More bird photos from South India

The photos below represent a random selection of a few of the best.

Oriental Scops owl (Otus sunia) 

Shikra (Accipiter badius)

Above and below:  Malabar Barbet (Megalaima malabarica)

We heard Coppersmith Barbet on this morning as well.  I had to go to the field guide to identify the bird in these photos as the Malabar barbet.

Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus)

Cow with Cattle Egret (Bulbulcus ibis)

White-browed wagtail (Motacilla maderasspatensis)

Female Kashmir flycatcher (Ficedula subrubra)

Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) was not much to look at walking on the ground, but spectacular when it flew.

Above and below:  Kerala Laughingthrush (Garrulax fairbanki)

Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) flying over the Periyar River

White-headed starling (Sturnia erthyropygia)

White-bellied treepie (Dendrocitta leucogastra) 

Flame-throated Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus flaviventris)

Asian Fairy Bluebird (Irena puella)

Indian Pitta (Pitta brachyura)

Yellow-browed Bulbul (Acritillas indica)

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Black-naped Monarch (Hypothymis azuera)

Sri Lanka Frogmouths, female and male (Batrachostomus moniliger)

Sri Lanka frogmouth nest

Female Malabar Trogon (Harpactes fasciatus) 

Male Malabar Trogon

Sri Lanka Bay owl (Phodilus badius assimilis) 

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis).  I also like the blue damselfly perched to the right.

India is not an easy place to bird.  The habitat and birds are present, but there are obstacles to finding and seeing them.  Often when the birds were seen they also disappeared quickly.  In many cases they don't reappear, and in other cases the views were fleeting.  Nevertheless, India is full of good birds and is a fun place to bird.  Our IFG did his best to find and show us the birds.

  

Birding as sport or hobby - depending on one's preferred description - is very much an up and coming passion for Indians.  The reasons for this are probably multifactorial; as in, digital photography, on-line sites like eBird (India has the 3rd most eBird entries), increased incomes and travel opportunities, burgeoning interest in India and catching up with the conservation advances made by other birding countries.  South American countries, especially Colombia, take the lead here.   Costa Rica, in Central America has always been, and continues to be, the example for all.  Some might argue that Ecuador fills this roll, but I think Costa Rica probably came first.  It would be great if India continued the example of these countries and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that it is trying.  The thing about India, however, is that it has large and very large mammals that need lots of space.  While we were photographing the large tusker elephant, I recall the riverboat safari guide saying, to no one in particular, "these animals are under such pressure."  There's a big difference between a small country with 5 million citizens and the most populous nation on earth with a billion and a half citizens.  Still India is definitely trying.