Oriental Skylark

Oriental Skylark

Alauda gulgula 16cm

Vaanambadi in Tamil

(வானம்பாடி) 

Widespread resident and winter visitor. Variable in coloration and prominence of streaking on upperparts and underparts. Fine bill, buffish white outer tail feathers, and indistinct rufous wing panel. Grassland, cultivation and coastal mudflats.

Sirkeer Malkoha

Sirkeer Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus leschenaultii 42cm

Sevvalagu Sembagam in Tamil

(செவ்வலகு செம்பகம்)

Widespread resident. Sandy coloration, yellow tipped red tail, dark mask with white border, and bold white tips to tail. Thorn scrub.

Rosy Starling

Sturnus roseus 21cm

Ilanchivappu Naakanavaai in Tamil

(இளஞ்சிவப்பு நாகணவாய்)

Winter visitor. Adult has blackish head with shaggy crest, pinkish mantle and underparts, and blue green gloss to wings. In non-breeding and first winter plumage much duller; pink of plumage partly obscured by buff fringes; black by greyish fringes. Juvenile mainly sandy brown, with stout yellowish bill, and broad pale fringes to wing feathers. Cultivation and damp grassland.

Jerdon's Bushlark

Mirafra affinis 15cm

Jerdon Pudharvaanambadi in Tamil

(ஜெர்டான் புதர்வானம்பாடி)

Resident. Stout bill, short tail and rufous on wing. rufous buff on outer tail feathers, pronounced dark spotting on breast, dark spotting on ear coverts and malar region, and pale rufous buff wash to underparts. Has a dry metallic rattle delivered from a perch or during short song flight. Stony scrub and fallow cultivation.

Clamorous Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus stentoreus 19cm

Periya Naanal Kathirkuruvi in Tamil

(பெரிய நாணல் கதிர்குருவி)

Large size, long bill, short primary projection, whitish supercilium, and lacks white at tip of tail. Primary projection is roughly two thirds of length of tertials, with 6 or 7 exposed primary tips visible beyond tertials. Reedbeds and bushes around wetlands.

Grey Breasted Prinia

Prinia hodgsonii 11cm

Franklin Kathirkuruvi in Tamil

(பிராங்க்ளின் கதிர்குருவி)

Widespread resident. Small size. Grey breast-band in summer. Where ranges overlap with rufescent, non-breeding is best distinguished by fine dark bill, grey brown tail, and greyish wash to sides of neck and breast. Laughing, high pitched call. Bushes at forest edges, scrub and secondary growth.

Ashy Wood Swallow

Artamus fuscus 19cm

Saambal Kaattuthagaivilaan in Tamil

(சாம்பல் காட்டுத்தகைவிலான்)

Resident. Slate grey head, pinkish grey underparts, and whitish crescent on uppertail coverts. Open wooded country.