The red lipstick bird - Sirkeer Malkoha
On that day, we were busy in observing water birds with our binox in a reservoir of dam site within Balaram-Ambaji Wildlife Sanctuary. Suddenly a bird with glossy red bill crosses the road, literally by walking-not flying exactly in front of us. We both speak in unison… “Oh it is Sirkeer Malkoha!” It disappears swiftly through vegetation running like mongoose. We were little bit depressed because no one’s camera ready at that moment. We missed one more chance to photograph beauty of ‘Lipstick bird’. We tried to find it for some time then decided to move ahead. While returning we stopped by at same place to look out just in case…! We got luckier this time. We were able to spot well-concealed Sirkeer Malkoha on one of the Prosopis juliflora ( ગાંડો બાવળ) shrub only because it was calling…! It has very attractive hooked bill with bright cherry-red and yellow color. It is a large bird around 40 cm. mainly brown and rufous in colour and having long heavy white tipped tail...
