Birds of Bangalore

Discover stunning birding spots of India with #Literoma senior birder Tarun.

(Wish to publish your birding experiences? Email your articles with original photos to literomainc@gmail.com.

We will publish them if selected.)

You are just loaded with piles of work and you are in the middle of a crowded city. Still, you can wish to see the greens, some beautiful birds and inhale enough fresh and pure air. Yes, I want to talk about Bengaluru- the Electronic hub of Karnataka, if not of the whole country. If I start my journey from a famous and well-known point of the city like Koramangala, it takes about merely 45 minutes to reach the desired point to see birds of bangalore. Kanakpura Road is a famous and long avenue within the city and following that just reach Pipeline Load and therefrom the nearby B M Kaval Agara National Forest. Yes, you are at the spot and see how many best and most beautiful birds are waiting there to meet you.

Oriental White Eye

As soon as you are inside the trees, you will hear very feeble tui-tui and fast-moving yellow dots in nearby branches. Just try to fix your eyes and start following the yellow dot movements, you will see the small 10 cm size birds named Oriental White Eye. Tiny bright yellow-colored birds with pointed black bills, white belly and a conspicuous white ring around the eyes. These are the first birds of bangalore that I saw.

White Cheeked and Coppersmith Barbets

Now be steady and fix your eyes more intensely and you can see some moving greens. To locate the green birds try to follow the continuous puo-puo-puo low pitch calls and those are the Coppersmith Barbets or Crimson-breasted Barbets. An about 16 am a long bird with dark green wings and whitish belly, bright crimson patch on the head and breast also a yellow area in the throat and outside the eyes. A slightly bigger size of the same species, about 18 cm long green barbet with white patches on the cheeks will also be visible and those are White Cheeked Barbets.Birds of bangalore are so colourful and enchanting to watch.

Tawny-bellied Babbler

While walking inside the forest through the trails, some reddish-orange colored birds may move at a ground level very swiftly from one side to another. Those are babblers. The Tawny-bellied Babblers are about 13-14 cm long with a round-shaped bigger tail. The throat is white in color. This species is seen from north-central India to the entire southern area of the country.They prefer to hide under dense foliage. Birds of bangalore is a treat to watch.

White Browed Bulbul

Move inside the forest more and now you will hear a variety of bird songs and chirping, shrill sounds from different insects and you are just at the right place now to enjoy nature from very close to it. Bulbuls are the birds available throughout the country and here a 20 cm long variety of that called White-browed Bulbul. An olive-colored bird with white underparts a prominent white eyebrow and slow in movements. These are one of the commonly found birds of bangalore.

Thick-billed Flowerpeckers

Another olive backed small bird with speedy movements will catch your eyes at the same location, preferably at the top of the trees, are the Thick-billed Flower peckers. As the name suggests they mainly move on flowers and fruits (berries). The beak is stout and short in size. They don’t take the fruit as a whole. Wipe the fruit on the branches and take the soft epicarp. Among the birds of bangalore there are so many varieties.

Common Woodshrike and Spotted Owlet

Two very difficult to see birds you may find after entering more inside the forest are Common Woodshrike and Spotted Owlet. A common wood shrike is a dull ashy brown-colored bird of around 20 cm in size, having a light black patch over the eyes. They move usually in pairs and sounds loud while calling. Feed mainly on insects and sit on upper branches preferably. Whereas the spotted owlets always prefer to hide in the daytime. Sits the whole day on upper branches and sleeps. Even a minimum sound at the floor makes them awaken and try to find the reason for the sound with big round eyes fully open. Really birds of bangalore are in plenty in number here.

Jungle Bush Quail

A no of small hens if pass by you very quickly just by the side of your legs are definitely Jungle Bush Quail. A brown-colored bird, 16-18 cm in size, with the white moustache, black parallel bars in the belly up to the tail and chestnut-colored head and throat. Normally it moves in groups or pairs. Feed on grass seeds mainly.

Lesser Goldenback Woodpecker

Don’t be panic if you hear loud shrill sounds from any side of you and a large red-headed bird jumps and sit on the trunk of one tree to another. Those are the Golden back Woodpeckers. A beautiful bird with a bright red head (male) black throat and as the name suggests, golden yellow colored back. The beak is really stout and strikes on the trunks and branches of the trees repeatedly in search of insects. Shouts loud whole flying from one tree to another. The species is Lesser Goldenback Woodpecker.

Purple Sunbird and Baya Weaver

On the high branches, some long slender-billed birds move with continuous tui-tui sounds are the Purple Sunbirds. Very difficult to follow the movements. They feed on nectars and prefer to be on the flowering plants always.

You will be surprised to look at your watch, it's already lunchtime if you have started in the morning and you need to come out of the forest for now. As soon as you will see some yellow-headed birds on the bushes and ground you are outside the forest. The Baya Weavers are busy in collecting nest materials from the tall grasses and bushes. The female birds are dull in color. These are one of the most beautiful birds of bangalore.

Telescope can be used to watch the birds closely. You can also carry bird food just in case you want to feed these beautiful creations of nature.

We stop for the day there. Having so many treasures inside the forest we will plan for a second visit.

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