Red-headed Merlin
We went to Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary for breeding plumage, on 14/04/16 story posted at Black-tailed Godwit. In afternoon after taking lunch, we were planning to return to the lake. We had news of Red-necked Falcon seen near other part of the lake. Now we have confusion about visit or not visit that place, it was quite far away + horribly bumpy road. Finally, we decided go there, after all it is Red-necked Falcon…! We saw three Juvenile birds looks like they were recently left their nest. We searched surroundings for the adult but probably they were not nearby. Chick of Red-necked Falcon look super cute…! 

The red-necked falcon (Falco chicquera) is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies Falco chicquera chicquera also known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran.

14th April 2016
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Nikon D7100
AF-S Nikkor 300mm F/4D IF-ED + AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E
f/8, 1/320,iso-400

Previous                                                                                                                                                                              Next