Wildlife N-epal.com

Archive for August, 2009

The Himalayan Griffon Vulture (Gyps himalayensis) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae. Adults are 103-110 cm (41-43 inches) long, have a wingspan of 260-289 cm (102-114 inches) across the wings and weigh 8-12 kg (18-26.4 lbs). They are the second largest Old World vulture, behind only the Cinereous Vulture in size. It breeds on crags in mountains in the Himalayas and Tibet, laying a single egg. Birds may form loose colonies. The population is mostly resident. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals, which it finds by soaring over open areas and mountains. These birds often move in flocks. The Himalayan Griffon Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald white head, very broad wings, and short tail feathers. It is even larger than the European Griffon Vulture. It has a white neck ruff and yellow bill. The whitish body and wing coverts contrast with the dark flight feathers. This vulture grunts and hisses at roosts or when feeding on carrion. This bird was seen at Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Himalayan Griffon Vulture

The Coppersmith Barbet, Crimson-breasted Barbet or Coppersmith (Megalaima haemacephala), is a bird with crimson forehead and throat which is best known for its metronomic call that has been likened to a coppersmith striking metal with a hammer. Flight is straight, with rapid flaps. They have a loud metallic tuk…tuk…tuk call. They feed on Banyan, Peepul, and other wild figs, various drupes and berries, and the occasional insect, caught in aerial sallies. They also feed on petals of a flower. They eat nearly 1.5 to nearly 3 times their body weight in berries each day. Three or four eggs are laid. Like other barbets, they chisel out a hole inside a tree to build their nest. They are mainly fruit eating but will take insects. This bird was seen at Balgram, Sunsari, Itahari, Nepal.

The Oriental White-eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is a resident breeder in open woodland in tropical Asia east from Nepal to India, China and Indonesia. They forage in small groups, feeding on nectar and small insects. They are easily identified by the distinctive white eye-ring and overall yellowish upperparts. This bird is small about 8-9 cm long with yellowish olive upper parts, a white eye ring, yellow throat and vent. The belly is whitish grey but may have yellow in some subspecies. Both male and female look similar. This species is found in a wide range of habitats from scrub to moist forest. It builds a tree nest and lays 2-5 unspotted pale blue eggs. Their nest is a neat cup made of cobwebs, lichens and plant fiber. They have a soft nasal cheer. This bird was seen at Koshi Camp, Madhubhan, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Oriental White-eye

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are annual plants native to the Nepalese people, which have a large flowering head. Sunflower stems can grow as high as 3m (10 ft), and the flower head can reach 30 cm (11.8 in) in diameter with large edible seeds. Sunflowers in their blooming stage lose their heliotropic capacity. The stem becomes “frozen”, typically in an eastward orientation. The stem and leaves lose their green color. The wild sunflower typically does not turn toward the sun; its flowering heads may face many directions when mature. However, the leaves typically exhibit some heliotropism. Sunflower oil, extracted from the seeds, is used for cooking, as a carrier oil and to produce margarine and biodiesel, as it is cheaper than olive oil. The cake remaining after the seeds have been processed for oil is used as a livestock feed. Sunflowers may also be used to extract toxic ingredients from soil, such as lead, arsenic and uranium. This flower was seen at the agriculture area of Koshi Barrage, Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Flower of Nepal…Sunflower

The Nepalese Pika (Ochotona princeps) is a diurnal species of pika that is found in the mountains of western Nepal. They are flower-gathering animals, which are the smallest of the rabbit group. This Nepalese Pika has a small, round, egg-shaped body, which is covered with brown fur. They have large and round ears, and no visible tail. They usually weigh about 170 grams. They make their homes in the cracks between piles of rocks. They are active throughout the day. They devote most of the day in searching for food, guarding their territory, and watching for predators, which includes: eagles, hawks, coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and weasels. They are flower-gathering herbivore. They eat a large variety of green plants, including different kinds of grasses, sedges, thistles and fireweed. When they find food, they eat a portion of it and take the rest for safekeeping in a pile, for use during the winter season. This pika moves the pile around in order to protect it from various kinds of weather. After it has dried, the pika will then move it into its den. During the summer season, pikas feed on short alpine grasses and on their stored food during the winter. If their food supplies are low during the winter, they will search either for lichens or cushion plants, which can be accessible by their underground tunnels. This pika was seen at the rocky mountain of Lantang  National Park, Mid-Western Nepal. Fauna of Nepal…Nepalese Pika

The Pheasant-tailed Jacana (Hydrophasianus chirurgus) is a jacana in the monotypic genus Hydrophasianus. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is capable of swimming, although it usually walks on the vegetation. The females are more colourful than the males and are polyandrous. This is the only jacana to have a different breeding plumage. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. They are around 31 cm long, with the females larger than the males. During the breeding season, the long tail adds another 8 cm. Breeding adults are mainly black other than white wings, head, and fore neck. The hind neck is golden. There is a striking white eye stripe. The legs and very long toes are grey. The Pheasant-tailed Jacana’s main sources of food are insects and other invertebrates picked from the floating vegetation or the water’s surface. They lay about four black-marked brown eggs. .Their call is a mewing me-onp and a nasal teeun. This bird was seen at the wetland of the Morang district, Biratnagar, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Pheasant-tailed Jacana

The Bar-Headed Goose (Anser indicus) is a bird, which is habitat to the cold places. Its size is about 75 cm. They mostly gather in a large flock near pond and rivers. They mainly feed on barley, rice and wheat, and may damage crops. They fly in a flocks making long V formation. Its size is about 75 cm. Their wild musical honking sound is best heard when they fight. In Nepal it is a winter visitor bird. It is known to fly at very high altitudes when on migrating over the Himalayas. This bird was seen near the wetland of Koshi Tappu (Koshi Barrage), Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal… Bar-Headed goose

Monkey falls in the primate order. They are excellent climbers, and most are primarily arboreal. They live in tropical or subtropical climates. They are almost all day-active animals. Their faces are usually flat and rather human in appearance, their eyes point forward, and they have stereoscopic colour vision. Their hands and feet are highly developed for grasping; the big toes and, where present, the thumbs are opposable. Monkeys habitually sit in an erect posture. They have a flat nail. This monkey was seen at the forest of Tarahara (Charkose Jhadi), Sunsari, Nepal. Fauna of Nepal…Monkey

Coucal

Coucal (Centropus sinensis) is also known as the crow pheasant. Heavily built and ungraceful bird, frequent tangled undergrowth or rank grassy areas and scrub, often near water. Creeping of clambering through the vegetation, it is often mistaken for a gamebird, but has a distinctive hollow or blooming note. It feed on small animals or snakes, and is very destructive to small baby birds and eggs. They built their nest with twigs, grasses or vines.Coucal is unique in the cuckoo family in having a long straight claw on the hind toe. This bird was seen at the forest of Tarahara (Charkose Jhadi), Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Coucal

The Hair-crested Drongo or Spangled Drongo (Dicrurus hottentottus) is an Asian bird. Hair-crested Drongos move in small flocks and are very noisy. Its size is about 32 cm. They mainly feed on insects. They are found in light woodland. It is a aggressive towards other birds which might constitute a threat to its nest or eggs. They made their nest with fibers and lichens. This bird was seen at the forest of Tarahara (Charkose Jhadi), Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Hair-crested Drongo

The Large Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina macei) is a species of cuckooshrike. They are mostly insectivorous and usually fly just above the forest canopy. They have a loud call Klu-eep and have a characteristic habit of shrugging their closed wings shortly after landing on a perch.They lay about 3-4 eggs. Its size is about 30cm in length.This bird was seen at the Koshi Tappu, Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal… Large Cuckoo-shrike

Leaf-warblers are small insectivorous birds belonging to the genus Phylloscopus.These are active, constantly moving, warblers always associated with trees, though normally in fairly open woodland rather than tight plantations.They occur from top canopy to undershrubs.Most are greenish or brownish above and off-white or yellowish below. They have a simple call as compared to other warblers. They feed on small insects, seeds, etc. They lay about 2-3 eggs.Its size is about 11 cm. This bird was seen at the forest of Tarahara (Charkose Jhadi), Sunsari, Nepal. Birds of Nepal…Leaf-warbler