunting. F. 794, J. 714, +1. W. K.

This is the common bunting of Kashmir
and the western hill stations.

Easily recognised by two longitudinal black
bands (with a grey one between them) running
from the bill over the head to the neck, and
two black moustachial stripes.

Upper plumage reddish-brown streaked with
black. Throat and breast grey with brown
spots. Rest of lower plumage chestnut
brown. Tail black, with a good deal of white
in the outer feathers, visible only during
flight.

This bird feeds on the ground and is common
in gardens and on open ground. Abundant
at Gulmarg, Murree, Dharmsala, and Simla.

Swallows

100. Hirundo rustic a : The Swallow. F. 813,
J. 82, I, with tail 4i inches long. E. W. K.

This is the common swallow of England.
Forehead, chin and throat chestnut ; rest
of upper plumage steel-blue. Wings and tail
148

Descriptive List of Birds

black, glossed with green. Some white in the
tail. Lower plumage reddish-cream with a
broad black band across the breast. This bird
does not usually ascend as high as the hill
stations, but is common in the Kashmir
valley.

loi. Hirundo smithii : The Wire-tailed
Swallow. F. 8 1 8, J. 84, —I, with two outer
feathers, the ends of which look like wires,
7 inches long. W. K.

Forehead, crown, and nape chestnut. Lower
plumage white. Rest of colouring like that of
the swallow. The outer tail feathers are long
with wire-like ends.

This species, like the last, rarely comes as
high as the Himalayan hill stations, but is
occasionally seen in the Kashmir valley.

102. Hirundo erythrofygia : Sykes's Striated
Swallow. F. 823, J. 85, +1, with tail 3 inches
long. E. W.

Upper parts steel-blue, except the collar and
rump which are chestnut-red. Lower plumage
very pale red, narrowly streaked with brown.
Wings and tail brown, glossed with blue.
A little white in the tail.

The common swallow of all the Himalayan
hill stations.

149

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Wagtails

Wagtails are slightly built, elegant, rather
long-tailed birds, which frequent the water's
edge and run about over stones seeking their
insect quarry. The tail constantly wags up
and down.

Wagtails usually frequent streams in which
the water does not flow very rapidly, hence are
not often seen at hill stations ; but three
species are common in Kashmir.

103. Motacilla hodgsoni : Hodgson's Pied
Wagtail. F. 830, J. 590, II. K.

Face white ; rest of upper plumage, throat
and breast black. Rest of lower plumage
white. Wings dark brown and white. Tail
black and white.

Common on the Kashmir lakes. It runs
about on the leaves of the lotus and its flight
is undulating.

104. Motacilla melanope : The Grey Wag-
tail. F. 832, J. 592, +1, with tail 31 inches
long. K.

Head, neck and shoulders bluish-grey with
cream-coloured eyebrow. Rest of upper plum-
age greenish-yellow and black. Chin and throat
black, rest of lower plumage bright yellow.
150

Descri^ytive List of Birds

This species frequents the stream that runs
through the golf links at Gulmarg.

105. Motacilla citreoloides : Hodgson's
Yellow-headed Wagtail. F. 838, J. 594, +1,
with tail over 3 inches long. K.

Head, neck and lower plumage rich deep
yellow. Rest of upper plumage velvety black.
Wings dark brown and white. Tail black and
white.

Common on the Kashmir lakes. It runs
about on the floating leaves of the lotus.
Occurs also in gardens on lawns.

Pipts

Pipits are dull-plumaged birds, somewhat
like wagtails in shape ; they feed on the
ground, but not at the water's edge as wagtails
do.

Several species should be placed among the
common birds of Kashmir and the Himalayas,
but it is not easy to describe such dull birds
so as to enable the reader readily to distinguish
them from one another.

106. Anthus maculatus : The Indian Tree-
pipit. F. 841, J. 596, I. W.

Upper plumage sandy brown suffused with
151

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birdt

green, with indistinct dark streaks and incon-
spicuous creamy eyebrow. Tail brown and
white, Lower plumage pale cream with con-
spicuous dark streaks on the throat.

107. Anthus similis : The Brown Rock-
Pipit. F. 841, J. 604, II. W.

Upper plumage grey-brown with dark streaks.
No white in tail. Eyebrow sandy yellow.
Breast sandy yellow with a few ill-defined
dark streaks.

108. Afithus rufulus : The Indian Pipit.
F. 847, J. 600, -f-I. E. W. K.

Very like Indian Tree-Pipit, but upper
plumage is not suffused with green, and lower
plumage is darker.

This species does not often come as high
as Indian hill stations, especially in the west ;
but it occurs in the Kashmir valley.

109. Oreocorys sylvanus : The Upland Pipit.
F. 853, J. 606, +1. E. W.

Upper plumage very dark brown with
reddish-buff edges to the feathers. Indistinct
pale eyebrow. Tail as in Indian Tree-Pipit.
Chin and throat white, rest of lower plumage
buff with black streaks.

152

DescrijMve List of Birds

Skylarks

Skylarks are in appearance dull-brown birds ;
in shape they resemble pipits ; but, unlike
pipits, they rarely perch anywhere save on the
ground and they sing while soaring in the air.

no. Alauda arvensis : The Skylark. F. 860,
J. 766, +1. W. K.

Upper parts dark brown with pale streaks.
An indistinct pale eyebrow. Lower parts
pale sandy with dark brown and black streaks.
Wings and tail brown ; some white in the two
outer tail feathers.

This is the skylark of England.

I have not noticed it at any Himalayan
station, but it is common in the Kashmir valley,
where it sings in the air just as it does in
England.

Sunhirds
Sunbirds are the Asiatic counterparts of
the South American Humming-birds. They
are small birds, of which the plumage of the
cocks is iridescent. The bill is long, slender,
and curved and the tongue tubular. The birds
live largely on the nectar of flowers, which they
often sip while hovering on vibrating wings.
153

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

They also eat insects. The hen is a bird of
dull plumage.

111. JEthofyga ignicauda : The Fire-tailed,
Yellow-backed Sunbird. F. 887, J. 228, -I. E.

Cock : Upper plumage crimson, with metal-
lic-blue crown and yellow rump. Lower
plumage yellow, with purple on throat and
some crimson on breast. Middle pair of tail
feathers elongated.

Hen : A dull yellow-green bird with brown
wings and tail and some yellow on lower parts.
Middle tail feathers not lengthened.

It is only likely to be seen at Darjeeling
in April, while it is migrating towards its
breeding grounds at high elevations. In April
the cocks have not got their full plumage.
They are then like the hen, but with bright
patches of colour.

112. ^thopyga nepalensis : The Nepal Yel-
low-backed Sunbird. F. 892, J. 229, —I. E.

Cock : Head, neck and throat metallic-
green, with black on sides of head and deep
red on sides of neck. Upper back deep red or
maroon. Rest of back yellow, brightest on
rump. Tail, of which middle pair of feathers
is longer than the others, metallic-green and
black ; all feathers except the two middle
154

Descriptive List of Birds

pairs have pale tips. Lower plumage yellow,
washed and streaked with crimson.

He7i : Olive-green. Middle tail feathers
not lengthened. The common sunbird of
Darjeeling. Found in gardens.

The Western form of this species, jEthopyga
scherice (The Himalayan Yellow-backed Sun-
bird), does not ascend the mountains as high
as the hill stations, but I have seen it at the
Brewery below Naini Tal.

It may be distinguished from the Eastern
form by the fact that the chin and throat are
crimson.

Flowerfeckers

Flowerpeckers are minute birds which keep
to the topmost branches of trees.

113. Dicceum igni-pectus : The Fire-breasted
Flowerpecker. F. 915, J. 241, —I. E. W.

One of the smallest birds in India. As it
does not ascend the hills above 6000 feet,
Almora is the only hill station at which it is
likely to be seen.

Cock : Upper parts black glossed with green.
Lower parts buff, with large patch of crimson
on breast and a smaller black one.

Hen : Olive-brown above, buff below.
155

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are birds that feed on insects
which they pick off the trunks of trees. They
have strong claws by means of which they are
able to chng to the bark. The feathers of the
tail are stiff and serve to support the wood-
pecker when it is climbing. The sharp chisel-
like bill enables the bird to dig out insects that
lurk in the crevices of the bark, and also to
excavate holes in the trunk in which the eggs
are laid. When a woodpecker moves about
a tree-trunk, the head always points upwards.
Its movements on tree- trunks are jerky, like
those of a mechanical toy. The flight from
tree-trunk to tree-trunk is undulating. When
on the wing a woodpecker often emits a loud
scream.

114. Gecinus squamatus : The West Hima-
layan Scaly-bellied Green Woodpecker. F. 946,
J. 170, -IV. W. K.

Cock : Upper plumage dull green, tinged
with yellow on the lower back. Crown and
nape crimson. A black band round the face
and one from below the eye to the bill. Wings
and tail brownish-black, spotted and banded
with white and cream.

156

Descriptive List of Birds

Hen : Like cock, but head and nape black
instead of crimson. Common at Simla, Mus-
soorie, and Naini Tal. Not very common at
Dalhousie, Dharmsala, and Murree, and in
Kashmir.

115. Gecinus occipitalis: The Black-naped
Green Woodpecker. F. 950, J. 172, +III.
W. K.

Like the last species, but in the cock the
nape is black instead of crimson.
Common at Simla and Dharmsala.

116. Gecinuculus grantia : The Northern
Pale-headed Woodpecker. F. 958, J. 177, +n.
E.

Cock : Forehead, cheeks and chin light
brown. Crown red. Nape yellow. Rest of
upper plumage dull red. Wings brown spotted
with cream. Tail brown, cream, and red.

Hen : Like cock, but whole head is dull
yellow.

Darjeeling is the only hill station at which
the woodpecker occurs.

117. Hypopicus hyperythrus : The Rufous-
belHed Pied Woodpecker. F. 960, J. 161, IL
E. W.

Upper plumage spotted black and white.
Lower plumage dull red. A patch of crimson
157

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

under the tail. Crown red in cock, black
spotted with white in hen.

Although this woodpecker ranges all along
the Himalayas, Murree is the only station at
which I have seen it.

1 1 8. Dendrocofus himalayensis: The Western
Himalayan Pied Woodpecker. F. 961, J. 154,

+n. w. K.

Cock : Crown crimson. Upper plumage
black. Face and neck white, separated by a
black band. There is also a black band behind
the ear. Lower parts grey.

Hen : As cock, but her crown and nape are
black like the back. Common at Dalhousie,
Murree, and Gulmarg, less so at the other
western hill stations, where the Brown-fronted
Pied Woodpecker is the commonest species.

119. Dendrocopus cathpharius : The Lesser
Pied Woodpecker. F. 965, J. 156, +L E.

A small eastern form of the last species.
It is distinguished by both the cock and hen
having crimson on the sides of the neck. The
grey lower plumage is streaked longitudinally
with brown.

120. Dendrocopus auriceps : The Brown-
fronted Pied Woodpecker. F. 969, J. 159, H.
W. K.

158

Descriptive List of Birds

This is the commonest woodpecker of all
the West Himalayan hill stations, except per-
haps Dalhousie, where the Western Himalayan
pied species is commoner. It is distinguished
from the other pied woodpeckers by the
umber-brown forehead and crown. The cock's
crest is golden in front and crimson behind ;
the crest of the hen is pale yellow.

121. Pyrrhopicus pyrrhotis : The Red-eared
Bay Woodpecker. F. 978, J. 176, +ni. E.

Head brown. Cock only has crimson patch
behind each ear ; patches sometimes unite
behind to form a half collar. Rest of upper
plumage barred black and dull red. Lower
parts olive-brown washed with red.

Fairly common at Darjeeling.

122. lynx torquilla : The Comm^on Wry-
neck. F. 1003, J. 188, +1. K.

An inconspicuous grey-brown bird with dark
bars and streaks all over the body, giving the
plumage a mottled appearance.

This bird runs up and down the trunks of
trees after the manner of woodpeckers. It
has a peculiar habit of twisting its head, hence
the name Wryneck.

Fairly common in Kashmir.
159

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Barbets

Barbets are stout-billed, fruit-eating, tree-
haunting birds. They have monotonous calls
of two or three notes, which they utter fre-
quently. They lay their eggs in holes which
they excavate in trees.

123. Megalcema marsh allorum : The Great
Himalayan Barbet. F. 1006, J. 191, +III.
E. W.

A fine bird. Head and neck violet-blue.
Upper back olive-brown, streaked longitudin-
ally with pale green. Lower back and tail
bright green. Wings green, with splashes of
blue, brown and yellow. Upper breast brown.
Red patch under tail. Rest of lower parts
yellow, with median blue band. The massive
bill is yellow.

This bird sometimes goes about in small
flocks. Its call, which is a loud, plaintive
Pee-you, fee-you^ resounds on the hill-sides and
in the valleys.

Common at Murree, Dharmsala, Mussoorie
and Naini Tal ; less so at Dalhousie, Simla
and Darjeeling.

124. Cyanops franklini. The Golden-
throated Barbet. F. 1017, J. 196, II. E.

160

Descriptive List of Birds

A grass-green bird washed with blue. The
head is gaudily coloured. Top of head, chin
and upper throat golden-yellow. Forehead
crimson, a black streak on each side of head.

Its cry is Katak-katak-katak,

Common at Darjeeling.

Rollers

Heavy-billed, bright-plumaged birds, which
take up a position on a perch and descend to
the ground to secure their insect quarry.
They sometimes eat small snakes. Their
cries are harsh.

125. Coracias garrula : The European Roller.
F. 1024, J. 125, +III. K.

This is a near relative of the roller, or " blue
jay " of the plains.

Its plumage is mainly light and dark blue ;
the two shades of blue being arranged in broad
bands on the wings and tail. A gorgeous bird.

Fairly common in the Kashmir valley.

Bee-eaters

Bee-eaters are elegant emerald-green birds.
The middle pair of tail feathers project as
bristles beyond the others.

Bee-eaters catch their insect quarry in the

L 161

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

air after the manner of flycatchers. The
expanded wings are triangular in shape. Bee-
eaters nest in holes in sandbanks.

126. Merops apiaster : The European Bee-
eater. F. 1029, J. 121, II, with a tail 6 inches
long. K.

Forehead white, rest of head, neck, shoulders
and upper back chestnut, darkest on the head.
Wings chestnut, green and black. Tail bronze-
green, the long middle pair of feathers are
black at the ends. Chin and throat yellow.
Rest of lower parts bluish-green. Black band
through eye. Black gorget. Bill black. Wing
lining buff.

This fine bird is often to be seen hawking
insects over the lakes in the Kashmir valley.

Kingfishers
Kingfishers live on fish for which they dive ;
the bill is long and the tail short. They nest
in holes which they excavate in river-banks.

127. Ceryle luguhris : The Himalayan Pied
Kingfisher. F. 1034, J- ^7? —IV. E. W. K.

Plumage white, boldly barred, spotted and
streaked with black. Bill black.

This fine bird is found on the Kashmir lakes
and the larger hill streams up to 6000 feet.
162

Descriptive List of Birds

It quarters the water in search of fish. Every
now and then it hovers on rapidly vibrating
wings. If it espies a fish in the water below,
its pinions cease quivering and it drops like
a stone into the water. Sometimes it checks its
fall and flies to another spot where it repeats
the operation. It is impossible to mistake this
bird. Its colouring and habits are unique.

128. Alcedo ispida : The Common King-
fisher. F. 1035, J. 134, II, but tail very short.
E. W. K.

Head and nape blue with faint black cross-
bars. Back bright, glistening pale blue. Tail
dark blue. Wings greenish-blue. Sides of
head show streaks of red, blue, black and white.
Chin cream-coloured. Rest of lov/er parts
rust-coloured. Bill black. Legs coral-red.
Neck and tail short.

This bird squats on a bank, or a branch over-
hanging water, watching for fish. As it sits
its head bobs up and down. When it espies
a fish it dives into the water. Its call is a shrill
scream.

This bird occurs on all the larger hill streams

up to about 5500 feet. It is very common on

the Kashmir lakes, and is fond of perching on

the heads of lotus flowers and on house-boats.

163

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Hoopoes

Hoopoes are birds that feed on the ground,
into which they probe with their long, slender,
slightly- curved bills. The crest is conspicuous.
When folded it looks like a backward continua-
tion of the bill. When a hoopoe is disturbed,
and invariably when the bird alights, the crest
is expanded like a fan.

129. Upupa epops : The European Hoopoe.
F. 1066, J. 254, HI. E. W. K.

Body plumage sand-coloured or pale fawn.
Crest reddish- fawn with black tips to feathers.
There is also some white in the crest. Wings
and tail white with very bold black bars. Legs
short. On the wing this bird looks like a huge
black-and-white butterfly. A bird that cannot
be mistaken for any other.

It is fairly common in the Kashmir valley
and at Almora. Simla is the only other hill
station at which I have noticed it.

Swifts

Swifts are birds which never descend to the
ground or perch in trees. Their claws are
so arranged that they cannot support them-
selves on a perch. When they require rest,

164

Descriptive List of Birds

they betake themselves to their nests, which
are saucer-shaped structures made of straw,
feathers, etc., cemented together and to the
wall of a building by the birds' saliva. Their
wings are very long and slender. As a swift
dashes through the air at great speed it is
shaped like an anchor with very large flukes.

130. Cypselus affinis : The Common Indian
Swift. F. 1073, J. 100, —I. W. K.

A very dark brown, almost black, bird with
a white bar across the lower back.

This is the common swift of the West
Himalayan hill stations, and of Kashmir.
It nests under the eaves of houses. It utters
what Jerdon describes as a " shivering scream,"
which is sometimes heard at night. Most
dak bungalows in the W. Himalayas have
nests of this swift. A colony nests in the
Landour bazaar at Mussoorie.

A larger bird, sometimes seen in Kashmir
and the Himalayas, with no white bar across
back and a white abdomen, is Cypselus melba,
the Alpine Swift.

131. Chcetura nudifes : The White-necked
Spinetail. F. 1077, J. 97, II. E. W.

Upper parts blackish-brown, glossed with
green. Middle of back and chin white.
165

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Breast and abdomen brown. Tail short, square,
and spiny.

The only hill station at which this bird is
common is Darjeeling.

Cuckoos

Cuckoos are remarkable birds. Most of
them are parasitic on other birds. They fly
swiftly. They have loud, distinctive calls.

132. Cuculus canorus : The Cuckoo. F. 1104,
J. 199, —III, with rather long tail. E. W. K.

Upper plumage, chin, throat and upper
breast grey. Rest of lower plumage white,
with numerous narrow dark brown cross-bars.
Tail tipped with white. Eyes and legs
yellow.

This is the common cuckoo of England. Its
call, from which it derives its name, is famihar
to every Enghshman. From April to June
the call is heard at every hill station and
throughout the Kashmir valley. A bird more
often seen than heard.

133. Cuculus saturatus : The Himalayan
Cuckoo. F. 1 105, J. 200, —III, with the tail
rather long. E. W.

Like the last species in appearance, but the
grey of the upper plumage is much darker
166

Descrijdive List of Birds

and the lower parts have the background
pale buff and the dark cross-bars more regular.

The call sounds like the uk-uk-uk of the
hoopoe, and is doubtless often mistaken for
it. As a matter of fact the call has five syllables
and may be rendered cuck-coo-coo-coo-coo. The
first two syllables are like the cuckoo of the
common cuckoo, but are uttered so softly as to
be inaudible at greater distances than a few yards.
At a distance the call sounds like coo-coo-coo.

This cuckoo is very common at Naini Tal ;
fairly so at Mussoorie, Dharmsala, Dalhousie
and Darjeehng. I do not remember hearing
it at Simla or Murree.

134. Cuculus poliocephalus : The Small Cuc-
koo. F. 1106, J. 201, +11. E. W.

A small edition of the cuckoo, with the lower
parts tinged with buff and broader black
bars on the breast.

The call of this bird has been rendered
Pot-you-chick-chick-chick. It is harsh and
uttered both by day and by night.

Darjeehng is the only hill station at which
this cuckoo is common.

135. Cuculus micropterus : The Indian Cuc-
koo. F. 1 107, J. 203, —III, with rather a long
tail. E. W.

167

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Head grey. Back brown. Tail barred black
and white, thin throat and upper breast
ashy-grey. Rest of lower parts cream-coloured
with black crossbars, about half as broad as
the pale interspaces.

Call very distinctive. It may be rendered
by the words zvherefor^ wherefor musically
intoned. In imitation of its call the bird is
often called the Kyphul pakka, or broken-
pekoe bird.

Common at Darjeeling, Naini Tal and Mus-
soorie, but further west it does not ascend the
Himalayas as far as the hill stations ; the bird
is, however, sometimes heard at Dalhousie.

136. Hierococcyx sparveriodes : The Large
Hawk-Cuckoo. F. 1108, J. 207, III, with
rather a long tail. E. W.

Head grey. Back brown. Tail brown with
broad dark cross bands and tipped with white.
Lower plumage pale rusty with brown cross-
bars.

This is a large race of the Hawk-Cuckoo, or
brain-fever bird of the plains. I am not able
to distinguish between the calls of the two
species. It is a loud crescendo scream, which
may be rendered, " brain-fever, brain-fever^

BRAIN-FEVER."

168

Descriijiive List of Birds

Very common at Mussoorie and Darjeeling :
less so at Naini Tal and Dharmsala. I do
not remember hearing the bird at Simla or
Murree.

137. Coccystes jacobinus : The Pied Crested
Cuckoo. F. 1118, J. 212, +11, with tail 6
inches long. W. K.

A handsome bird.

Upper plumage glossy black. Broad white
wing-bar. Tail tipped with white. Lower
plumage white. A conspicuous black crest.

The call is difficult to describe, but easy to
recognise. Jerdon well describes it as *' high-
pitched, wild and metallic."

This bird rarely comes as high as the hill
stations. Jones states that it has been seen
at 8000 feet near Simla and that it is common
up to 5500 feet. It is fairly abundant in the
Kashmir valley.

138. Eudynamis honorata : The Indian Koel.
F. 1120, J. 214, III, with tail 8 inches long.
W. K.

Cock : A glossy black bird with a green bill
and brilliant crimson eye. As he flies he looks
like a slenderly-built crow with an unusually
long tail.

Hen : A brown bird heavily spotted and
169

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

barred with white all over. Bill and eye as in
cock.

A very noisy bird, especially at dawn. It
has three distinct calls. The commonest is
a melodious crescendo, " Ku-il, Ku-il, ku-il,"
whence its name. The second may be syl-
labised Ku-y-o. The third is a series of loud
Kekarees,

Common in the Kashmir valley and at
Almora. I have never seen or heard the bird
at any other hill station.

Paroquets

Paroquets are long-tailed parrots, of which
the plumage is mainly grass-green. They asso-
ciate in flocks, and feed on grain and fruit.
They are noisy and destructive to crops.

139. Falceornis nepalensis : The Large Indian
Paroquet. F. 1135, J. 147, -fill, with a tail
over a foot long. E. W.

A beautiful grass-green bird with some
blue in the tail and a red patch on each shoulder.
The cock has a pink collar round the back
of his neck, which is connected with the beak
on each side by a black band.

I have not seen this bird at any hill station,
but it is tolerably common in Kuman, Nepal
170

Descriptive List of Birds

and Garhwal, and there seems no reason why
it should not appear sometimes in the hill
stations. It is a common bird in the plains
of Northern and Central India, particularly
in the Punjab.

140. Palceornis cyanocefhalus : The Western
Blossom-headed Paroquet. F. 1139, J. 149,
II, with tail 8 inches long. W. K.

Cock : General colour bright grass-green,
with some blue on the tail. Red patch on
wing. Head red with a bloom like that on
a plum.

Hen : Head dull grey-blue. Rest of plumage
as in cock. The only hill station at which
this bird is likely to be seen is Dharmsala.
It occurs in the Kashmir valley.

141. Palceornis schisticefs : The Slaty-
headed Paroquet. F. 1141, J. 150, II, with
tail 9 inches long. E. W. K.

Distinguished from the last species by the
head being slate-coloured in both sexes, and
the cock alone having a red patch on the wing.

The common green parrot of the West
Himalayan hill stations. Abundant at Murree,
Dharmsala, Simla, Mussoorie and Naini Tal.
Not common at Darjeeling. Occurs on Kash-
mir hills, but not in the valley.
171

Himalayan and Kashnniri Birds

Owls

Owls are nocturnal birds of prey. Their
structure is well-adapted to their nocturnal,
predacious habits : they have soft, silky plum-
age, large forwardly-directed eyes, big ears
(often surrounded by aigrettes or tufts of
feathers), and feathered legs. The colouring
of all is very similar — mottled brown. They
have distinctive calls, which, however, are
not easy to assign to the birds that emit them
because these are so nocturnal in their habits.
Owing to the uniform colouring that runs
through the family, it is difficult so to describe
owls as to make it easy for the casual observer
to identify each species he sees.

142. Syrnium nivicola : The Himalayan
Wood-Owl. F. 1 158, J. 66, -IV. E. W.

No aigrettes or ear tufts. Tail rather long
for an owl. Plumage brown with creamy spots
and thin wavy lines. Lower plumage cream-
coloured with dark longitudinal streaks and
crossbars.

I have not identified its call. Mr. A. E.

Jones writes, " This owl has a variety of notes

besides the usual ' Who-hoo.' One is a peculiar

squawk which can easily be imitated by placing

172

Descriptive List of Birds

a blade of grass between the two thumbs of
one's hands and blowing sharply on the edge
of the grass. Another is similar to the note
of the domestic pigeon when he is showing off
before the female."

This owl usually keeps to higher levels than
those of the hill stations ; but is fairly common
at Simla.

143. Scofs spilocephalus : The Spotted
Himalayan Scops Owl. F. 1175, J (not de-
scribed), -II. E. W.

Large aigrettes. Mottled brown above.
Lower plumage white, speckled and spotted
with brown.

I have not noticed this owl at any hill
station, but Jones states that it is fairly plenti-
ful up to 8000 feet in the Simla rhododendron
forests, where it breeds in April. He describes
the call as a double whistle — who-zvho.

144. Glaucidium cuculoides : The Large Bar-
red Owlet. F. 1183,]. 79, +11. E. W.

No aigrettes. Upper plumage brown with
white, cream or reddish crossbars. These
crossbars serve to distinguish this from most
of the other owls, which have the upper
plumage mottled rather than barred.

A noisy bird. Blanford describes its call as
173

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

" a peculiar cackle, like a laugh " ; Hume
speaks of it as " a clucking, vibrating call."

This owl is often out in daylight. Kingston
has noticed that it is often mobbed by bulbuls
at Dharmsala, where it is the commonest
owl.

Fairly common at Simla ; not common at
other hill stations.

145. Glaucidium brodiei : The Collared
Pigmy Owlet. F. 11 86, J. 80, +1. E. W.

Very like the last species, but is much
smaller and distinguishable by having a buff
collar.

More diurnal than most owls. I once saw
one moving about at noon at Mussoorie.

There is some difference of opinion regarding
the call of this bird. I beheve it is the soft,
low, single whistle repeated at intervals of
about 30 seconds, which is often heard at
Mussoorie, where the bird is sometimes known
as the half-minute bird. Jones and Hutton,
however, state that the call consists of four
clear whistled notes — hoot-oot-oot-oot, or whoo-
whoo-whoo-whoo, Jerdon again speaks of its
" low monotonous call or whistle of two
notes."

This bird occurs at most hill stations.
174

Descriptive List of Birds

Vultures

Vultures are large, dull-plum aged birds
which feed chiefly on carrion. Most of them
have the head and neck devoid of feathers,
and hooked bills adapted to tearing flesh.
Their habit is to sail high in the air on out-
stretched wings, watching for some dead
animal to devour.

146. Otogyps calvus : The Black or Pondi-
cherry Vulture. F. 1191, J. 2, +V, nearly
twice the size of the kite. E. W.

Plumage black, with white thighs. White
breast. Wattles and bare head and neck red.
Fairly common at most hill stations.

147. Gyps himalayensis : The Himalayan
Griffon. F. 1193, J. 3, +V, more than twice
the size of the kite. W.

A dingy, grey-brown bird, washed with buff
on rump. No white in wings.

The commonest vulture of the Western
Himalayan stations.

148. Pseudogyps bengalensis : The Indian
White-backed Vulture. F. 1196, J. 5, +V,
nearly a yard long. E. W.

A brownish-black bird with the lower back
white. This white, which is visible when the
^75

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

bird is sitting, renders the identification of
the bird easy. There is some white in the
wings, visible only during flight. On the wing
the white appears as a very broad band running
from the body nearly to the tips of the wing,
so that the wings look white with broad
black edges.
This bird occurs at most Himalayan stations.

149. Neophron fercnopterus : The Large
White Scavenger Vulture. F. 1198, J. 6, +V,
about the size of a kite. W. K.

Plumage sullied white, except tips of wings
which are shabby black. Bare skin of head
yellow. Neck sparsely covered with sullied
pale yellow feathers, which do not lie flat.
Legs yellow. Bill grey.

As this vulture waddles along it is a revolting-
looking bird. When saihng through the air
on outstretched wings, this vulture looks well,
and the wings are then seen to be white
margined with black. The end of the wing
is rounded and not cut up into fingers like
that of the wing of the white-backed vul-
ture.

This bird is fairly common in the Kashmir
valley and at most Western Himalayan stations.

150. Gypaetus barhatus : The Lammergeyer

176

Descriptive List of Birds

or Bearded Vulture. F. 1199, J. 7, +V, 4 feet
long. W. K.

This bird is often mistaken for the Golden
Eagle by people at hill stations.

Head and nape white. Rest of upper plum-
age grey. Lower plumage pale brown. A
black band from the eye to the bill ending in
the " beard," which is a tuft of black bristles
growing from the lower mandible. Tail long
and rounded at end ; that of the scavenger
vulture being diamond-shaped.

This great bird is fairly common in the
Kashmir valley, Simla, Dharmsala and Mus-
soorie.

Birds of Prey

This large family is composed of birds which
bear so strong a family likeness that it is almost
impossible to describe them in such a way as
to enable the reader to identify them at sight.
As with owls, birds of prey are easily recognised
as such, but to name any particular bird soaring
overhead often baffles expert ornithologists.
To try to make out birds of prey by their
colouring is a hopeless task. Eha remarks,
" every bird of prey has its own character,
some trick of flight, something in its figure

M 177

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

and proportions which serves to distinguish
it decisively." There is much truth in this ;
but it is not easy to state what this is. Mr.
C. H. Donald, in Vols. XXV, XXVI, and
XXXVII of the Journal of the Bombay Natural
History Society, has given excellent descriptions
of the mannerisms of the birds of prey. In
what follows I have drawn freely on Mr.
Donald, who probably knows more about
birds of prey in India than anyone else, having
made a special study of the subject.

151. Spizaetus nefalensis : Hodgson's Hawk-
Eagle. F. 1213, J. 37, +V. E. W. K.

A small crest. General hue pale brown,
mottled with white. Three black bands
separated by two white ones run down the
throat. Under surface of tail pale grey.
Upper surface of tail has broad black cross-
bars.

The call of this bird is a shrill musical whistle.

Donald writes : " Unmistakable in flight.
Wings very short and round, held very far
back and the tail projecting far beyond the
line of the wings. . . . Soars well and is often
seen to give several short sharp flaps after
a bout of circhng on steady pinions. Usually
found over heavy pine or oak forests."
178

Descriptive List of Birds

Widely distributed, but not very common
anywhere.

152. Spilornis cheela : The Crested Serpent-
Eagle. F. 1217, J. 39, +V. E. W.

Black crest. Dark chocolate-brown plumage,
with white or cream bars on wings and tail.
Lower plumage spotted with large white
spots.

Donald writes : " When soaring the wings
are held well back, but are broad in proportion
to his size, hence the tail does not project
very far beyond the tertiaries (end wing
feathers). This is a noisy bird and gives vent
to a shrill succession of whistles when on the
wing. Found on the lower hills amongst pine
and oak."

This bird does not usually ascend much above
6000 feet but is occasionally seen at the various
hill stations.

153. Haliaetus leucoryphus : Pallas's Fishing-
Eagle. F. 1223, J. 42, +V, nearly half as
big again as the Kite. E. W. K.

Head, chin and throat white. A white
band across the tail about 3 inches from the tip.
Rest of plumage brown. The white band
across the tail is conspicuous, and Jerdon styles
this bird the " Ring-tailed Sea-Eagle."
179

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Tail does not project much beyond wings
during flight. Extremely noisy.

This bird frequents rivers and marshes and
is common in Kashmir on the lakes and the
Jhelum.

154. Milvus govinda : The Common Pariah
Kite. F. 1229, J. 56, V. E. W. K.

A dark-brown bird with rather a long forked
tail, which serves to differentiate it from other
birds of prey.

Donald writes, " Flight is easy and light,
but irregular and frequently changing direction
as though the bird is uncertain which line it
should take. The wings are held in the same
plane as the body and are frequently slightly
bent as though the bird were meditating
a stoop."

Very abundant at Almora, Simla, Dharm-
sala and in the Kashmir valley, where it nests
in chenar and walnut trees.

It utters when sailing high in the air a
mournful-sounding Chee-he-he-he-he-he-he.

155. Falco suhhuteo : The Hobby. F. 1260,
J. 13, +III. E.W.

Head black with pale eyebrow and forehead.
Rest of upper plumage dark slaty-grey. Under
surface tinged with red on the abdomen and
180

Descriptive List of Birds

thighs. Some brown streaks on the lower
plumage.

Donald writes : " This beautiful little falcon
is by no means rare in the Himalayas and its
wonderful evolutions in the air cannot help
attracting attention. Its long pointed wings
make it appear bigger than it really is. . . . If
watched for a few seconds it will be seen con-
stantly to change direction and turn and twist
in the air in a most amazing way in pursuit of
insects on which it mostly preys. The Hobby
does not usually make its appearance till late
in the afternoon and may be seen circling,
stooping, rising vertically, and playing extra-
ordinary tricks in the air, some time after all
diurnal birds have gone to rest."

This bird is nowhere very common.

156. Tinnunculus alaudarius : The Kestrel.
F. 1265, J. 17, +ni. E. W. K.

This is the English " Windhover."

Head, neck and tail grey. Back and wings
brick-red. Lower parts cream-coloured spotted
with brown. The red wings, grey body and
manner in which it hovers in mid-air on
rapidly-vibrating wings render the identifica-
tion of this pretty little bird an easy matter.
The tail is graduated, the middle feathers

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

being the longest. The tip of the tail is white,
with a dark broad band above the white.

Next to the Kite the Kestrel is the com-
monest bird of prey at the various hill stations*

Green Pigeons

Green pigeons are strictly arboreal in their
habits, and their plumage assimilates so well
with the foliage that it is difficult to see them.

157. Sphenocercus sphenurus : The Kokla
Green Pigeon. F. 1283, J. 778, +III. E.
W. K.

Head and lower plumage yellowish-green.
Upper back grey. Middle back maroon (in
cock only). Rest of plumage olive green.
Some black and yellow in wing. Under
surface of wings and tail grey. Upper breast
is tinted with pink.

The call of this pigeon is very curious. I do
not find it very agreeable ; but Indians cage
it for the sake of its " song." The name Kokla
is onamatopoetic, but does not in my opinion
represent the call. " The notes," writes
Blyth, " bear some resemblance to the human
voice in singing and are highly musical in
tone, being considerably prolonged and modu-
lated, but always terminating abruptly, and
182

Descriptive List of Birds

every time the stave is repeated exactly as
before, so that it soon becomes wearisome to
an European ear."

This bird occurs in Kashmir and is common
at all hill stations.

Blue Rock-Pigeons

All the domestic varieties of pigeon are
descended from Blue Rock-pigeons. These
birds are gregarious and usually nest on rocks
or buildings, hence the name.

158. Columba intermedia : The Indian Blue
Rock-Pigeon. F. 1292, J. 788, + III. E.W. K.

This is the common pigeon of the plains.
It is not nearly so abundant in Kashmir or
the Himalayas as it is in the plains of India.
Except at Dharmsala it does not usually occur
at elevations over 5000 feet.

A slaty-blue bird with a metallic green or
purple gloss on the neck. Two black bars
across the wing. The tail is tipped with black.
Legs reddish-pink.

Doves

Doves are small pigeons, the plumage of
which is of the sandy hue known as dove-
colour.

183

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

159. l^urtur ferrago : The Indian Turtle-
Dove. F. 1305, J. 792, III. W. K.

This has the usual dove-coloured plumage,
with a miniature black-and-grey chess-board
on each side of the neck.

This is the commonest dove of the West
Himalayan hill-stations.

160. Turtur cambayensis : The Little Brown
Dove. F. 1309, J. 794, —III. W.

Plumage sand-coloured, greyish on wings
and tail. Head, neck and breast suffused with
dull pale red. A miniature red-and-black chess-
board on each side of neck. Legs crimson-lake.

The call of this bird is a subdued cuk-cuk-
coo-coo-coo.

This is the common dove of the plains.
The only hill station at which I have seen it is
Almora.

It, together with the spotted-dove {Turtur
suratensis) and the Indian Ring-Dove {Turtur
risorius), is common on the cart road between
Rawalpindi and Kohala up to elevations of
5000 feet.

161. Turtur risorius: The Indian Ring-
Dove. F. 1 3 10, J. 796, +III. W. K.

A pale French-grey bird, with a half collar
round the back of the neck. This collar is
184

Descriptive List of Birds

black, narrowly bordered with white above and
below. The call of this bird is ku-ku-ku.
There is a considerable hiatus between the
second and the third ku.

This is the common dove of Srinagar. At
Simla it occurs up to 6000 feet, as does the
Spotted Dove (Turtur suraiensis). This last,
which occurs at Dharmsala up to 5000 feet,
may be recognised by the black-and-white
chess-board on each side of the neck, and by
the brown back having reddish spots on it.
This and the other doves have a little white
in the tail.

Pheasants

Pheasants are well represented in the Hima-
layas. The monal, horned pheasants, cheer,
pukras and kalij are all found in those moun-
tains, and the monal and the pukras in Kashmir.

The monal, horned pheasants and pukras
usually occur in summer at higher elevations
than the hill stations. The cheer is nowhere
common. The common pheasant of the
various hill stations is one or other of the kalij
species.

162. Ge7in^us alhicristatus : The White-
crested Kalij Pheasant. F. 1336, J.810, -hV. W.
185

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

In shape more like a fowl than a pheasant.

Cock : Long white hairy crest. Upper
plumage black glossed with blue, with white
bars on lower back. Wings and fowl-like tail
dark brown glossed with green.

He7i : Crest and upper plumage reddish-
brown with fine black wavy crossbars. Middle
tail feathers black, with cream wavy crossbars ;
the other tail feathers are black with a blue
gloss.

Both sexes have a patch of bare red skin on
sides of face. This bird is fond of feeding
on the road and I have shot it from a motor-
car while going along the road to Chakrata.

163. Gennceus melanonotus : The Black-
backed Kalij Pheasant. F. 1338, J. 811, V.
E.

The common Kalij of Darjeeling.

Like the last species, but the cock has a black
crest, glossed with purple-blue, and there are no
white bars on the lower back and rump.

Note on the other Himalayan Pheasants

Catreus wallichi : The Cheer. This bird

has a long tail like that of the English Pheasant.

Both sexes have a long crest and a red patch of

bare skin round the eye. Plumage black with

186

Descriptive List of Birds

white and reddish-yellow crossbars. Found
in Western Himalayas.

Pucrasia macrolofha : The Koklas or Pukras
Pheasant.

Cock has three crests, the middle one fawn-
coloured and the side ones black glossed with
green. A long-tailed pheasant. Found in
summer at high elevations in Kashmir and
Western Himalayas.

Lofhofhorus refulge^is : The Monal.

Cock : Brilliant metallic-purple, with green
peacock-like crest. Short tail cinnamon.

Hen : Brown.

This bird occurs at high elevations in Kashmir
and West Himalayas.

7 r ago fan satyr a : The Crimson Horned
Pheasant. (E. Himalayas.)

Cock : Black head (and breast in western
race). Rest of plumage mainly crimson with
white or grey spots. Tail long.

Hen : Plumage mainly brown.

Tragopan melanocepbalus : The Western
Horned Pheasant (W. Himalayas).

Cock : Black head and breast. Rest of
plumage mainly crimson with white or grey
spots. Tail long.

Hen : Plumage mainly brown.
187

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

Quail

Quail are partridges in miniature.

164. Coturnix communis : The Common
Grey Quail. F. 1355, J. 829, +11. E. W.

A little short-tailed, short-legged bird.
Upper plumage brown spotted with dark
brown and buff. Lower plumage reddish-buff
with dark streaks and spots.

Only passes through the Himalayas on
migration in April and October. Many are
shot while the spring crops are being harvested
at the various hill stations.

Partridges

165. Caccabis chucar : The Chukor. F.
1370, J. 820, -IV. W. K.

Has red legs like the French partridge which
it resembles in appearance. General colour
of plumage pale reddish-brown. A black band
runs across the forehead to the eyes and from
there down the sides of the head across the
throat to form a gorget. Some conspicuous
black bars on the flanks.

Common about the West Himalayan hill
stations and on the Kashmir hills.
188

Descriptive List of Birds

1 66. Francolinus vulgaris : The Black Par-
tridge. F. 1372, J. 818, +III. W. K.

Cock : A handsome black bird with white
spots on the flanks and narrow white bars on
the back. Crown and wings buff and dark
brown. White patch on each side of head.
Chestnut collar round neck.

Hen : Plumage buff and dark brown.

Call so high-pitched that some people
cannot bear it. It may be syllabised juk-juk-
tee-tee-tur.

This partridge does not ascend the Himalayas
above 5000 in most parts, but it is fairly com-
mon at Simla and Mussoorie and on the
Kashmir hills.

Water- Rails

Water-Rails are land birds which have taken
to living in marshes, and so have acquired
some of the features of ducks.

167. Gallinula chlorofus : The Moorhen.
F. 1402, J. 905, +IIL K.

. This is the Moorhen of England.

Head and breast dark slaty-grey. Back and

shoulders olive-brown. Rump brown. Wings

blackish-brown, with a little white in them.

Tail black. Some white bars on flanks and

189

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

a white patch under the tail. A red shield
on forehead.

Common on the Kashmir lakes.

1 68. Fulica atra : The Coot. F. 1405,
J. 903, IV. E. W. K.

As this bird lives on lakes and, except in
Kashmir, does not ascend the hills above
4000 feet, it is not seen at any hill station, but
occurs on some of the lakes of the Kashmir
valley. It used to occur on the Dal Lake,
but I do not think it does now^.

A black duck-like bird, with a white shield
on the forehead. It swims like a duck ; but
when flushed from off the water, it runs along
the surface, flapping its wings vigorously, before
it succeeds in rising above the water. When
flying it may be likened to a bottle of Bass on
wings !

Jaganas, Lily-trotters, or Lotus-birds

Jaganas are birds that live on lakes in which
lotus and other water-plants grow profusely.
These birds have very long toes, which enable
them to run about on the broad flat floating
leaves of the water-plants.

169. Hydrophasianus chirurgus : The Pheas-

xgo

Descriptive List of Birds

ant-tailed Jagana. F. 1429, J. 901. + III,
with tail 10 inches long in summer. K.

Head, throat and wings white. Back of neck
golden yellow. Long, thin, black pheasant-hke
tail. This bird swims like a duck and runs about
with great address on floating water-plants.
It utters a cat-like mew. On account of its
pheasant-like appearance, this bird is sometimes
called the water pheasant. It is a very beau-
tiful bird. It is impossible to mistake it. It
is very abundant on the Dal and the other lakes
of the Kashmir valley.

Plovers, or Lapwings

Plovers are short-tailed, long-legged birds
that appear to be adapted to wading but which
keep to dry land. They have peculiar plaintive
calls and many of them perform wonderful
antics in the air.

1 70 . Sarcogrammus indicus : The Red-wattled
Lapwing. F. 1431, J. 855, +IV. E. W. K.

This is the familiar " Did-you- do-it " of
the plains.

Head, neck and upper breast black. A

broad white band running from the eye down

the whole length of the neck. Back and wings,

bronze-brown, black and white ; the white

191

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

taking the form of a conspicuous band during
flight. Lower parts white. Tail white with
black band across it near the tip. Bill red, with
a crimson wattle. Legs bright yellow.

This bird ascends the Himalayas up to
5000 feet and occurs in the Kashmir valley.

^erns

Terns are allied to gulls. They are long-
winged, slenderly-built birds, that have much
white and grey in the plumage. They feed
largely on fish and spend much time in flying
over water in search of their quarry.

171. Hydrochelidon hybrida : The Whiskered
Tern. F. 1496, J. 984, +IL K.

Bill red. Cap black. Upper plumage
silvery-grey. Breast grey. Abdomen black.

This bird occurs abundantly on the lakes
in the Kashmir valley. It makes a floating
nest of water-wxeds in the early summer.

It sometimes hunts for insects over fields.

Cormorants

Cormorants are large black swimming birds,

which feed on fish. They catch their quarry

by diving. When not fishing they sometimes

192

Descriptive List of Birds

squat on a post projecting out of the water
and spread out their wings to dry them.

172. Phalacrocorax carbo : The Large Cor-
morant. F. 1526, J. 1005, +V. K.

Plumage all black save for a white band from
eye to eye across the throat.

Found on the lakes of the Kashmir valley
and on the Jhelum.

173. Phalacrocorax fuscicollis : The Indian
Shag. F. 1527, J. 1006, +V. K.

Distinguished from the last species by having
no white band across the throat and by its
smaller size.

Found on the lakes of the Kashmir valley
and on the Jhelum.

Herons

Herons are wading birds with long stiletto-
like bills. It is their habit to stand motionless
in shallow water. When they espy a fish or
a frog, the neck shoots out like a telescope
and the bill is plunged into the water to secure
the victim. On the wing herons are easily
distinguished from other long-shanked birds
by the fact that, although they, in common
with other wading birds, carry the legs stiffly
stretched out behind them, the head is drawn

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

in, so that the neck projects like the crop of a
pouter pigeon.

174. Ardea cinerea : The Common Heron.
F. 1555) J- 923, +V, over a yard long. K.

This is the common heron of England.

Upper parts ashy-grey. Some white on
the head. Black plumes hang down from the
nape. Lower parts white.

Common on the margins of the lakes of the
Kashmir valley.

175. Nycticorax griseus : The Night Heron.
F. 1568, J. 937, V. K.

Head, nape, back and shoulders black.
Forehead, cheeks and lower parts white.
Rest of plumage grey. Some feathers of the
nape are white and are lengthened to form
plumes. Eyes bright red.

This bird fishes chiefly by night. About
sunset it leaves its roost in some tall tree and
slowly flaps its way to its fishing ground,
uttering a loud wdk.

Common round the lakes in the Kashmir
valley.

A company of these birds roosts, along with
cormorants, in some tall trees dear the Nasim
Bagh on the Dal Lake.
194

Descrijjtive List of Birds

176. Ardetta minuta : The Little Bittern.
F. 1570. J- 935. -IV. K.

Upper parts buff glossed with green. Breast
buff. Some buff in the wings. Legs greenish-
yellow. This little bird, which the Kashmiris
call Goi^ is very common on the Kashmir lakes.
During the daytime it lies up hidden in the
reeds. After sunset the little bitterns emerge
and take up fishing stations in the shallow water
of the lakes and waterways. Dozens of these
little herons may be seen by anyone out in
a shikar a on the Dal Lake just before nightfall.

Ducks

Two species of duck breed on the lakes in
the vale of Kashmir ; but, owing to their eggs
being collected for the Srinagar market, they
are now rarely seen on the Dal Lake. They
occur on the other lakes.

177. Anas boscas : The Mallard or Wild
Duck. F. 1592, J. 958, V. K,

The Wild Duck of England.

Male : September to May. Head glistening
emerald-green, with white collar round neck.
Breast chestnut. Shoulders finely barred white
and brown. Middle back brown. Lower
back and middle tail feathers black glossed
195

Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds

with purple or green. Middle tail feathers
curl upwards. Wings brown with metallic-
purple bar. Below tail velvety black.

Male (June to August) and Female : Brown
with buff crescent-shaped markings. Purple
wing-bar.

Legs orange-yellow in both sexes.

178. Nyroca ferruginea : The White-eyed
Pochard. F. 1606, J. 969, -IV. K.

Head, neck and breast dull chestnut. Rest
of upper plumage blackish-brown. Tail dark
brown. Wings dark brown and white. Abdo-
men chiefly white. Hen like cock, but duller.

Grebes

Grebes are small duck-like water birds of
which the tail is very short. They rarely
come to land, they dive for their food.

179. Podiceps albipennis : The Indian Little
Grebe, or Dabchick. F. 1617, J. 975, +IL K.

Body rich dark brown. Chestnut on sides

of neck. Looks like a tiny tailless duck.

Dives every few seconds. Very common on
the Kashmir lakes.

J 96

INDEX

Babbler, black-throated, io6

— Nepal, lo6

— red-headed, 10/

— rusty-cheeked scimitar,

io6
Barbet, golden-throated, i6o

— great Himalayan, i6o
Bee-eater, European, 162
Bittern, little, 195
Bulbul, Bengal red- vented,

113

— Himalayan black, 112

— Punjab red-vented, 114

— striated green, 113

— white-cheeked, 114
Bunting, Eastern meadow,

148

— white-capped, 147

Chat, dark grey bush, 134

— Indian bush, 133

— pied, 133
Cheer pheasant, 186
Chukor, 188
Coot, 190

Cormorant, large, 193
Crow, house, 94

— jungle, 94
Cuckoo, 166

Cuckoo, Himalayan, 166

— Indian, 167

— large hawk, 168

— pied crested, 169

— small, 167

Dabchick, Indian, 196
Dipper, brown, 115
Dove, little brown, 184

— ring, 184

— spotted, 185

— turtle, 184
Drongo, ashy, 116

— black, 115
Duck, wild, 195

Eagle, crested serpent, 179

— Hodgson's hawk, 178

— Pallas's fishing, 179

Finch, Himalayan gold, 144

— Himalayan green, 145

— red-crowned, 144

— red-mantled rose, 143

— scarlet, 143
Firecap, no
Flowerpecker, fire-breasted,

155

197

Index

Flycatcher, brown, 129

— ferruginous, 128

— grey-headed, 130

— Indian paradise, 132

— rufous tailed, 130

— sooty, 127

— verditer, 129

— white-browed, 128
Forktail, Eastern, 135

— little, 136

— Western, 134

Grebe, little, 196
Grosbeak, black-and-yellow,
142

Heron, common, 194

— night, 194
Hobby, 180
Hoopoe, European, 164

Ixulus, yellow-naped, 109

Ja9ana, pheasant-tailed, 196

Jackdaw, 94

Jay, black-throated, 96

— Himalayan, 97

Kalij Pheasant, black-backed,
186

— white-crested, 185
Kestrel, 181
Kingcrow, 115
Kingfisher, common, 163

— pied crested, 162
Kite, common pariah, 180

Koel, Indian, 169
Kokla, green pigeon, 182

Lammergeyer, 176
Lapwing, red-wattled, 191
Liothrix, red-billed, 109

Magpie, red-billed blue, 95

— yellow-billed blue, 95
Mallard, 195

Minivet, short-billed, 123
Minla, red-tailed, no
Monal Pheasant, 187
Moorhen, 189
Myna, common, 125

— grey-headed, 126

— jungle, 127

Niltava, large, 133

— rufous-bellied, 132
Nutcracker, Himalayan, 98

— large spotted, 98
Nuthatch, white-tailed, 115

Oriole, Indian, 124
Ouzel, grey-winged, 140

— Tickell's, 140

Owl, Himalayan wood, 172

— spotted Himalayan scops,

173
Owlet, collared pigmy, 174

— large barred, 173

Paroquet, large Indian, 170

— slaty-headed, 171

— Western blossom-headed,

171
Partridge, black, 189

[98

Index

Partridge, chukor, i88
Pie, Himalayan tree, 96
Pigeon, blue rock, 183

— kokla green, 182
Pipit, brown rock, 152

— Indian, 152

— Indian tree, 151

— upland, 152
Pochard, white-eyed, 196

Quail, common grey, 188

Redstart, blue- fronted, 137

— plumbeous, 138

— white-capped, 136
Robin, magpie, 139

— Pekin, 109

— red- flanked bush, 1 38
Roller, European, 161

Shag, 193

Shrike, cuckoo, 124

— grey-backed, 123

— rufous-backed, 122
Sibia, black-headed, 108
Skylark, 155

Sparrow, cinnamon tree, 146

— house, 145

— tree, 146

Spinetail, white-necked, 165
Spotted-Wing, iii
Starling, Himalayan, 125
Sunbird, fire-tailed yellow-
backed, 154

— Himalayan yellow-backed,

155

Sunbird, Nepal yellow-
backed, 154
Swallow, 148

— Sykes's striated, 149

— wire-tailed, 149
Swift, Alpine, 165

— Indian, 165

Tern, whiskered, 192
Tit, brown crested, lOl

— crested black, 100

— green-backed, 99

— grey, 99

— red-headed, 99

— yellow-cheeked, lOO
Thrush, Eastern variegated

laughing, 104

— Himalayan streaked

laughing, 1 04

— Himalayan whistling, 1 07

— Himalayan white-crested

laughing, loi

— red-headed laughing, 103

— rufous chinned laughing,

102

— striated laughing, 105

— Western yellow-winged

laughing, 103

— white-throated laughing,

102
Tree-creeper, Himalayan,
117

— Sikkim, 117

Vulture, black, 175

— Himalayan griffon, 175

199

Index

Vulture, Indian white-
backed, 175

— large white scavenger,

176

Wagtail, grey, 150

— Hodgson's pied, 150

— Hodgson's yellow-headed,

151

Warbler, Brook's grey-
headed flycatcher, 121

— Brown hill, 121

— Hodgson's grey-headed

flycatcher, 120

— Hume's willow, 119

— Indian great reed, 119

— Indian lesser white-

throated, 119

White-eye, Indian, 108
Woodpecker, black-naped
green, 157

— brown - fronted pied,

158 _

— lesser pied, 158

— Northern pale-headed,

157

— red-eared bay, 159

— rufous - bellied pied,

— West Himalayan scaly-

bellied green, 156

— Western Himalayan pied,

158
Wren, Himalayan, 118

— scaly-breasted, 118
Wryneck, 159

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Indian Birds

Being a Key to the Common Birds of the Plains
of India.

Crown 8vo. 6s. net.

Spectator. — **A charming writer whose earlier books on
birds we have had the pleasure of recommending". The book
is most carefully compiled and much ingenuity is displayed
in framing this artificial analysis."

Globe. — "Mr. Dewar is not only a keen and patient
observer, but he is gifted with the descriptive art in a high
degree, and his vivacious style communicates the characters
and habits of birds with unerring fidelity and infinite spirit."

Daily Chronicle. — ** Here is a work worthy of all com-
mendation to those who love birds."

Pall Mall Gazette. — **Mr. Dewar's volume is one of the
best examples of sound information conveyed in attractive
literary form."

Birds of the Plains

With numerous Illustrations.
Demy 8vo. los. 6d. net.

Globe. — '' Mr. Dewar is not only a keen and patient
observer, but he is gifted with the descriptive art in a high
degree, and his vivacious style communicates the characters
and habits of birds with unerring fidelity and infinite spirit."

Sportsman. — *' Mr. Dewar has a delightfully simple and
quaintly humorous way of expressing himself, and his clever
word pictures of bird life make charming reading."

John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd., Vigo Street, W. 1

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

Jungle Folk

Indian Natural History Sketches.

Demy 8vo. 10s. 6d. net.

World. — "Full of Information, it is written in a way that sounds
wonderfully clever, and yet it is not over the head of the general reader.
An unconventional, fresh and charming exposition."

Bombay Ducks

An Account of some of the everyday Birds and Beasts
found in a Naturalist's El Dorado.

With numerous Illustrations from Photographs of
Living- Birds.

Demy 8vo. 16s.net.

Daily News. — " This new and sumptuous book. Mr. Dewar gives us
a charming introduction to a great many interesting birds."

Glimpses of Indian Birds

Demy 8vo. 7s. 6d. net.

By DOUGLAS DEWAR and FRANK FINN

The Making of Species

With numerous Illustrations.
Demy 8vo. 7s. 6d. net.

Nation, — **An exceptionally interesting book. We gladly welcome
two such able and independent naturalists."

Outlook. — "A book of knowledge and originality."

Daily Telegraph. — '" Interesting and suggestive. It should receive
wide attention."

John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd., Vigo Street, W. 1

Companions Feathered,
Furred, and Scaled

By C. H. DONALD, f.z.s., m.b.o.u.

Illustrated. Crown 8vo. 7s. net.

In this book Mr. Donald, the well-known
naturalist, describes the various wild pets
acquired by himself and his wife during their
jungle-camping trips. They make a varied
and interesting collection, for Mr. Donald
has a catholic taste in his animal friendships,
and is equally at home with his golden eagles,
vultures, cormorants, weavers, and his red
flying squirrel tippitty. He has illustrated
the book himself from his photographs and
drawings.

" His book is a bright and humorous account of the habits of
his strange friends." — Daily News.

" Full of entertaining stories and photographs. A capital
book for animal lovers.' — Star.

** These chatty sketches by a keen and courageous naturalist."

The Times.

"Many of the incidents related are most amusing, and are
very well told." — Field.

In Nature's Garden

By C. H. DONALD, f.zs.

Illustrated. Crown 8vo. Vs. 6d. net.

Vivid and intimate studies of animal life and
character in Northern India, by a well-known
naturalist.

JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD., VIGO ST.,W.l

SONGS OF THE
BIRDS

By

WALTER GARSTANG,M.A.,D.sc.,

PROFESSOR OF ZOOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

Illustrated by J. A. SHEPHERD

Second Edition. Crown 8vo. 6s. net.

A description of the origin and develop-
ment of music from the songs of birds,
with reproductions of the songs set to
human consonants and music.

*' Full of original remarks and good observation. Dr. Gar-
stang has enjoyed writing his book, and has felt what he says
before he has written it."— Viscountess Grey (in a two-
column review in the Times.)

** A triumph of loving and careful observation. A delightful
book, delightfully illustrated." — Morning Post.

"One of the most delicious books. Every lover of the
country should read it. Altogether a book to love and a book
to \ict^"—Briiish Weekly.

"After studying this charming book the most ignorant
listener of the countryside should be able to recognize the
individuals in the feathered c\io\x.— John 0' London's Weekly.

JOHN UNE THE BODLEY HEAD LTD , VIGO ST.,W.l

The Civilian's South India

By "CIVILIAN"

Demy 8vo. 12s. 6d. net.

Graphic. — "A remarkably full and accurate impression of the country
and its people."

Truth. — "An extremely bright and amusing- book. Deliciously
satirical, always humorous, never vicious, this is quite the most diverting-
book of its kind that has appeared for a long while."

Court Journal. — "The author's outlook on life in South India is so
unconventional, and, with his sense of humour as well as obvious
sincerity, should make many desire an early acquaintance with his
fascinating work."

The Forests of India

By E. P. STEBBING

Professor of Forestry, Edinburgh University; Author of "Stalks
in the Himalayas"; "The Diary of a Sportsman Naturalist," etc.

Part I. The Early History of the Forests of India.

Part II. The Position and Treatment of the Forests of
India.

Illustrated Demy 8vo. £2 2s. net. each volume.

Topee and Turban, or here
and there in India

By Lieut. -Colonel H. A. NEWELL, LA.

With Illustrations from Photographs. Demy 8vo.
£1 Is. net.

Daily News. — "An excellent book. . . . Colonel Newell has a quick
eye for things seen, and a happy interest in history that makes the book
something more than a motorist guide-book. . . , Fully illustrated with
photographs of great interest and variety."

Daily Mail. — "Everyone ought to know more about India, and a
pleasant way of informing oneself is offered by Colonel Newell's ' Topee
and Turban in India.' "

Westminster Gazette. — " In this book Colonel Newell shows that he
has been a close student and observer of many things in India and
Indian life."

John Lane The Bodley Head Ltd., Vigo Street, W. 1

Books About Malaya

BY Sm FRANK SWETTENHAM, K.C.M.G.

BRITISH MALAYA

An Account of the Origin and Progress of British

Influence in Malaya. Numerous Illustrations

reproduced from Photographs.

Fourth Edition. Crown 8vo. 12s. 6d. net.

" The book is richly illustrated with photographs of great beauty. It
takes its place as the standard work of reference on the ruder tribes of the
peninsula. "—Daily Nevus.

THE REAL MALAY

Pen Pictures.

Second Edition. Crown 8vo. Ts. net.

" Sir Frank Swettenham understands perhaps better than any other
roring Engliihman ' The Real Malay.' "Standard.

MALAY SKETCHES

With title-page and cover designed by
PATTEN WILSON

Fourth Edition. Crown 8vo. 7b. net.

" Nothing approaching Sir Frank Swettenham's intimate knowledge
and illuminative analysis has yet seen light about that fascinating country
which he so well describes." — Daily Chronicle.

UNADDRESSED LETTERS

With Portrait of the Author.

Seventh Edition. Crown Svo. 7s. net.

" ' Unaddressed Letters' is the revelation of a personality at once
sympathetic and distinguished, imaginative, sensitive, emotional,"

Daily Chronicle.

ALSO AND PERHAPS

Second Edition. Illustrated. Crown Svo. 7b. net.

"When one has reached the end of the book, one undoubtedly has a
strong sense of having been in the company of a man of extraordinary wide
experience and of a devouring curiosity allied with sympathy." — Spectator.

JOHN LANE THE BODLEY HEAD Ltd., Vigo St., W.l

en
to

03

en