Asian Paradise Flycatcher

Terpsiphone paradisi 20cm

Arasavaal Eeppidippaan in Tamil (அரசவால் ஈப்பிடிப்பான்) 

Widespread resident. Male has black head and crest, with white or rufous upperparts and long tail streamers. Female has reduced crest and lacks streamers. Forest and well wooded areas.

Crested Serpent Eagle

Spilornis cheela 56-74cm

Kondai Paambukkazhugu in Tamil (கொண்டை பாம்புக்கழுகு) 

Widespread resident. Broad, rounded wings. Soars with wings held forward and in pronounced V. Adult has broad white bands across wings and tail. hooded appearance at rest, with yellow cere and lores, and white spotting on brown under parts. Juvenile has blackish ear coverts, yellow cere and lores, whitish head and underparts, narrower barring on tail and largely white underwing with fine dark barring and dark trailing edge. Forest and well wooded country.

Brown Capped Pygmy Woodpecker

Dendrocopos nanus 13cm

Chinna Marangotthi in Tamil (சின்ன மரங்கொத்தி)

Widespread resident. Very small. Has brown crown and eye stripe, brown coloration to upperparts, greyish to brownish white underparts (streaked with brown) and white spotting on central tail feathers. Light forest and secondary growth.

Black Headed Cuckooshrike

Coracina melanoptera 18cm

Karunthalai Kuyilkeechaan in Tamil (கருந்தலை குயில்கீச்சான்)

Widespread resident. Male has slate grey head and breast and pale grey mantle. Female has whitish supercilium, barred underparts, and pale grey back and rump contrasting with blackish tail; broad white fringes to coverts and tertials. Open broad leaved forest and secondary growth.

Asian Palm Swift

Cypsiurus balasiensis 13cm

Panai Uzhavaaran in Tamil (பனை உழவாரன்)

Widespread resident.Small size and long forked tail (Usually head closed). Brown underbody with paler throat. Open country and cultivation with palms.

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareola 18-21cm

Pori Mankothi in Tamil (பொறி மண்கொத்தி)

Widespread winter visitor. White rump and dark upperwing lacks wing bar. Yellowish legs, prominent supercilium, and heavily spotted upperparts. Soft chiff-if-if flight call. Freshwater and coastal wetlands.

Little Ringed Plover

Charadrius dubius 14-17cm

Chinna Pattani Uppukkothi in Tamil (சின்ன பட்டாணி உப்புக்கொத்தி)

Widespread resident and winter visitor. Small size, elongated and small headed appearance and uniform upperwing with only a very narrow wing bar. Legs yellowish or pinkish. Adult breeding has striking yellow eye ring. Adult non breeding and juvenile have less distinct head pattern. Flight call is a descending pee-oo or short peeu. Freshwater and coastal wetlands.

Marsh Sandpiper

Tringa stagnatilis 22-25cm

Sadhuppu Mankothi in Tamil (சதுப்பு மண்கொத்தி)

Widespread winter visitor. Smaller and daintier than common greenshank with proportionately longer legs and finer bill. Legs greenish or yellowish. Upperparts are grey and foreneck and underparts white in non-breeding plumage. In breeding plumage, foreneck and breast streaked and upperparts blotched and barred. Juvenile has dark streaked upperparts with buff fringes. Abrupt dull yup flight call. Mainly freshwater wetlands.