The Pelargopsis capensis (scientific name) or stork-billed kingfisher is found in the tropical parts of South-East Asia, from India to Indonesia. 14-15 inches in length, this bird is larger than its cousins. It has a greyish head, stork-like thick red beak and red legs. The small portion of the neck, throat, chest and underparts are […]
The Hydrophasianus chirurgus (scientific name) or pheasant-tailed jacana is a wading bird found in India, Indonesia and South-East Asia. But it has also been spotted in Taiwan and as a vagrant in Australia. 15-23 inches in length, this bird has very distinct plumage. The forehead, face, throat and outer wings are white. The back of
The Melanochlora sultanea (scientific name) or sultan tit has 4 sub-species which are spread out geographically in South-East Asia, from Central Nepal Eastwards to Bhutan, and South through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam and South to Malaysia and Singapore. 6.3 inches in length, the sultan tit has a bright yellow crown and forehead, lower chest
The Sitta azurea (scientific name) or blue nuthatch is found in the tropical moist lowland and montane forests in the Malay Peninsula and the Java and Sumatra Islands of Indonesia. 5.3 inches in length, the blue nuthatch has very vivid colouration in shades of blue and purple. The head is black, which fades to dark
The Pityriasis gymnocephala (scientific name) or Bornean bristle-head is found only in the rainforests of Borneo. 9.8 inches in length, this bird has blakish-grey plumage overall, excepting on the head, neck, throat and legs. The head, throat and neck are red in colour, while the crown is featherless and yellow-coloured. The beak and the ear
The Lophura diardi (scientific name) or siamese fireback is found in the evergreen forests of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. A large bird, with a length of 31.4 inches, the siamese fireback has grey plumage overall with ornamental black crestfeathers, a slate grey neck and a blackish tail which is long and downward curved. The
The Eurostopodus diabolicus (scientific name) or satanic nightjar is found only in the forests of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. 10.6 inches in length, this bird has greyish-brown plumage on the upperparts, with specks of brown, buff and tawny colours making it almost impossible to spot in its natural habitat. The underparts are buff with cinnamon-brown barring.
The Leucopsar rothschildi (scientific name) or Bali mynah is found only on the island of Bali, Indonesia. With a length of approximately 9.8 inches, the Bali mynah is completely white with a long drooping crest, except for the black on the tail and wing tips. The legs are grey and the beak yellow. What makes
The Haliaeetus pelagicus (scientific name) or steller’s sea eagle is endemic to the coastal regions of North-Eastern Asia. While the male is 2.3 feet, the female is larger at 3.5 feet of body length. This bird is the heaviest eagle in the world and also one of the largest raptors in the world. The beak
The Psilopogon pyrolophus (scientific name) or fire-tufted barbet is found only in the tropical moist lowland and montane forests of Indonesia and Malaysia. 11.8 inches in length, the fire-tufted barbet has beautifully coloured plumage. The body is mostly green, but the head is purplish-black colour, with white-purple cheeks. The beak is white with a purple
The Lophophorus impejanus (scientific name) or Himalayan monal is found in oak-conifer forests from Eastern Afghanistan through the Himalayas in Pakistan into India, towards North-Eastern parts of India and Myanmar. 27.5 inches in length, this bird has rainbow-coloured plumage with a metallic green head-crest. The eyes are ringed with blue; the neck is metallic brown;
The Phaenicophaeus (scientific name) genus is comprised of the malkoha bird which is a New World bird found in the forests of Central and South America, and also South-East Asia and Africa. Approximately 15-17 inches in length, this bird has certain unique features, like a long tail, slender body, bare skin around the eyes, stout
The Ispidina picta (scientific name) or African pygmy kingfisher is found mainly in woodland and forest habitats of Africa, but from the South of the Sahara. 4.7 inches in length, this kingfisher is a burst of colours. The crown and wings are a beautiful midnight blue, with iridescent cobalt blue shading. The sides of the
The Hypargos margaritatus (scientific name) or pink-throated twinspot is found mostly in the dry savannah and moist tropical shrub lands of the Southern African coast, specifically Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa. 4.7 inches in length, this finch is colourful. The plumage from the crown to the tail, including the back and upper tail coverts is
The Promerops cafer (scientific name) or cape sugarbird is found in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. 13-17 inches in length, their overall body plumage is brownish-grey with spots on the chest. The beak is long and downward curved. The wing and tail feathers are darker brown-black in colour. The most noticeable