Flora and Fauna

Indian Roller Bird

A brightly colored bird with various shades of blue on the wings, tails, and belly that are often more prominent in flight. Generally silent, but more vocal in breeding season with harsh calls. Prefers open areas, including agricultural landscapes, and occasionally pumping its tail slowly.

Red-Wattle Lapwing

A distinctly marked lapwing with a black breast and throat and a red bill with a black tip. In flight, note the black flight feathers that contrast with the white wing patch. Usually found in small groups around water bodies, agricultural fields, and dry land.

Hoopoe Bird

Orange bird with zebra-striped wings. Favors semi open habitats such as heathland, farmland, orchards, grassy lawns, where it feeds on the ground, probing with its long bill for insects. Flight fast and direct, with rather deep wingbeats.

Catbird

Medium-sized songbird, smaller than a robin, with a smooth gray body, black cap, and rusty-red under tail. Sometimes mimics other species in complex, jumbled song. Prefers dense shrubs and small trees in forest edges, streamside thickets, and old fields.

Little Egret

Small snow-white heron with slender dark bill, blackish legs, and yellowish feet (or "golden slippers"). Spray of white plumes on lower back. Common in wide variety of wetlands, at lakes, along rivers, and in estuaries almost anywhere with small fish.

Streptopelia

Small, similar in size to European Turtledove. Tail is strikingly long with white corners and a grey center, but is all white underneath. Its body is pastel shades of brown and pink with a spotted black collar. Usually associated with human-modified landscapes, such as plantations, gardens, and urban areas as long as some trees are present.

Pond Heron

Pond herons are herons, typically 40–50 cm long with an 80–100 cm wingspan. Most breed in the tropical Old World, but the migratory squacco heron occurs in southern Europe and the Middle East and winters in Africa.

Black kite

Medium-sized, rather nondescript raptor with overall dark plumage. Slightly forked tail, the fork disappearing when the tail is fully open. Head and neck are short. Commonly found in urban areas, aquatic habitats, grassland, but usually avoids heavily forested areas and high mountains.