A BEAUTIFUL BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD PROBING FOR NECTAR AT A COLUMBINE FLOWER. THIS HUMMINGBIRD IS A FEMALE, SHE IS LACKING THE BLACK PATCH ON THE CHIN WHICH DISTINGUISHES THE TWO SEXES. PHOTO BY JOLA CHARLTON
IN THE 1930S BLACK DRONGOS WERE INTRODUCED TO THE ISLAND OF ROTA, TO CONTROL INSECTS. IT APPEARS THAT THE DRONGO THEN MOVED ONTO THE ISLAND OF GUAM. DUE TO THEIR AGGRESSIVE NATURE, BLACK DRONGOS BOTH PREY UPON AND DOMINATE THE LOCAL BIRDS. BLACK DRONGOS ARE BELIEVED TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE DECLINE OF MANY OF GUAM’S ENDEMIC SPECIES. PHOTO BY SOURAV MOOKHERJEE
TWO BEAUTIFUL BLUE-TAILED BEE-EATERS PASSING FOOD TO ONE ANOTHER IN MID AIR. WE CAN ONLY MARVEL AT THEIR FLYING SKILLS! PHOTO BY SHYAM SUNDAR NIJGAL
BROWN FISH-OWLS ARE GENERALLY NOCTURNAL BUT SOMETIMES THEY WILL HUNT DURING THE DAY, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS CLOUDY. PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMIT KUMAR SRIVASTAVA
BURCHELL’S STARLINGS OCCUR IN THE SAVANNAS OF SOUTHERN AFRICA. THIS STUNNING INDIVIDUAL WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN BOTSWANA BY OWEN DEUTSCH
COPPERSMITH BARBETS EAT A WIDE VARIETY OF FRUITS, INCLUDING FIGS AND GUAVAS. PHOTO BY GOUTAM MITRA
A BEAUTIFULLY CAPTURED COMMON LOON WITH CHICKS. TIM NICOL PHOTOGRAPHED THIS TRIO IN COLVILLE NATIONAL FOREST, USA
FEMALE COMMON KINGFISHERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO LAY UP TO 10 EGGS IN ONE CLUTCH! PHOTO BY GANESH RAO
THIS STRIKING CHESTNUT-CROWNED LAUGHINGTHRUSH WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN PANGOT, INDIA BY RAJESH CHOWDHURY. THESE FOREST-DWELLING BIRDS FORAGE MAINLY IN THE UNDERGROWTH
THIS LITTLE CASPIAN PLOVER UNDERTAKES AN AMAZING INTER-CONTINENTAL MIGRATION EVERY YEAR. THEY BREED IN WESTERN ASIA IN THE SUMMER AND OVER-WINTER IN SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICA. PHOTO BY VISHWAS THAKKAR
A COPPERSMITH BARBET EXCAVATING A HOLE TO NEST IN. THIS STUNNING ACTION SHOT IS BY ASIM HALDAR
THIS EYE-CATCHING BIRD IS A MALE CRESTED BUNTING. THEY CAN BE FOUND IN INDIA AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA. PHOTOGRAPHED BY VISHAL MONAKAR
THIS KENTISH PLOVER WAS PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE NORTHERN COAST OF INDIA BY ARAVIND VENKATRAMAN. THESE PLOVERS ARE PRIMARILY COASTAL BIRDS BUT THEY ALSO MAKE USE OF SALINE LAKES, LAGOONS AND SEASONAL WATER BODIES
A STUNNING CAPTURE OF A NORTHERN GANNET BY CARLO GALLIANI. THESE BIRDS FORAGE IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC AND ARCTIC OCEANS
THE PAINTED SANDGROUSE CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN INDIA AND PARTS OF NORTHERN PAKISTAN. THIS BIRD WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN PUNE, INDIA BY RAM VAIDYANATHAN
A RED-WATTLED LAPWING TAKING A DRINK IN JAMNAGAR, INDIA. PHOTOGRAPH BY VISHWAS THAKKAR
A RED-VENTED BULBUL PHOTOGRAPHED IN DUBAI BY MUKUND KUMAR. LIKE MOST BULBULS, THESE BIRDS ARE OPPORTUNISTIC FORAGERS, THEY EAT FRUIT, INSECTS, NECTAR, FLOWER BUDS AND SOMETIMES EVEN SMALL VERTEBRATES
A RED AVADAVAT COLLECTING MATERIAL FOR HIS NEST, THE BREEDING PAIR BUILDS A GLOBULAR NEST MADE OF GRASS. PHOTO OF SOUVIK PAL
A FEMALE PIED BUSHCHAT CAPTURED IN BANGALORE, INDIA BY PANEENDRA BA. THESE BIRDS ARE INSECTIVORES, THEY TYPICALLY USE THE ‘SIT AND WAIT’ TECHNIQUE FOR CATCHING PREY. THEY PERCH IN AN ELEVATED SPOT, WHEN THEY SEE PREY AND THEY SWOOP DOWN TO THE GROUND TO CATCH IT
PEREGRINE FALCONS ARE SKILLED HUNTERS, DURING THE BREEDING SEASON MALES WILL OFTEN CATCH BIRDS THAT WEIGH UP TO 20% OF THEIR OWN BODY MASS. PHOTO BY SUKETU PUROHIT
THE WESTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL PREFERS WET AND BOGGY HABITATS WITH LOW VEGETATION.THIS WAGTAIL WAS PHOTOGRAPHED IN CUTTACK, INDIA BY AMIT KUMAR BAL
A WHITE-EARED BULBUL TAKING A DRINK AT CREEK PARK, DUBAI. PHOTO BY MUKUND KUMAR
A MAGNIFICENT OSPREY WITH A FRESHLY CAUGHT FISH. THIS PHOTOGRAPH, BY SOUMIK BISWAS, MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THE SHEER SIZE AND STRENGTH OF THEIR TALONS!
A BEAUTIFULLY CAPTURED SHIKRA, BY PRIYANK KAPDI
AN INDIAN THICK-KNEE PHOTOGRAPHED BY INDRANIL BHATTACHARJEE. FEMALE THICK-KNEES LAY THEIR EGGS IN A SCRAPE ON THE GROUND, WHEN THE YOUNG HATCH THEIR PRIMARY DEFENSE AGAINST PREDATORS IS TO FREEZE AND STAY CAMOUFLAGED TO AVOID DETECTION
